Seven settles with wrongly named man

Channel 7 has reached a confidential settlement with a 20year-old university student after the network wrongly identified him as the Bondi Junction mass murderer.

Benjamin Cohen, a first-year student at the University of Technology, Sydney, engaged law firm Giles George after he was wrongly named multiple times as the Westfield Bondi killer on Seven’s Weekend Sunrise program.

On Friday, the law firm confirmed the matter was resolved.

“The terms of the settlement are otherwise confidential,” said Patrick George, who was representing Mr Cohen.

Under the NSW Defamation Act it can attract damages up to $459,000.

Mr Cohen was seeking an apology, compensation and costs for serious harm after

Sunrise presenter Matt Shirvington and reporter Lucy McLeod incorrectly named him as the murderer.

The student also received a lengthy written apology from Seven West Media managing director and chief executive Jeff Howard this week.

“Seven accepts the identification was a grave mistake and that these assertions were entirely false and without basis,” Mr Howard said in the letter to Mr Cohen.

“Seven withdraws the false allegations unreservedly and apologises to you for the harm you and your family have suffered as a result of Seven’s statements about you.”

Mr Cohen was wrongly named as the man who killed six people at the Sydney shopping centre on April 13.

Police named the killer, Joel Cauchi, 40, more than two hours later.