Blogger in Rachel Riley libel case accused of ‘abusing legal process’
▶ A LEFT-WING political blogger who lost his libel case against Jewish Countdown star Rachel Riley has been accused of using the money of vulnerable people to abuse the legal process.
Mike Sivier, whose costly appeal to overturn a defamation ruling against him was refused this week, was sued by Ms Riley after he published an article centred around a Twitter exchange involving the presenter in December 2018 and January 2019.
Mr Sivier claimed in his article that the messages between Ms Riley and a girl who identified herself as a 16-yearold named Rose showed the television star was a “serial abuser” and that they amounted to abuse.
Mr Sivier claimed that his article had been in the public interest. However, in November, Mrs Justice Steyn ruled that that this belief was “wholly unreasonable” and Ms Riley was awarded £50,000 in damages.
Following Mr Sivier’s failed appeal this week, libel lawyer Mark Lewis, who represents Ms Riley, told the JC: “The door is now slammed shut on this case. Mr Sivier drove this case, and could have backed out very early on by apologising, and paying a nominal amount.
“Rather than doing that, many vulnerable people have crowdfunded quarter of a million pounds to pay his solicitors and barrister when such money could have been put to much better use in these desperately hard times.
“Neither Rachel’s barrister nor Patron
Law [Mr Lewis’ firm] will see a penny for defeating this persistent abuse of the legal process. The irony, in this case, is that Mr Sivier has portrayed himself as poor and vulnerable, whereas in fact he has outspent Rachel by approximately £250,000.”
Mr Sivier appealed the November verdict arguing that the reasoning behind Mrs Justice Steyn’s conclusions was unsound and, in some respects, incomplete, and that there were errors of law. However, permission to appeal was denied by Lord Justice Warby on Tuesday, who said: “None of the three grounds of appeal is properly arguable with a real prospect of success.”
Mr Sivier had appealed online for financial help to defend the initial case, raising £233,830 of a target of £250,000. After he announced his intention to appeal, he continued to fundraise, raising an additional £14,125.