Libel and slander—Defamatory words—Article split between front page and later pages of newspaper

Queen’s Bench Division, Sharp J, 28 Apr 2010

Whether two articles in a newspaper on the same issue should be read separately or together for the purpose of determining meaning is a question which may be determined by the judge on a summary application rather than the jury. 

Andrew Caldecott QC and David Sherborne (instructed by Addleshaw Goddard) for the claimant. David Price of David Price, Solicitors & Advocates for the defendant.

The claimant was a professional tennis player.  He brought proceedings in libel against the defendant, a newspaper publisher, in respect of an article on the bottom left hand corner of the front page of the newspaper in April 2008 under the heading “World’s worst tennis pro wins at last”. The article stated that the claimant had lost 54 matches in a row, and had not won a single match in his first three years on the circuit.  Underneath