Cosco v Hutley (No 2) [2020] NSWSC 893

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Cosco v Hutley (No 2) [2020] NSWSC 893 Hearing dates: 08-12, 17 April 2019 Date of orders: 13 July 2020 Decision date: 13 July 2020 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Rothman J Decision: (1) Judgment for the plaintiff; (2) The defendant shall pay the plaintiff damages of $300,000; (3) Pursuant to s 100 of the Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), the defendant shall pay, in addition to the award of damages, interest on the amount of said damages from 4 July 2016 until the date of judgment at 5% per annum; (4) Notwithstanding the terms of order [3] above, interest is payable on the damages herein in accordance with s 101 of the Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW); (5) The defendant shall pay the plaintiff's costs of and incidental to the proceedings; (6) Leave is granted to either party to apply to the Court in writing, by email addressed to the Associate of Rothman J, for a different or special order as to interest or costs. Such application shall be made with a submission in support of no more than five pages, within 14 days of the date of judgment and, if any such application be made, the other party may, within a further 14 days, again by submission of no more than five pages, respond to any such application. The application will be dealt with on the papers and the five page limit does not include any evidence of offer or other document not otherwise in evidence. (7) Other than in relation to those matters for which the parties' rights are reserved, the proceedings are dismissed. Catchwords: DEFAMATION – justification – honest opinion – effect of contextual imputations – other findings on character – re-publication by national broadcaster of interview in which neighbour defames plaintiff – neighbourhood dispute – re-publication liability – aggravated damages Legislation Cited: Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth), ss 40, 41 Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 100, 101 Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), ss 195(1)(a), 196, 198, 200 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW), s 21A Defamation Act 2005 (NSW), ss 25, 26, 28, 29, 31, 34, 35, 36, 37 Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth), s 18D Cases Cited: Allied Pastoral Holdings Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation [1983] 1 NSWLR 1 Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd v Marsden (1998) 43 NSWLR 158; [1998] NSWSC 4 Bellino v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1986) 185 CLR 183; [1995] HCA 34 Blatch v Archer (1774) 1 Cowp 63; 98 ER 969 Bracks v Smyth-Kirk (2009) 263 ALR 522; [2009] NSWCA 401 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336; [1938] HCA 34 Browne v Dunn (1893) 6 R 67 Carson v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd (1993) 178 CLR 44; [1993] HCA 31 Cassell & Co Ltd v Broome [1972] AC 1027 Channel Seven Adelaide Pty Ltd v Manock (2007) 232 CLR 245; [2007] HCA 60 Channel Seven Sydney Pty Ltd v Fisher [2015] NSWCA 414 Channel Seven Sydney Pty Ltd v Mahommed (2010) 278 ALR 232; [2010] NSWCA 335 Coyne v Citizen Finance Ltd (1991) 172 CLR 211; [1991] HCA 10 David v Abdishou [2012] NSWCA 109 Digby v Financial News Ltd [1907] 1 KB 502 Dow Jones & Co Inc v Gutnick (2002) 210 CLR 575; [2002] HCA 56 Fairfax Digital Australia & New Zealand Pty Ltd v Kazal (2018) 97 NSWLR 547; [2018] NSWCA 77 Feldman v Polaris Media Pty Ltd as trustee of the Polaris Media Trust Trading As the Australian Jewish News (No 2) [2018] NSWSC 1035 Gacic v John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd (2015) 89 NSWLR 538; [2015] NSWCA 99 Grajewski v DPP (NSW)(2019) 264 CLR 470; [2019] HCA 8 Habib v Radio 2UE Sydney Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 231 Herald & Weekly Times Ltd v Popovic (2003) 9 VR 1; [2003] VSCA 161 Holt v TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd (2014) 86 NSWLR 96; [2014] NSWCA 90 Howden v Truth & Sportsman Ltd (1937) 58 CLR 416; [1937] HCA 74 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v O'Shane [2005] NSWCA 164 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 Lloyd-Jones v Allen [2012] NSWCA 230 London Artists Ltd v Littler [1969] 2 QB 375; [1968] EWCA Civ 3 Marshall v Megna [2013] NSWCA 30 McCarey v Associated Newspapers Ltd (No 2) [1965] 2 QB 86 Meissner v the Queen (1995) 184 CLR 132; [1995] HCA 41 Nationwide News Pty Limited v Rush (2020) FCAFC 115 O'Brien v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (2017) 97 NSWLR 1; [2017] NSWCA 338 Palmer Bruyn & Parker Pty Ltd v Parsons (2001) 208 CLR 388; [2001] HCA 69 Praed v Graham (1889) 24 QBD 53 Radio 2UE Sydney Pty Ltd v Chesterton (2009) 238 CLR 460; [2009] HCA 16 Rofe v Smith's Newspapers Ltd (1924) 25 SR (NSW) 4 Rogers v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (2003) 216 CLR 327; [2003] HCA 52 Rookes v Barnard [1964] AC 1129 Steele v Mirror Newspapers Ltd [1974] 2 NSWLR 348 Sutcliffe v Pressdram Ltd [1991] 1 QB 153 Sutherland v Stopes [1925] AC 47 The Queen v De Simoni (1981) 147 CLR 383; [1981] HCA 31 Triggell v Pheeney (1951) 82 CLR 497; [1951] HCA 23 Uren v John Fairfax & Sons Pty Ltd (1966) 117 CLR 118; [1966] HCA 40 Weissensteiner v The Queen (1993) 178 CLR 217; [1993] HCA 65 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Anthony John Cosco (Plaintiff) Vanessa Hutley (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: S T Chrysanthou / N G Olson (Plaintiff) B McClintock SC / M Richardson (Defendant)