Cantwell v Sinclair [2011] NSWSC 1244

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Cantwell v Sinclair [2011] NSWSC 1244 Hearing dates: 04/04/2011, 05/04/2011, 06/04/2011, 07/04/2011, 11/04/2011, 12/04/2011 Decision date: 25 October 2011 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Rothman J Decision: (i) Judgment for the plaintiff; (ii) The defendant shall pay damages in the sum of $77,750 (including interest) to the plaintiff; (iii) Within seven days of the date hereof, the plaintiff shall file and serve a document setting out its claim for any order as to costs and within a further seven days thereafter the defendant shall respond thereto. If there be no agreement, the Court shall contact the parties in order to direct written submissions and/or a short hearing on costs. Catchwords: DEFAMATION - defamatory imputations conveyed by email - qualified privilege - occasion of qualified privilege - two alternative bases - each destroyed by improper motive - damages awarded Legislation Cited: Defamation Act 2005 Cases Cited: Aktas v Westpac Banking Corporation Limited [2010] HCA 25; (2010) 241 CLR 79 Ali v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2008] NSWCA 183 Amalgamated Televisions Services v Marsden (1998) 43 NSWLR 158 Bashford v Information Australia (Newsletters) Pty Ltd [2004] HCA 5; (2004) 218 CLR 366 Bellino v Australian Broadcasting Corporation [1996] HCA 47; (1996) 185 CLR 183 Bennette v Cohen [2009] NSWCA 60 Brett HOLMES v Andrew FRASER [2008] NSWSC 570 Cush v Dillon and Boland v Dillon [2009] NSWDC 21 Cush v Dillon; Boland v Dillon [2011] HCA 30; (2011) 85 ALJR 865 Goyan v Motyka [2008] NSWCA 28 Guise v Kouvelis [1947] HCA 13; (1947) 74 CLR 102 Haddon v Forsyth [2011] NSWSC 123 Higgins v Sinclair [2011] NSWSC 163 Holmes a Court v Papaconstuntinos [2011] NSWCA 59 Manefield v Child Care NSW [2010] NSWSC 1420 Megna v Marshall [2010] NSWSC 686 Papaconstuntinos v Holmes a Court [2009] NSWSC 903 Radio 2UE Sydney Pty Ltd v Chesterton [2009] HCA 16; (2009) 238 CLR 460 Reader's Digest Services Pty Ltd v Lamb [1982] HCA 4; (1982) 150 CLR 500 Roberts v Bass [2002] HCA 57; (2002) 212 CLR 1 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Melanie Cantwell (Plaintiff) Douglas Sinclair (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: