Impecunious journalists with vivid imaginations throughout Australia are speculating on the likely damages to be awarded to Townsville scribe and bird lover , Malcolm Weatherup , as a result of his win in a defamation case against The Australian .
The Murdoch owned Townsville Bulletin carried a brief mention of the case in its April 22 edition under the heading NEWSPAPER DEFAMED EX-JOURNO, SAYS JURY .
It said the Supreme Court found an article published in the media section of The Australian last year would have wrongly caused a reasonable reader to believe that Malcolm Weatherup was an habitual drunk who had incurred " the wrath of judges " during his employment as a court reporter at the Townsville Bulletin .
It went on to say Nationwide Newspapers Pty Ltd had not proven its allegations that Weatherup was known to be affected by alcohol at work .
Continuing : However, the jury found that Nationwide News Pty Ltd had established as " substantially true" that Weatherup had committed the crime of wilful damage by kicking a neighbour's car door in a fit of anger...
Whoever wrote this odd paragraph, which could be said to give a reasonable reader the belief that the said Weatherup was some kind of weird kung fu kicker of cars , deserves to be kicked up the derriere.
It omitted, either deliberately , by ignorance , sloppy journalism or poor subbing , that Weatherup had had a long running dispute , over years, with a neighbour who parked poorly.This resulted in the reporter scraping the side of his neighbour's car , leading to the kicking episode.
This was explained fully in the Townsville court last year at which it was said that a few days before the incident Weatherup had received confirmation that he had cancer, and it was playing on his mind. Weatherup had pleaded guilty when charged with wilful damage and was placed on a good behaviour bond , fully reported in the Townsville Bulletin at the time with a photograph of Malcolm , then 68.
In the interests of fair and balanced reporting, this vital piece of info about why the auto was abused surely should have been included in the latest Bully story, especially as the magistrate at the time took into account Weatherup had no previous criminal record and his recent health diagnosis.
Continuing : However, the jury found that Nationwide News Pty Ltd had established as " substantially true" that Weatherup had committed the crime of wilful damage by kicking a neighbour's car door in a fit of anger...
Whoever wrote this odd paragraph, which could be said to give a reasonable reader the belief that the said Weatherup was some kind of weird kung fu kicker of cars , deserves to be kicked up the derriere.
It omitted, either deliberately , by ignorance , sloppy journalism or poor subbing , that Weatherup had had a long running dispute , over years, with a neighbour who parked poorly.This resulted in the reporter scraping the side of his neighbour's car , leading to the kicking episode.
This was explained fully in the Townsville court last year at which it was said that a few days before the incident Weatherup had received confirmation that he had cancer, and it was playing on his mind. Weatherup had pleaded guilty when charged with wilful damage and was placed on a good behaviour bond , fully reported in the Townsville Bulletin at the time with a photograph of Malcolm , then 68.
In the interests of fair and balanced reporting, this vital piece of info about why the auto was abused surely should have been included in the latest Bully story, especially as the magistrate at the time took into account Weatherup had no previous criminal record and his recent health diagnosis.
In his distinctive , always interesting blog , The Magpie's Nest , which pecks at and stirs up the local scene, the Bulletin in particular, and also comments on national and global events , with the help a talented cartoonist , Weatherup mentioned the verdict thus :
On Thursday
morning, at 11.25, after 4-day trial, a four person jury reached a verdict that
I had been defamed in an article in The Australian newspaper. The issue of
damages and of costs are yet to be determined, and will be handed down at a
date to be set. I will not, pro tem, be making any comment on the matter
and no comments will be published on this blog regarding it...However, he did thank his talented legal team , which the wise old owl says is a smart move.
The learned legal eagles making the damages submission to His Honour will undoubtedly point out the inadequate Townsville Bulletin report and its impact on reasonable readers who did not get the full story and thus fear Weatherup could be a danger to the V8s which roar about the city or those humble vehicles of mums and dads getting a great run in the present election drive .
On a very serious note, Malcolm is soon to have his larynx removed .
The learned legal eagles making the damages submission to His Honour will undoubtedly point out the inadequate Townsville Bulletin report and its impact on reasonable readers who did not get the full story and thus fear Weatherup could be a danger to the V8s which roar about the city or those humble vehicles of mums and dads getting a great run in the present election drive .
On a very serious note, Malcolm is soon to have his larynx removed .
