The High Court awarded damages of £70,000 to a global telecommunications business and its chairman. Following a hearing earlier this week, the Court awarded the claimants an additional £50,000 in respect of their costs.
The claimants had brought an action in libel against a legal and PR consultant based in London and an English company of which he was the sole director. The claim was based on three articles published online, which made defamatory allegations including of serious criminal activity, fraud, breaches of regulatory rules and links to organised crime.
The claimants secured default judgment in April 2024 and damages were assessed at a remedies/disposal hearing before Deputy Master Fine. On 2 July 2024, the Court awarded the claimants damages of £70,000 and granted an injunction restraining the defendants from repeating the same or similar allegations.
Following a further hearing on 16 September 2024, Deputy Master Fine also awarded the claimants costs of £50,000.
Mariyam Kamil appeared for the claimants, instructed by Brandsmiths.