Wildlife broadcaster Chris Packham is taking libel action against Fieldsports Channel Ltd and one of its journalists after material was published online last year accusing Chris of faking his own death threat letter. Chris’s lawyers have described the allegation as ‘defamatory and unfounded’.
This is a separate libel action to the one Chris is already pursuing against the editor and authors of a number of articles published by Country Squire Magazine between 2020 and 2021 – details of that case can be found here. The case will be heard in the Royal Courts of Justice in May 2023.
As some of you will be aware, for many years Chris has been the victim of a relentless, malicious hate campaign by those who oppose his views and his campaign work on wildlife conservation and animal welfare issues. This has included vile personal abuse of him (and his family and colleagues) on social media (e.g. here), having dead animals strung up outside his house (see here and here), dead animals dumped on his drive (see here), death threats and excrement sent through the post (here), and having to deal with repeated calls to be sacked by the BBC (e.g. here). In 2021, a terrifying arson attack at his home caused considerable damage to his property (see here). Thankfully nobody was hurt.
It has to stop and those who write and publish defamatory material have to understand there are consequences to their actions.
This morning I’ve launched a crowd funder to help cover the cost of Chris’s libel action against Fieldsports Channel Ltd. So far, Chris has covered his own costs in the Country Squire Magazine case but defamation proceedings are expensive and there is no guarantee that costs and damages will be fully recovered. I consider it a massive injustice that someone who has dedicated as much to wildlife conservation and animal welfare issues as Chris Packham has, should be left out of pocket simply because he’s wanted to protect his reputation against defamatory and unfounded allegations.
More details about the case can be found on the crowd funder page HERE.
If you’re able to make a donation in support of Chris’s libel action, that would be fantastic, thank you. If you’re not able to donate, you can still contribute by sharing the crowd funder amongst your own networks.
Please note: making defamatory or even derogatory remarks about the defendants in these libel actions is unhelpful and actually counter-productive as they could undermine Chris’s cases. Comments on this blog will be closely moderated (more so than usual!). Far better to show your support for Chris by participating with the crowd funder.
Thank you, everyone.
UPDATE 27th March 2023: Fieldsports Channel Ltd displays images of Chris Packham’s head on ‘trophy’ wall at national gun show (here)
UPDATE 10th April 2023: Crowd funder to support Chris Packham’s libel action passes £115K (here)
Raptor Persecution UK 
Horrible people do horrible things to humans as well as animals. Hope you take them to the cleaners Chris
Chris Packam is a GREAT guy That Does his very best for all animals & these xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx they are xxxxxxxx
More than happy to donate.
Very pleased to have the opportunity to chip in to help. It will necessarily be “little and often” from me though, so please keep it running long term. Chris Packham is foremost among a small handful of people who take shit on behalf of everybody and anybody who ever say critical things about the status quo of the shooting industry. Because so many of their positions are wholly indefensible on ethical, ecological and welfare grounds they opt to go after these well known individuals and several organisations who air the truth – rather than change the industry, in order to try and shut down open and free public debate. As someone who “hides” behind a pseudonym, I can only say that I consider Chris a very brave person. I hope this action gives him some protection in future.
No brainer, Ruth. I’m in. Thank you and well done for kicking this off.
Nick
So glad you are doing this, Ruth! Chris is a good man, a man of integrity and courage. He gives so much in standing up for wildlife and what is right.. It’s a privilege to be able to stand up for him.
Thanks Ruth for this and all the great work you do. It’s despicable the vile and intimidatory abuse that Chris has suffered and I will be contributing. The playground bully boy tactics of the perpetrators are classic and abhorrent, I think we all need to support Chris who very publicly calls it out, chapeau.
Thank you Ruth for starting this Crowdfunder for Chris Packham’s libel action. I despair at the abuse he has received and I hope his libel action succeeds. As others have said here, this is our opportunity to to support him and I will be contributing.
I keep pressing Pledge in order to make a donation, but nothing happens. ??? Mike Betts
[Ed: Thanks, Mike. It seems to be working for most, but I’ve asked the Crowd Justice folk to check for any technical fault, just in case]
Hi Mike,
The tech guys at Crowd Justice have checked and there aren’t any site-wide issues as donations are being received from others. They’ve asked me to ask you to contact them directly so that they can look at whether there’s an individual issue for you and the handful of others who are having difficulties donating. Please email the tech guys at support@crowdjustice.com
Many thanks.
I’m a student again so can only afford a tenner, Chris, but I hope it goes some way towards nailing these xxxxx xxxxx
Chris packham gets to xxxxx xxxxx people who enjoy hurting terrified animals. Chris not only speaks for me ,thay speak for all who don’t have a voice . Chris take all the abuse these xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx throw .It shows how much you are getting to them .your one very brave person and I stand with you in everything you do
Chris packham is the loudest voice ,Chris is getting to the xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx. Keep going Chris ,you have millions of people who stand with you . Voice of the voiceless
It must be hard to take the sort of abuse that’s been levelled at Chris, Mark and you, Ruth. It has an impact -I’m sorry. But how does it affect the people reading it ? Anyone even faintly neutral coming to this is going to be appalled and wondering what on earth is going on. I just don’t understand how people can be so unaware of how awful they look and how this sort of abuse destroys whatever case they may think they have. For myself, I want to say that all this so called ‘countryside’ has nothing to do with the countryside and the incredible people I worked with for over 30 years in the Forestry Commission – people who, incidentally, were totally committed to protecting the wildlife, and especially birds of prey, in our national forests.
I am just sorry that people who should know better are disgracing themselves. There is no excuse. It is time for some of the powerful voices who I know can’t be happy with this situation to come out of their corner and speak out.
All the best Chris. We stand beside you, as usual, and we will win, again and again, until the killing stops
[Ed: Thanks, Coop. Yes, I’ve seen it and concur with your view, which is why I haven’t shared it. Thanks]
Understood.
I am a supporter of ethical behaviour increasing across our benighted planet. It is a “broad church, with many interests that have the in-common action of installing compassion where it is sadly lacking, or hindered from being so. Chris Packam is a great example of a decent and courageous person of the type one finds throughout this world, who brings non-violent and logical effort to solving the problems of cruel abuse to human and animal life. We are faced with retrograde forces in power that have to be challenged, so that the benign part of humanity can make the changes necessary to make life more bearable for all that suffers. Chris has presented himself as one of the leaders of saving the biodiversity of the Earth, and those who are adamant in wanting that crucial attention being shown to the persecution of wildlife in the British Isle, are very content to have him as a stalwart of sincere dedication.
Thank you for enabling us to show support for Chris. He gives a voice to those amongst us who don’t have a voice and I applaud him for the difference he makes to support wildlife. I’m happy to pledge.