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10/03/2008
Legal Wrangle Over Restaurant Review To Return To Court
There's clearly no such thing as a 'free lunch' anymore, as reviewers across Northern Ireland have had to pause, leave aside their cutlery - and their computer keyboard - and take account of the legal battle between a west Belfast catering outlet and one of the city's longest established newspapers.
An earlier court judgement on the Irish News' appeal against a £25,000 libel award over a restaurant review has now been quashed by the Court of Appeal.
Judges have ordered a retrial of the 2007 case which initially found in favour of Goodfella's pizza restaurant in Belfast, after a jury found the paper's food critic's review defamatory.
The court has now ruled that the jury in the original trial had been misdirected on whether the opinions were defensible as fair comment.
Ciarnan Convery, the owner of the business, brought the libel action in February, 2007, claiming that the article was defamatory, damaging and hurtful.
Lawyers for the paper had defended their criticism of the restaurant on the basis of justification and fair comment.
In January, a QC for the newspaper said the outcome of the appeal would have "worldwide implications".
The journalist's review allegedly criticised staff, the quality of food and drink, and the smokey atmosphere.
(BMcC/KMcA)
An earlier court judgement on the Irish News' appeal against a £25,000 libel award over a restaurant review has now been quashed by the Court of Appeal.
Judges have ordered a retrial of the 2007 case which initially found in favour of Goodfella's pizza restaurant in Belfast, after a jury found the paper's food critic's review defamatory.
The court has now ruled that the jury in the original trial had been misdirected on whether the opinions were defensible as fair comment.
Ciarnan Convery, the owner of the business, brought the libel action in February, 2007, claiming that the article was defamatory, damaging and hurtful.
Lawyers for the paper had defended their criticism of the restaurant on the basis of justification and fair comment.
In January, a QC for the newspaper said the outcome of the appeal would have "worldwide implications".
The journalist's review allegedly criticised staff, the quality of food and drink, and the smokey atmosphere.
(BMcC/KMcA)
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Northern Ireland WeatherThis Evening and Tonight:Showers, scattered in the evening, will clear by midnight leaving the night dry with clear spells. Perhaps a touch of ground frost. Cloud will spread east towards morning. Minimum temperature 2 °C.
