
Malicious Falsehood – The Correct Interpretation of s3(1) of the Defamation Act 1952
In George v Cannell and another [2022], the Court of Appeal has ruled on what a claimant needs to prove to be able to rely on section 3(1) of the Defamation Act 1952, which provides an exception from the need to prove special damages in a malicious falsehood action. The court also considered whether a claimant could recover anything more than nominal damages for injury to feelings, in the absence of actual financial loss. Background An action for malicious falsehood takes pla