Twitter Joke Appeal: David Allen Green is the Real 007

Great news yesterday that Paul Chambers was cleared by the Lord Chief Justice at the High Court of a criminal conviction for making a daft comment on twitter.

Paul was supported during his appeal(s) by Comedians Stephen Fry and Al Murray.

While his legal team was headed by top solicitor, David Allen Green (also known as blogger "Jack of Kent")

I sent David a twitter message that this is yet another notch for justice in his legal gown!

This is an important victory for free speech and will hopefully make those responsible for protecting us against real terrorist threats think carefully before abusing their powers in such a way. 

I met Paul briefly with David when he was making one of his very many appearances at the Royal Court of Justice (RCJ).

When I was having my own "difficulties" at the RCJ, David helped me out immensely (alongside my Tory comrade, Commissar Robert Dougans). I posted the picture above here (which got this response from you-know-who).

Claimant get £75k Costs Judgement against him in Richard Dawkins, Amazon and Vaughan Jones Libel "strike out".

We have the most stupid, wasteful and self destructive libel laws in the world. Last Friday afternoon in a hearing at the Royal Court of Justice an application to strike out libel action against Richard Dawkins, Amazon and Vaughan Jones (see 2nd left) was agreed and a £75,000 cost judgement

awarded against the claimant Christopher McGarth.

I do actually blame the court process and the law  for this complete and utter waste of time and a huge amount of personal, company and public money.

Litigants in person who have frankly ridiculous legal cases are allowed by the Court to bankrupt not only themselves but also those they perceive to have grievances against almost regardless of the merits of their often weird and wonderful claims.

There is a 39 page written judgement with regard to this latest case which is mostly legal gobbledygook. However I was pleased to see a couple of references in the judgement justifying the strike out to the completely bonkers Kaschke case that I had been most unfortunately a party to. Fellow libel survivors David Osler and Hardeep Singh joined Vaughan outside the Court (see 2nd left with legal advisers including the indomitable Robert Dougans 3rd right).

Afterwards we went for some celebratory sherbets in a local hostelry followed by the traditional basement "libel victory curry" (joined by my best mate ever Mrs Stroppy Olser!).  Media lawyer David Allen Green (aka Jack of Kent) also assisted with the defence. When he posts on case I will link.

Libel Reform and the Queen's Speech

Last week the Libel Reform Campaign sent out a letter calling on its supporters to contact their MP to try and make sure that libel reform is included in the next Queen's speech. Various people who have been subject to the madness that is English Libel law signed the letter including Dave Osler and my good self. Double click screen print to bring up detail.

Please click on this link and send your MP a message.

"We are writing as people who have battled libel threats and actions to ask for your help to make sure reform of the laws gets into next year's Queen's Speech, which sets the legislative agenda for 2012.

People are still being threatened by a law that allows the rich and powerful to bully critics and shut down public debate. Libel reform needs urgent action. The campaign and all its supporters have worked hard to persuade the Ministry of Justice to draw up an effective defamation bill, but if it is not in the Queen's Speech in the spring, then libel reform will be delayed for at least another year, which will be a victory for those who want to silence honest criticism. We can't bear to let this opportunity slip away.

We know we will have to battle against those who want to delay or derail libel reform, and the best way to get our message across is to lobby MPs for support. Please help us by filling in the form to the right to send an email to your MP so they know that all we want for Christmas is the inclusion of libel reform in the Queen's Speech".

Europe tells Kaschke to go forth....

In March this year I posted here that the British Court of Appeal had finally thrown out the libel accusations against Labour Bloggers Alex Hilton, Dave Osler and myself made by Tower Hamlets Labour/Respect/Communist/ Conservative Party member, Johanna Kaschke. 

I have made it clear at the time that I think this has been a ludicrous waste of time, trouble and vast amounts of public money that was allowed to continue for four years despite having "no merit whatsoever". 

Many thanks yet again to top lawyers Robert Dougans, David Allen Green (Jack of Kent) and former members of the CCCP Young Pioneers, for their outstanding help and support. Also last but not least thanks to Stroppy and Montrose.

Recently Ms Kaschke has announced that the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) have  rejected her appeal against the British Court's decision.  I am not sure which of the many appeals to the ECHR she said she would lodge have been rejected.  However, I assume that this matter is now finally finished. Ms Kaschke is of course busy blaming everyone else except herself for this outcome.

I thought to celebrate this occasion I should play this video recording of defendant Dave Osler at the Royal Court of Justice and his magnificent opening argument before Lord Justice Eady.  Luckily Robert and David were later able to rescue his defence.  Or so I am told.