Harassment and defamation

[Zebedeel]

Without going into masses of detail, I have been subjected to months of harassment by the people running my allotment site. I was illegally evicted, and a number of nasty defamatory claims have been circulated widely. Now they have even put up a public notice on the site, warning people (I still have acquaintances there) not to contact me and saying any correspondence from me should be passed to the management instead for them to deal with. Obviously this is ridiculously petty, but is it legal? Apart from anything else, I view it as further victimisation and defamatory by implication.

[MIKE770]

Taking action about harassment - Citizens Advice

[Zebedeel]

Thank you for this, Mike - the CAB advice is helpful, but I’m also wondering specifically about trying to prevent me getting in contact with others?

[echat11]

You've started 3 thread's on the issues, members advising has to refer to two other threads, no doubt the issues are very distressing to you, but there is a possibility that the advice given has already been given and you will be no further forward with the issues.

[Zebedeel]

You've started 3 thread's on the issues, members advising has to refer to two other threads, no doubt the issues are very distressing to you, but there is a possibility that the advice given has already been given and you will be no further forward with the issues.

Hi, I’m sorry but this is a very specific question and I certainly haven’t started another thread on it. There is no need to refer anywhere else.

[islandgirl]

Hurtful though it may be this is all "noise" around the real issue mentioned in other threads. I would concentrate on establishing my rights to continue to occupy and ignore all this petty stuff.

[echat11]

Hi, I’m sorry but this is a very specific question and I certainly haven’t started another thread on it. There is no need to refer anywhere else.

It's a continuation of your treatment, something that could easily have been posted on your previous thread.
If everyone started a new thread on a new element of their ongoing treatment, responding members would be in a right 'pickle'.

[Zebedeel]

It's a continuation of your treatment, something that could easily have been posted on your previous thread.
If everyone started a new thread on a new element of their ongoing treatment, responding members would be in a right 'pickle'.

It couldn’t have been included on a previous thread - the topic is different and it only happened yesterday. It’s a straightforward, self-contained question. If you don’t intend to be helpful, why bother posting? I’d say that wasted people’s time more than anything else.

[echat11]

It couldn’t have been included on a previous thread - the topic is different and it only happened yesterday. It’s a straightforward, self-contained question. If you don’t intend to be helpful, why bother posting? I’d say that wasted people’s time more than anything else.

That's nonsense, it's a question that could have been addressed on the previous thread or the one before that.

[des8]

Agree with Echat11 that it is better to keep all questions arising from connected events on the one thread as it gives peeps an overall view of the situation and perhaps the possibility of suggesting alternative ways forward.

You say the current incident only arose yesterday, but in post 1 you state: "I have been subjected to months of harassment ........... and a number of nasty defamatory claims have been circulated widely." and you " view it as further victimisation and defamatory by implication."

Your earlier threads mention ". I have been severely harassed over a sustained period of time and a number of defamatory claims have also been circulated about me." https://legalbeagles.info/forums/for...al-of-property
and " to say I feel bullied and harassed is an understatement," https://legalbeagles.info/forums/for...-needed-please

If peeps only read your initial statement on this thread you would be advised that a single instance (eg putting up a notice) is not harassment and that for a statement to be defamatory it must seriously harm your reputation in the estimation of right-thinking members of society generally

Now if you think you are being subjected to a course of harassment read this for advice:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/la...ut-harassment/

If you believe you are the subject of defamatory statements (and that can be difficult to prove) you could take legal action, but would be well advised to consider the matter carefully before taking that step. It generally has to be started in the high court and costs can be astronomical

[Zebedeel]

Agree with Echat11 that it is better to keep all questions arising from connected events on the one thread as it gives peeps an overall view of the situation and perhaps the possibility of suggesting alternative ways forward.

You say the current incident only arose yesterday, but in post 1 you state: "I have been subjected to months of harassment ........... and a number of nasty defamatory claims have been circulated widely." and you " view it as further victimisation and defamatory by implication."

Your earlier threads mention ". I have been severely harassed over a sustained period of time and a number of defamatory claims have also been circulated about me." https://legalbeagles.info/forums/for...al-of-property
and " to say I feel bullied and harassed is an understatement," https://legalbeagles.info/forums/for...-needed-please

If peeps only read your initial statement on this thread you would be advised that a single instance (eg putting up a notice) is not harassment and that for a statement to be defamatory it must seriously harm your reputation in the estimation of right-thinking members of society generally

Now if you think you are being subjected to a course of harassment read this for advice:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/la...ut-harassment/

If you believe you are the subject of defamatory statements (and that can be difficult to prove) you could take legal action, but would be well advised to consider the matter carefully before taking that step. It generally has to be started in the high court and costs can be astronomical

The question about people being told not to contact me only arose on Sunday - it’s very specific. Thanks for the CAB link but there’s no reference to this there.

[Zebedeel]

Agree with Echat11 that it is better to keep all questions arising from connected events on the one thread as it gives peeps an overall view of the situation and perhaps the possibility of suggesting alternative ways forward.

You say the current incident only arose yesterday, but in post 1 you state: "I have been subjected to months of harassment ........... and a number of nasty defamatory claims have been circulated widely." and you " view it as further victimisation and defamatory by implication."

Your earlier threads mention ". I have been severely harassed over a sustained period of time and a number of defamatory claims have also been circulated about me." https://legalbeagles.info/forums/for...al-of-property
and " to say I feel bullied and harassed is an understatement," https://legalbeagles.info/forums/for...-needed-please

If peeps only read your initial statement on this thread you would be advised that a single instance (eg putting up a notice) is not harassment and that for a statement to be defamatory it must seriously harm your reputation in the estimation of right-thinking members of society generally

Now if you think you are being subjected to a course of harassment read this for advice:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/la...ut-harassment/

If you believe you are the subject of defamatory statements (and that can be difficult to prove) you could take legal action, but would be well advised to consider the matter carefully before taking that step. It generally has to be started in the high court and costs can be astronomical

BTW, with defamation, the onus would not be on me but on the defendant.

[EXC]

BTW, with defamation, the onus would not be on me but on the defendant.

But only after you have proved to what extent the statements were circulated, who made/published them and what serious harm they caused. You said in your first post that it was ''defamatory by implication''. The bar is higher than that.

You couldn't hope to successfully make a defamation claim without it ultimately costing you lots of stress and money.

[Zebedeel]

But only after you have proved to what extent the statements were circulated, who made/published them and what serious harm they caused. You said in your first post that it was ''defamatory by implication''. The bar is higher than that.

You couldn't hope to successfully make a defamation claim without it ultimately costing you lots of stress and money.

Thank you, I appreciate that. I do have numerous other examples of defamatory claims made about me, including in evidence to the police. I agree the bar on ‘serious’ damage would apply, but certainly I have lost standing in my immediate community and professional sphere and lost out financially because of it. I would need to take legal advice, of course, but I think I have firm evidence to prove these.

[des8]

Note that statements & complaints to the police are absolutely privileged and that will provide the person making them with a complete defence