Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Harassment claim over third-party emails: summary judgment; England and Wales High Court confirms Part 7 where injunction restrains publication by any means

Published on: 22 August 2024

Published by a LexisNexis TMT expert

Legal News

Article summary

Pattinson v Winsor [2024] EWHC 1910 (KB)

What are the practical implications of this case?

The ruling offers a clear recap of the principles for assessing whether behaviour amounts to harassment. It emphasises that communications need not be addressed to the claimant for there to be a targeted course of conduct. It also confirms that repeated, focused messaging can still be harassing even where the allegations contain a kernel of truth—though here the judge viewed the allegations against the claimant as groundless. Notably, the decision further clarifies that the Part 7 route is the proper procedure where the relief sought includes restraining publication by any means, even if the complained-of conduct is not itself a publication...

What was the background? Factual background

The claimant is a District Judge (in the Magistrate’s Court) and the defendant’s brother-in-law. The dispute emerged from disagreements about the defendant’s mother’s will. The claimant was the executor of the deceased’s estate. The defendant raised various challenges, but in separate proceedings concluded in November 2023, the will was upheld...

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