http://blog.indexoncensorship.org/2011/11/11/author-sues-reviewer-over-comments-on-amazon/
Author sues reviewer over comments on Amazon
11Nov11 – 10:30 am
by Alice Purkiss
A father of three from Nuneaton, UK, appeared in the High Court
yesterday to face libel allegations over a book review he wrote on
Amazon.
Vaughan Jones, 28, appeared at the Royal Courts of Justice yesterday
for a hearing to defend himself against the libel suit from online
entrepreneur Chris McGrath.
McGrath, author of “The Attempted Murder of God: Hidden Science You
Really Need to Know,” undertook libel action against Jones, after he
published a review of the book on Amazon, and comments regarding the
book and Mr McGrath himself on Richard Dawkins’s website during
September and October 2010. Jones also outed McGrath as the author of
the book, which had been written under the pseudonym “Scrooby”.
McGrath is not only suing Jones for his allegedly defamatory comments,
but Amazon, Richard Dawkins himself, and the Richard Dawkins Foundation.
Presided over by His Honour Judge Maloney QC, Jones was joined by
legal representation for Amazon and the Richard Dawkins Foundation to
ascertain if there is a case to answer.
Entrepreneur turned author McGrath believes that Amazon and the
Richard Dawkins Foundation did not respond appropriately to the
alleged defamatory statements on the respective websites, and thus
they are also liable for a defamation suit.
John Kampfner, the Chief Executive of Index on Censorship, said: “That
a family man from Nuneaton can face a potentially ruinous libel action
for a book review on Amazon shows how archaic and expensive our libel
law is.”
Kampfner added that the Libel Reform Campaign, which is underway with
English Pen and Sense about Science, is hoping to commit to a bill in
the next Queen’s speech to reform the chilling effect libel has on
freedom of speech.
The hearing continues today
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