Vilo v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd & Anor [2000] NSWSC 1206

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Vilo v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd & Anor [2000] NSWSC 1206 CURRENT JURISDICTION: Common Law - Defamation FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 17027/83 HEARING DATE(S) : 12 October 2000 JUDGMENT DATE : 15 December 2000

PARTIES : Enn Vilo - Plaintiff John Fairfax & Sons Ltd & Anor - Defendants JUDGMENT OF : Simpson J

COUNSEL : Mr T Molomby - Plaintiff Mr S Wheelhouse - Defendants SOLICITORS : Leitch Hasson & Dent - Plaintiff Mallesons Stephen Jacques - Defendants CATCHWORDS : Damages for defamation - costs - failure to claim interest - application for leave to amend statement of claim - right to claim interest - whether omission was deliberate - Supreme Court Act 1970 s 94 - relevance of delay in relation to award of damages - damage to reputation and injury to feelings - deprivation of money - costs of two counsel. LEGISLATION CITED : Supreme Court Act 1970 John Fairfax & Sons Ltd v Kelly Ruby v Marsh (1975) 132 CLR 642 Simonius Vischer & Company v Holt & thompson [1979] 2 NSWLR 322 Anderson's Pacific Trading Co Pty Ltd v Karlander New Guinea Line Ltd [1980] 2 NSWLR 870 Bennett v Jones [1977] 2 NSWLR 355 CASES CITED : John Fairfax & Sons v Kelly (1987) 8 NSWLR 131 Australian Consolidated Press v Driscoll (1988) Aust Torts R 80 - 175 MBP (SA) Pty Ltd v Gogic (1991) 171 CLR 657 John Fairfax & Sons Ltd v Palmer (1987) 8 NSWLR 297 Toomey v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd, Ritchie, Supreme Court Procedure NSW Goldsworth v Radio 2ue Sydney Pty Ltd [1999] NSWSC 772 DECISION : Order that the defendants pay interest at 2 percent on the whole of the verdict amounts, from 14 August 1983. The parties should prepare short minutes of order reflecting this and all previous determinations so as to finalise the proceedings in this Division.