$250k for Facebook lies

Karting Australia boss wins damages case over posts

A SOUTHPORT man who wrongly accused Karting Australia’s boss of incompetence, sexual harassment and rigging elections to get motorsport legend Mick Doohan on the board has been ordered to pay $250,000 in damages.

Peter Gerard Edgar, unemployed, will be forced to pay Karting Australia CEO Kelvin O’Reilly the damages after a battle in the Supreme Court of Queensland over 10 Facebook posts made between November 2015 and September.

The posts, on the Federation of Australian Racing Karters Union page, will all have to be removed according to a judgment made by Justice Thomas Bradley.

In one of the posts Edgar wrongly accused Mr O’Reilly of bribing clubs into voting Mr Doohan in as chairman of the go-kart racing body.

He also wrongly claimed Mr O’Reilly was sexually harassing bar staff in Burleigh, and that he was “incompetent” and had run other motorsport bodies into the ground.

Justice Bradley said Mr O’Reilly broke down in court when talking about the allegations Edgar had made.

“When he regained some composure, he said it made him feel ‘completely, absolutely helpless’ and that his reputation was being ‘trashed by absolute lies and fabrications’,” he said in his judgment.

Justice Bradley said Edgar had drawn conclusions that “no reasonable person could honestly make or draw”.

“It was difficult to discern the small nodules of fact amidst the vast web of fantasy spun by Mr Edgar,” he said.

“It is clear that he is uninterested in checking the truth or falsity of the matters he posted on his Facebook page. He presented as an enthusiastic retailer of distant, thirdor fourth-hand gossip.”

After the judgment, Mr O’Reilly said Edgar’s comments had taken a “massive personal toll”. “The judge’s assessment and characterisation of Edgar should be assessed and (is) vindication for every person from the karting world who has been attacked by this man over many years,” he said.

Edgar was also ordered to pay Mr O’Reilly’s costs.

Edgar also faces criminal charges for allegedly threatening Mr O’Reilly and Mr Doohan on the same page.

He has pleaded not guilty to using a carriage service to menace and harass.

Magistrate Gary Finger is expected to make a decision on the criminal charges on Thursday.