QUOTE(Doc glasgow @ Mon 7th December 2009, 7:43pm)
QUOTE(The Wales Hunter @ Mon 7th December 2009, 7:27pm)
False accusations of homosexuality are no longer considered actionable in the UK
I find that unlikely, do you have a source?
Well, it's not something that can be sourced as it's just something that's happened in case law. Was again pointed out at the last media law refresher course I went on.
The case that turned it, largely, was Jason Donovan in 1992 or so. He was accused of being homosexual, sued, won the action but then his career collapsed. Since then it has largely been seen that a false claim of homosexuality, in itself and with the provisos mentioned, isn't actionable.
It showed that in the minds of the right thinking man on the street, somebody's reputation could be damaged more by looking homophobic than by being falsely accused of homosexuality.
I'm sure there have been a few cases since Donovan, but the days of Liberace V Cassandra and the "Daily Mirror" are over (although that's a bad example as it pre-dated the legalisation of homosexuality).
Anyway, we're dealing with US law here and US interpretations, added to the fact Livingston is married (one of the provisos I mentioned), so this is a bit off topic.