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Law Cases
Tort Law Cases
Defamation Cases

Cassidy v Daily Mirror [1929] 2 KB 331:

Country:
United Kingdom
By Oxbridge Law Team
Scrutton LJ
Russell LJ

  • Plaintiff sued Defendant who published a picture claiming that her husband, X, was due to marry another woman, i.e. that he was single. This was after X had claimed it to be the case.

  • Plaintiff claimed that this implied that she was living “in a state of immoral cohabitation” with a single man.

  • CA found for Plaintiff. 

Scrutton LJ

  • It is possible to defame people indirectly. E.g. If I claim that X is illegitimate, this defames X’s parents indirectly.

  • Similarly to claim that a man is single is libelous of his wife.

  • It is no defence to say that Defendant did not know of Plaintiff’s existence since the publisher must bear the risk fo inferences reasonably drawn from his words. 

Russell LJ

  • Liability for libel “does not depend on the intention of the defamer; but on the fact of defamation.

  • The Newspaper is paying a price for failing to inquire as to the truth. 

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