Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
But not in the UK. Truth is an absolute defence against libel in English law.
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Not so. That is one of the most common misconceptions about defamation. The truth is generally, but not always a defence. It depends on the intent.
As William Blake said: "A truth that is told with bad intent, beats all the lies you can invent."
It is possible to slander someone using the truth. Courts will often suppress names to protect people, even if what is known or discussed about them is true. If you breach such an order you can successfully be sued for defamation. There are other instances where it is not necessary to breach a court order. It comes back to whether the disclosure of defamatory information is in the public interest or purely vindictive.