Greig v WIN Television NSW Pty Limited [2009] NSWSC 632

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Greig v WIN Television NSW Pty Limited [2009] NSWSC 632 This decision has been amended. Please see the end of the judgment for a list of the amendments.

HEARING DATE(S) : 6-28 April 2009

JUDGMENT DATE : 10 July 2009

JURISDICTION : Civil

JUDGMENT OF : McClellan CJatCL

DECISION : Verdict for the plaintiff

CATCHWORDS : DEFAMATION – justification – truth – withdrawal of defence from jury for lack of evidence – "reasonable suspicion" and "reasonable grounds" imputations – requirement that the defendant prove the truth of the imputations by reference to the objective evidence of the conduct of the plaintiff – insufficient to rely on conduct of third parties as proving the truth of the imputation – DEFAMATION – justification – truth – substantial truth – proof of the sting of the imputation – material inaccuracy – DEFAMATION – damages – aggravated damages

LEGISLATION CITED : Defamation Act 2005

CATEGORY : Principal judgment

Aktas v Westpac Banking Corporation Ltd (2009) NSWCA 9 Carson v John Fairfax & Sons Limited (1993) 178 CLR 44 Chase v Newsgroup Newspapers Ltd [2002] EWCA Civ 1772; [2003] EMLR 218 Edwards v Bell (1824) Bing 403 Jackson v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd (1981) 1 NSWLR 36 Jarrett v John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd (2001) NSWSC 739 King v Telegraph Group Ltd [2004] EWCA Civ 613 [2005] 1 WLR 2282 Lewis v Daily Telegraph Ltd [1964] AC 235 CASES CITED : McCarey v Associated Newspapers Ltd & Ors [1964] 3 All ER 947 McKenzie v Mervyn Holdings Pty Ltd & Anor (1990) 20 NSWLR 42 Mirror Newspapers Ltd v World Hosts Pty Ltd (1979) 141 CLR 632 Obeid v John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd (2006) NSWSC 1059; 68 NSWLR 150 Sergi v Australian Broadcasting Commission (1983) 2 NSWLR 669 Shah v Standard Chartered Bank [1999] QB 241 Triggell v Pheeney (1951) 82 CLR 497 Weaver v Lloyd (1824) 2 B&C 678 Western Australian Newspapers Limited v Elliott [2008] 250 ALR 363 Whalan v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd (1988) 12 NSWLR 148