A high lawyer performing for a embellished barrister who’s suing Channel 9 over over its studies on a dispute involving an Insta-famous Cavoodle has claimed in courtroom {that a} journalist instructed a ‘bald-faced lie’ in a broadcast that amounted to ‘harassment’.
The scathing evaluation from Gina Edwards’ barrister, Sue Chrysanthou SC, got here on the primary day of a hotly-contested authorized battle centred on Oscar, a celeb Cavoodle.
Ms Edwards is suing the 9 Community’s A Present Affair program and one in all its journalists over two studies centred on the canine.
Gina Edwards with Oscar the Cavoodle, who’s on the centre of an enormous authorized battle after Ms Edwards claimed A Present Affair defamed her in its reporting of a dispute involving the canine
Ms Edwards claims the studies, which aired in Could and June final 12 months, falsely implied she was a thief who stole Oscar from her proprietor, Mark Gillespie.
She additionally claims the studies implied she had exploited the canine for monetary profit and had intentionally tried to delay courtroom instances surrounding the canine.
Ms Edwards desires the tales faraway from the web and 9’s archives, in addition to fee for the harm incurred.
9 has denied defaming Ms Edwards – a former US Assistant State Legal professional for Florida – and has claimed the imputations of theft and stealing weren’t conveyed.
On the Federal Court docket on Monday, Ms Chrysanthou mentioned Ms Edwards, her husband Ken Flavell and Mr Gillespie had ‘acted as a household’ in caring for the canine.
Ms Chrysanthou instructed the courtroom the trio had exchanged ‘hundreds’ of messages and assigned names like ‘Mami, Papi’ and ‘Daddy’.
The scathing evaluation from Gina Edwards’ barrister, Sue Chrysanthou SC, got here on the primary day of a hotly-contested authorized battle centred on Oscar, a celeb Cavoodle (pictured)
Gina Edwards (left, pictured along with her barrister Sue Chrysanthou proper)) is suing 9 Information over broadcasts she claims falsely implied she was a thief and had exploited Oscar the Cavoodle
However a civil dispute ultimately broke out over the possession of Oscar.
Throughout this time Mr Gillespie contacted A Present Affair and journalist Steve Marshall.
The 9 Information program’s first report captured dramatic footage of Mr Gillespie grabbing the canine from a park in Kirribilli whereas Ms Edwards chased him.
Ms Chrysanthou instructed the courtroom in the course of the broadcasts, her shopper and husband have been known as ‘canine sitters’ and a declare was made that Ms Edwards ‘by no means wished to go to him as a pup’.
Mr Gillespie was filmed repeatedly claiming Oscar belonged to him and that Ms Edwards was making an attempt to steal the canine from him, she instructed the courtroom.
Ms Chrysanthou mentioned Ms Edwards, her husband Ken Flavell and Mark Gillespie (pictured had ‘acted as a household’ in caring for the canine.
9’s attorneys, together with Dauid Sibtain (pictured far proper), who’re defending the lawsuit
‘The hundreds of photographs and textual content messages… present Mr Gillespie is completely mendacity,’ Ms Chrysanthou mentioned in courtroom.
She {accused} Mr Marshall of perpetuating a ‘bald-faced lie’ by claiming they merely ‘bumped’ into each Mr Gillespie and Ms Edwards within the park once they had truly orchestrated the confrontation.
‘Simply lie after lie after lie,’ Ms Chrysanthou instructed the courtroom.
‘Mr Gillespie used the media to place improper stress on my clint in the course of the courtroom proceedings … within the face of repeated recommendation he not take the matter to the press.’
Ms Chrysanthou described the publications as a ‘six-month marketing campaign’ of ‘harassment’ as her shopper was pursued at work, dwelling and courtroom.
‘There may be nothing in these publications that resembles the work of journalists,’ Ms Chrysanthou mentioned in courtroom.
The listening to, earlier than Justice Michael Wigney, continues.
