Brian Stanley Fisher v Channel Seven Sydney Pty Ltd (No 4) [2014] NSWSC 1616

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Brian Stanley Fisher v Channel Seven Sydney Pty Ltd (No 4) [2014] NSWSC 1616 Hearing dates: 15-18 September 2014, 22-24 September 2014, 29 September 2014, 2 October 2014 Decision date: 17 November 2014 Before: Rothman J Decision: 1.Judgment for the plaintiff; 2.The defendants shall pay the plaintiff damages in the sum of $125,000; 3.The defendants shall pay, in addition, interest on the above amount pursuant to s 100 of the Civil Procedure Act 2005, at the rate of 3.75% from 6 June 2011 until the date of judgment; 4.The defendants shall pay the plaintiff's costs of and incidental to the proceedings; 5.Liberty to apply to all parties on any special or different order as to costs or interest within 14 days from the date hereof; 6.The plaintiff shall file and serve a draft Minutes of Order within 21 days of the date hereof. Catchwords: DEFAMATION - Damages - Jury verdict - Two imputations proved true and five further imputations not proved true - Publication defamatory overall - assessment of damage Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 Defamation Act 2005 Passenger Transport Regulation 2007 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 Cases Cited: Ahmadi v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd [2010] NSWSC 702 Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd v Marsden [2002] NSWCA 419 Associated Newspaper Ltd v Dingle [1964] AC 371 Atkinson v Fitzwalter [1987] 1 WLR 201 Brian Stanley Fisher v Channel Seven Sydney Pty Ltd (No 2) [2014] NSWSC 1593 Carson v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd [1993] HCA 31; (1993) 178 CLR 44 Cassell & Co Ltd v Broome [1972] AC 1027 Channel Seven Sydney Pty Ltd v Mahommed [2010] NSWCA 335; (2010) 278 ALR 232 Clark v Ainsworth (1996) 40 NSWLR 463 Chappel v Mirror Newspaper Ltd (NSWCA, 14 June 1984, unreported) Coyne v Citizen Finance Ltd [1991] HCA 10; (1991) 172 CLR 211 Crampton v Nugawela (1996) 41 NSWLR 176 David Syme & Co Ltd v Mather [1977] VR 516 Haertsch v Channel Nine Pty Ltd [2010] NSWSC 182 Holt v TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd [2012] NSWSC 770 Holt v TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd [2014] NSWCA 90; (2004) 86 NSWLR 96 John Fairfax & Sons Ltd v Kelly (1987) 8 NSWLR 131 John v Mirror Group Newspapers Ltd [1996] 2 All ER 35 Ley v Hamilton (1935) 153 LT 384 MBP (SA) Pty Ltd v Gogic [1991] HCA 3; (1991) 171 CLR 657 McGaw v Channel Seven Sydney Pty Ltd [2006] NSWSC 1270 Palmer Bruyn & Parker Pty Ltd v Parsons [2001] HCA 69; (2001) 208 CLR 388 Pamplin v Express Newspaper Ltd (No 2) [1988] 1 WLR 116 Ratcliffe v Evans [1892] 2 QB 524 Rogers v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2003] HCA 52; (2003) 216 CLR 327 Saffron v John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd [2004] NSWCA 254 Waterhouse v Broadcasting Station 2GB Pty Ltd (1985) 1 NSWLR 58 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Brian Fisher (Plaintiff) Channel Seven Sydney Pty Ltd (First Defendant) David Richardson (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: C. Evatt with R. Rasmussen & M. Fozzard (Plaintiff) M. Richardson (First and Second Defendants) Solicitors: Michael Kreveld Legal (Plaintiff) Addisons Lawyers (First and Second Defendants) File Number(s): 2011/408095 Publication restriction: None