Poulter v Times Newspapers Ltd [2018] EWHC 3900 (QB) (14 December 2018)

Poulter v Times Newspapers Ltd [2018] EWHC 3900 (QB) (14 December 2018)

The print articles must be read together for the purpose of determining meaning, as they are sufficiently closely connected and form a single publication. The online articles are to be read separately, as the related links do not create a sufficient connection for the ordinary reasonable reader to be expected to read both. The natural and ordinary meaning of the print articles, and the online Bridgen Article, is that the claimant was guilty of sexual assault by putting his hand up the skirts of three female Members of Parliament. The online Wheeler Article bears the meaning that there were reasonable grounds to suspect that the claimant was guilty of sexual assault by putting his hand up...

Citation
[2018] EWHC 3900 (QB)
Parties
Claimant: Daniel Poulter MP; Defendant: Times Newspapers Limited
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
14 December 2018
Procedural Posture
Libel Action / Trial of Preliminary Issue (meaning)
Outcome
Preliminary issue of meaning determined in favour of the claimant's interpretation for the print articles and online Bridgen Article; online Wheeler Article determined at Chase level 2 meaning as pleaded by claimant.
Legal Topics
Libel, Meaning of Publication, Repetition Rule, Single Publication Rule, Online Publication Context
Defamation Media Law Libel Meaning of Publication Repetition Rule Single Publication Rule Online Publication Context

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Parties

Daniel Poulter MP

Claimant

Times Newspapers Limited

Defendant

Procedural Posture

Libel Action / Trial of Preliminary Issue (meaning)

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether the print articles should be read together for the purpose of determining meaning
  2. 2 Whether the online articles should be read together for the purpose of determining meaning
  3. 3 What is the natural and ordinary meaning of the words complained of in the articles

Ratio Decidendi

The print articles must be read together for the purpose of determining meaning, as they are sufficiently closely connected and form a single publication. The online articles are to be read separately, as the related links do not create a sufficient connection for the ordinary reasonable reader to be expected to read both. The natural and ordinary meaning of the print articles, and the online Bridgen Article, is that the claimant was guilty of sexual assault by putting his hand up the skirts of three female Members of Parliament. The online Wheeler Article bears the meaning that there were reasonable grounds to suspect that the claimant was guilty of sexual assault by putting his hand up...

Court Disposition

Preliminary issue of meaning determined in favour of the claimant's interpretation for the print articles and online Bridgen Article; online Wheeler Article determined at Chase level 2 meaning as pleaded by claimant.

Orders

  • The meaning of the print publication of the two articles is: 'the claimant was guilty of sexual assault by putting his hand up the skirts of three female Members of Parliament'.
  • The meaning of the online Bridgen Article is the same as the print articles.