Sister takes defamation case to High Court

A Franciscan sister, sued for defamation by the former mayor of a Council on the New South Wales far south coast, has applied to take her appeal to the High Court.

The case involves a letter sent by Laurel Lloyd-Jones, from Dalmeny to media and the then New South Wales Premier, Nathan Rees.

In the letter, Ms Lloyd-Jones describes an alleged incident where the former Mayor of the Bega Valley Shire, Tony Allen allegedly bullied and verbally abused an Aboriginal woman and her family at a house at Bermagui in 2006.

Ms Lloyd-Jones had previously told the New South Wales District Court that it was in the interests of social justice to tell others about the case where she described Mr Allen as aggressive.

Mr Allen sued Ms Lloyd-Jones, stating that the allegations were untrue and defamatory.

The judge cleared Mr Allen and ordered the sister to pay damages of $65,000 plus Mr Allen’s legal costs.

Full story here.



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