On 26 July 2011 Mr Justice Tugendhat handed down a reserved judgment after the trial in Thornton v Telegraph Media Group. The claimant was successful and a total award of damages for libel and malicious falsehood of £65,000 was made.
The case is notable for a number of firsts. It is first libel trial of the year and the first one involving the publisher of a national newspaper since the Mo George case in April 2009. It is the first case in which an ‘offer of amends’ defence has been overturned by a finding of malice. Finally, the case also appears to be the first in which a court has awarded general damages for malicious falsehood.
