Richard Woods & BusinessF1 Libel Action
Miroslav Sanytrák / foto Jiří Křenek | 25.3.07 | Aktuality
Richard Woods, the Director of Communications at the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile was awarded the maximum sum under the Summary Disposal procedure in libel proceedings by a High Court Judge on Wednesday (21 March 2007). Mr Woods, represented by steeles, sued Tom Rubython and BusinessF1 Magazine for an article entitled “The Propagandist” that was highly defamatory of Mr Woods.
Mr Woods was delighted by the outcome and Dominic Crossley of steeles commented “Richard Woods was subjected to an unrestrained attack in BusinessF1 Magazine and he is rightly satisfied that these proceedings have helped vindicate the damage that was caused to his reputation from the untruths in the article”.
Mr Rubython made no attempt to defend the defamatory article about Mr Woods published in his magazine and in addition to paying damages and costs he has offered Mr Woods an apology. Mr Rubython has also agreed to discontinue the so-called “Chronicles” series of articles from his magazine.
The Court also heard that BusinessF1’s attack in “The Propagandist” followed Mr Woods’ publication of a web entry setting out Mr Rubython’s business failures and history of being sued for libel.
Mr Rubython, in response to Mr Woods’ claim, complained about a small part of that entry which suggested that Mr Rubython had surrounded himself with criminals. Mr Woods pointed to Mr Rubython’s close business relationship between 1996 and 1999 with the convicted rapist Owen Oyston in his defence of justification (and partial justification) for that part of the article, however Mr Rubython was successful in his counter claim. Mr Woods commented “Tom Rubython’s BusinessF1 Magazine has harmed many people working in Formula One.
“My motivation in publishing the web entry about him was to reveal the truth and if I have been at all successful in that regard then I feel that it has been more than worth it. It is perhaps significant that Tom Rubython has not complained about 90% of the web entry’s contents.”
Mr Woods has not apologised to Mr Rubython.
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