Snedden v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2011] NSWCA 262

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Snedden v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2011] NSWCA 262 Hearing dates: 18-19 November 2010 Decision date: 02 September 2011 Before: McColl JA at [1] Macfarlan JA at [2] McClellan CJ at CL at [3] Decision: Appeal dismissed with costs. [Note: The Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 provide (Rule 36.11) that unless the Court otherwise orders, a judgment or order is taken to be entered when it is recorded in the Court's computerised court record system. Setting aside and variation of judgments or orders is dealt with by Rules 36.15, 36.16, 36.17 and 36.18. Parties should in particular note the time limit of fourteen days in Rule 36.16.] Catchwords: APPEAL - Defamation Act 1974 (NSW) - conduct of appellant as commander of Serbian troops - prior criminal convictions - imputations found to have been conveyed - defences of truth and contextual truth (NSW and TAS) - defences of truth and justification (other interstate jurisdictions) - TRUTH - matters and circumstances that establish the substantial truth of the imputations - JUSTIFICATION - whether Polly Peck or Hore-Lacy defence applies to interstate publications - verdict for the respondents. Legislation Cited: Crimes (Foreign Incursions and Recruitment) Act 1978 (Cth) Crimes Act Crimes (Torture) Act (1988) (Cth) Defamation Act 1974 (NSW) Defamation Act 1957 (Tas) UK Defamation Act 1952 Cases Cited: Advertiser - News Weekend Publishing Co. Ltd. V Manock [2005] SASC 82 Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd v Marsden (1998) 43 NSWLR 158 Cross v Queensland Newspaper Pty Ltd (2008) NSWCA 80 David Syme & Co Ltd v Hore-Lacey [2000] VSCA 24 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118 Howden v Truth & Sportsmen Ltd (1937) 58 CLR 416 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd & Anor v Jones [2004] NSWCA 205 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v Hitchcock [2007] NSWCA 364 John Fairfax Publications v Zunter [2006] NSWCA 227 Moore v News of the World [1972] 1 QB 441 Mr Whippy Pty Ltd v Ocean Walk Pty Ltd (2008) NSWCA 8 Polly Peck v Trelford [1986] QB 1000 The Greek Herald v Nikolopoulos (2002) 54 NSWLR 165 Warren v Coombes (1978-1979) 142 CLR 531 West Australian Newspapers Ltd v Elliot [2008] WASCA 172 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Daniel Snedden (Appellant) Nationwide News (Respondent) Representation: C A Evatt/R K Rasmussen (Appellant) T D Blackburn SC/J Hmelnitsky (Respondent) DC Legal Pty Ltd (Appellant) Blake Dawson (Respondent) File Number(s): CA 2005/269455 Decision under appeal Citation: NSWSC 1446 Date of Decision: 2009-12-18 00:00:00 Before: Latham J File Number(s): 20389/2005