Holt v TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd [2012] NSWSC 770

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Holt v TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd [2012] NSWSC 770 Hearing dates: 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27 and 28 June 2012 Decision date: 13 July 2012 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Adamson J Decision: (a)Verdict for the plaintiff. (b)Judgment for the plaintiff in an amount of $4,900. (c)The parties have leave to approach, at a time to be fixed, on the question of costs, including any special order as to costs. Catchwords: DEFAMATION - role of judge and jury - findings of fact made on question of damages must not be inconsistent with the verdict of the jury DEFAMATION - damages - mitigation - evidence - reputation - admissibility and relevance - relationship to "relevant sector" of reputation Legislation Cited: -Defamation Act 2005 Cases Cited: -ABC v McBride [2001] NSWCA 322; 53 NSWLR 430 -Ahmadi v Fairfax Media Publications [2010] NSWSC 702 -AK v Western Australia [2008] HCA 8; 232 CLR 438 -Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd v Marsden [2002] NSWCA 419 -Briginshaw v Briginshaw [1938] HCA 34; 60 CLR 336 -Carson v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd [1993] HCA 31; 178 CLR 44 -Cassell and Co Ltd v Broome [1972] AC 1027 -Channel Seven Sydney Pty Ltd v Mahommed [2010] NSWCA 335; 278 ALR 232 -Habib v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2010] NSWSC 924; 78 NSWLR 619 -Haertsch v Channel Nine Pty Ltd & Ors [2010] NSWSC 182 -John Fairfax and Sons v Kelly (1987) 8 NSWLR 131 -John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v Zunter [2006] NSWCA 227 -Monteiro v R [2011] NSWCCA 113 -O'Hagan v Nationwide News Pty Limited [2001] NSWCA 302; 53 NSWLR 89 -Pamplin v Express Newspapers Ltd [1988] 1 WLR 116 -Rogers v Nationwide News Pty Limited [2003] HCA 52; 216 CLR 327 -Uren v John Fairfax & Sons Pty Ltd [1966] HCA 40; 117 CLR 118 Texts Cited: -Gatley on Libel and Slander (11th ed, 2008) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Andrew Holt (Plaintiff) TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd (First defendant) Nine Network Australia (Second defendant) Ben Fordham (Third defendant) Representation: Counsel: K Smark SC (Plaintiff) B McClintock SC/ M Richardson (Defendants) Solicitors: Fitzpatrick Solicitors Pty Ltd (Plaintiff) Johnson Winter & Slattery (Defendants) File Number(s): 2010/114155