Trimble wins libel action against Amazon

Claire Cozens
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday March 27 2002 16.22 GMT

David Trimble

Northern Ireland first minister David Trimble has successfully sued Amazon.co.uk for libel for a second time after a high court judge ruled the retailer published defamatory comments about him on its website.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner first sued Amazon in 1999 following sales to UK customers of The Committee: Political Assassination in Northern Ireland, a book by the investigative TV journalist Sean McPhilemy.

Paul Fox, Mr Trimble's lawyer, told Mr Justice Eady in the high court that the book, which was published in the US, contained "grave libels", which accused Mr Trimble of being part of a secret loyalist organisation that plotted to murder republicans and Catholics.

Amazon's website carried reviews of the book, written by UK customers, some of which repeated the libellous suggestions.

The book was withdrawn from sale and its author publicly withdrew his allegations against Mr Trimble.

In November 2000 Mr Trimble's first libel action was settled on payment of undisclosed damages.

However, last January (before the settlement could be announced in court) Mr Trimble was shocked to discover Amazon was again selling the book on its site and publishing customer reviews, which again alleged he was party to a murder conspiracy.

Amazon has now undertaken not to sell the book again and to pay additional damages.

Karen Marshall, Amazon's lawyer, said the retailer had not been aware of the contents of the book or the defamatory nature of the customer comments before Mr Trimble's first complaint.

She said it was impossible for Amazon to be aware of the content of each of the 1.5 million books it distributed.

Amazon regretted selling the book again and "assured Mr Trimble this was not deliberate and was the result of an administrative error", Ms Marshall added.