Defamatory libel

Defamatory libel was originally an offence under the common law of England. It was established in England and Wales and in Northern Ireland. It was or is a form of criminal libel, a term with which it is synonymous.^[1]

The common law offence of defamatory libel was abolished^[2] for England and Wales and Northern Ireland on 12 January 2010.

Section 4 of the Libel Act 1843 which created an aggravated statutory offence was also repealed.

See the following cases:

• De Libellis Famosis (1606) 5 Co Rep 125a, (1606) 77 ER 250
• Summer v Hillard (1665) 1 Sid 270, (1665) 82 ER 1099
• R v Penny (1687) 1 Ld Raym 153, 91 ER 999
• R v Burdett (1820) 4 B & Ald 95, (1820) 106 ER 873
• R v Brigstock (1833) 6 Car & P 184, (1833) 172 ER 1199
• R v Carden (1879) 5 QBD 1
• R v Wicks (1936) 25 Cr App R 168
• Goldsmith v Pressdram Ltd [1977] QB 83
• Desmond v Thorne [1983] 1 WLR 163, [1982] 3 All ER 268, Queen's Bench Division
• Vizetelly v Mudie's Select Library Ltd [1900] 2 QB 170, 16 TLR 352, Court of Appeal of England and Wales
• Gleaves v Deakin [1980] AC 477, [1979] 2 WLR 665, [1979] 2 All ER 497, 69 Cr App R 59, [1979] Crim LR 458, House of Lords

This originally vested in the Court of Star Chamber. When that court was abolished, it was transferred to the Court of King's Bench.

Publication in a permanent form

See section 4(1) of the Theatres Act 1968 and section 166(1) of the Broadcasting Act 1990.

Restriction on institution of proceedings

See section 8 of the Law of Libel Amendment Act 1888 (replacing section 3 of the Newspaper Libel and Registration Act 1881) and section 8 of the Theatres Act 1968.

See sections 6 and 7 of the Libel Act 1843 and sections 3 and 4 of the Law of Libel Amendment Act 1888.

See the Libel Act 1792 (32 Geo. 3. c. 60).

Committal proceedings – Power of magistrates to dismiss charge

See section 4 of the Newspaper Libel and Registration Act 1881.

Power of magistrates to try newspaper libel summarily with the consent of the accused

See section 5 of the Newspaper Libel and Registration Act 1881. That section was repealed by sections 17 and 65(5) of, and Schedule 13 to, the Criminal Law Act 1977.

See sections 4 and 5 of the Libel Act 1843.

In 1985, the Law Commission recommended that the offence of defamatory libel should be abolished and replaced with a new statutory offence of "criminal defamation".^[3] The recommendation that a new statutory offence be created has not been implemented.

• Defamation
• Criminal libel
• Scandalum Magnatum

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