Williams v Craig - [2017] 3 NZLR 215

Defamation — Damages — Whether damages award excessive — Whether amount outside reasonable range in circumstances — Whether account taken of fact some defamatory statements true or substantially true — Whether defendant responding to attack on own reputation — Whether jury double counted damage to plaintiff’s reputation — Whether double up between punitive and compensatory damages — Defamation Act 1992, s 33.

Defamation — Defences — Whether defence of qualified privilege lost — Whether defendant’s statements “defence to an attack” — Whether ill will toward plaintiff — Whether defendant had genuine belief in statements made — Whether reasonable jury could have found qualified privilege lost — Defamation Act 1992.

Practice and procedure — Jury verdicts — Whether jury’s verdicts could be set aside — Whether sufficient evidence to support jury’s verdicts.