After Acquired Knowledge

Loutchansky v Times Newspapers Ltd (CA NLJ 4 May p643)

The claimant claimed to have been libelled by two publications which accused him of being engaged in international criminal activities of a very serious nature. The defendants relied primarily on a defence of qualified privilege, contending that the allegations were of great public interest and concern, such that the public were entitled to know of them. The newspaper applied for permission to amend its defence to include certain facts of which it had been unaware at the time of publication in support of its contention that it was under a duty to public the matters of which complaint was made.