Fourth, the Judge assessed libel damages in respect of a “non-media” publication of a serious libel to a relatively small number of important publishees. He pointed out that in 1993 the Court of Appeal had made an award of slander damages of £50,000 in respect of publication of an allegation of sexual harassment to a small number of individuals with whom the claimant had an existing professional relationship (Houston v Smith unreported December 16 1993; see Gatley on Libel and Slander 11th ed para A3.3) [97]. He made an award in the same sum to Mr Cooper and, in addition, an award of £30,000 to the Company.
This award is worth contrasting with the obscene £10m recently awarded in the Irish High Court.