A prime silk appearing for a adorned barrister suing Nine News over stories she claims falsely implied she stole an Insta-famous Cavoodle – has advised a courtroom a journalist advised a “bald-faced lie” in a broadcast that amounted to a marketing campaign of “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 star Cavoodle.
Ms Edwards is suing the Nine Network’s A Current Affair program and considered one of its journalists over two stories centred on the canine.
Ms Edwards claims the stories, which aired in May and June final 12 months, falsely implied she was a thief who stole Oscar from her proprietor, Mark Gillespie.
She additionally claims the stories 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 the archives, in addition to fee for the harm incurred.
Nine has denied defaming Ms Edwards – a former US Assistant State Attorney for Florida – and has claimed the imputations of theft and stealing weren’t conveyed.
On Monday on the Federal Court, Ms Chrysanthou mentioned Ms Edwards, her husband Ken Flavell and Mr Gillespie “acted as a family” in caring for the canine.
Ms Chrysanthou advised the courtroom the trio had exchanged “thousands” of messages and assigned names like “Mami, Papi” and “Daddy”.
But a civil dispute finally broke out over the possession of Oscar.
During this time Mr Gillespie contacted A Current Affair and journalist Steve Marshall.
The Nine News 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 mentioned in the course of the broadcasts, her consumer and husband have been known as “dog sitters” and a declare was made that Ms Edwards “never wanted to visit 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 advised the courtroom.
“The thousands of photos and text messages … show Mr Gillespie is utterly lying,” Ms Chrysanthou mentioned.
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.
“Just lie after lie after lie,” Ms Chrysanthou mentioned.
“Mr Gillespie used the media to put improper pressure on my clint during the court proceedings … in the face of repeated advice he not take the matter to the press.”
Ms Chrysanthou advised the courtroom her consumer was a reader for the bar on the time Nine’s packages have been broadcast.
She described the publications as a “six-month campaign” of “harassment” as her consumer was pursued at work, residence and courtroom.
“There is nothing in these publications that resembles the work of journalists,” Ms Chrysanthou mentioned.
The listening to, earlier than Justice Michael Wigney, continues.
