Press release from Leigh Day (6 November 2023)
Chris Packham settles defamation claim with Fieldsports Channel after it admits death threat claims were untrue.
Environmental campaigner and naturalist Chris Packham CBE has settled a defamation claim against the website Fieldsports Channel after it falsely accused him of writing a fake death threat letter to himself.
The online shooting and hunting channel has agreed to pay Mr Packham substantial damages and contribute to his legal costs as well as provide an undertaking never to repeat the allegation.
In June 2022, Fieldsports Channel and one of its journalists, Ben O’Rourke, published an online video and article alleging the TV presenter had written a fake death threat letter to himself and lied about it being sent by an anonymous third party. The serious allegation was not put to Mr Packham directly to offer him right of reply.
In bringing the claim against Fieldsports Channel Ltd and Mr O’Rourke, Mr Packham’s lawyers argued the allegations were plainly baseless and had caused him enormous reputational damage and distress. They pointed out that the only possible basis for the allegation was handwriting analysis of the letter which has since been comprehensively discredited.
Of particular concern to Mr Packham was the implication he had lied to his family about the death threat, knowing it would cause them considerable anxiety. Also, that he had lied to, and knowingly wasted the time of, Hampshire Police, who investigated the letter and on whom he relies for his and his family’s safety.
Mr Packham’s distress was later compounded by Fieldsports Channel’s derisive response to his claim, in particular mounting caricatures of his head on a “trophy wall” at the British Shooting Show in February 2023. Mr Packham has been the victim of arson attacks and has received numerous death threats, and he considers its actions to have been utterly reckless and irresponsible in that context.
As well as paying Mr Packham substantial damages and contributing to his legal costs, Fieldsports Channel and Mr O’Rourke have agreed never to repeat the allegation and will publish a legal statement, which is also to be read in the High Court on 6 November 2023, explaining the matter on its platforms.
Mr Packham was represented by Mr Jonathan Price and Ms Claire Overman of Doughty Street Chambers, who are instructed by partner Tessa Gregory and solicitor Carol Day of law firm Leigh Day.
Chris Packham said:
“Fieldsports TV displayed a complete contempt of even the basic codes of real journalism. They allowed a vicious vendetta to drive a targeted catalogue of lies in an attempt to destroy my credibility, integrity and reputation. Further, even when involved in this litigation they recklessly posted images of myself contrived to fuel hatred amongst fire-arms owners when they knew I was already the victim of targeted attacks from members of this community. They also failed to show any respect for the legal process. As a consequence, Fieldsports TV have now issued a full apology and agreed to pay substantial costs and damages. My message is clear – if anyone publishes or perpetuates lies about me or my conduct I will challenge them and I will win.”
Carol Day, solicitor at law firm Leigh Day said:
“Our client Mr Packham was the subject of an egregious slur against his reputation based on the flimsiest of evidence that failed to stand up to even the most basic form of scrutiny. To be accused of writing a fake death threat to himself, with all the consequences that brings for his family and the authorities, was a highly damaging attack on Mr Packham’s integrity. The fact he was then mocked publicly for objecting to these defamatory remarks shows how little regard the defendants had for the reputation of others. Our client can only hope that lessons have been learned from this sorry episode and it brings an end to these gratuitous attacks on Mr Packham’s character by people who simply disagree with his views.”
ENDS
UPDATE 7th November 2023: Court transcript from Packham v Fieldsports Channel Ltd & Andrew (Ben) O’Rourke [libel action] here.
UPDATE 14th November 2023: Reactions to Chris Packham’s successful libel action against Fieldsports Channel Ltd & journalist Andrew (Ben) O’Rourke here
UPDATE 28th November 2023: Daily Mail published apology to Chris Packham for inaccurate reporting of his libel win against Fieldsports Channel Ltd here
UPDATE 10 December 2023: Shooting Times forced to publish apology to Chris Packham for inaccurate reporting of his successful libel action against Fieldsports Channel Ltd (here)
Raptor Persecution UK 
Great news albeit expected. But they have to ‘contribute to his costs’?????? He wouldn’t have had any costs if it hadn’t been for them, how did they get away with not paying the full total? Bonkers. They should have been shut down.
Anyway, we’ll done to all involved.
Well done Chris, a great result. Hopefully all those involved in fieldsports will take a hard look at themselves and what they have been saying about Chris and other campaigners and stop their abuse, hounding and vilification – but I somewhat doubt they will
This case is just another example of how a lot of commentators on social media, blogs and actual news titles know so little about media law and the actual procedures of writing and publishing their articles. Lots of people in the UK think anyone can write anything they want and then publish it without any checks and blow the consequences which tarnishes the reputation of conscientious writers and bona fide journalists
As you say, the chances of them changing aren’t good. The latest post on the Facebook page for FieldSportschannel.tv features a photo of their legal team (I think) outside the court, with the caption, “Stalking the celebrities, fishing for justice”. They really have no shame.
Congratulations Chris. I’m glad that your courage and resilience has brought justice here and that the pathetic vendetta against you by Fieldsports and Andrew O’Rourke has been exposed for the vicious pathetic nonsense that it is. Well done to all in your team who have helped make this result possible.
How surprising, NOT, that the shooting industry have been found to have been lying again. But then again, when you’re engaged in xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx then persistent lying goes with the territory. What is disgusting, is that Chris has to endure this orchestrated character assassination, for simply being an honest and principled person, unlike the establishment, which covers up this organized crime.
As we know he would. Great news.
Congratulations to Mr Packham’s legal team for getting this decision.
Although with the UK legal system as it is you can never be sure; as with many decisions they make that are beyond belief.
Does this include the permanent end of mounting caricatures of Mr Packham’s head on a “trophy wall” at future British Shooting Shows?
Fieldsports Channel Ltd should be paying all his costs. How come they aren’t doing so? Will Ofcom be taking any actions against the channel?
Fieldsports Channel Ltd were those who stated, now and rightly proven wrongly, Mr Packham told lies. The Fieldsports Channel Ltd should be shut down permanently, in my opinion, after such personal abuse against Mr Packham, and the distress it brought him and his family.
‘…as well as provide an undertaking never to repeat the allegation.’ Hhhhhmmmmm, we’ll see whether that holds true in time.
Great news,fieldsports should be ashamed of themselves!
These people, and their acolytes are incapable of shame.
Just had a quick look at their website. I note they have launched a political party “Rural Reaction” [Bunch of reactionaries then?]. Given the “behaviour” exposed by the court they would seem well suited to today’s politics. Well done Chris and team.
Excellent news. Let us hope they don’t use the previous case’s, get out clause, of declaring bankruptcy?????
I’m happy again that the shooting mob are yet again discredited.
Doug
Well done justice prevails . Ruth I sent a message on facebook messenger – not sure of any interest but thought it might be
This is such good news – well done to Chris and his team
Well done Chris, I am afraid the right wing press led by climate deniers and farmers supported by members of parliament and the Lord’s are out to get you.
I only hope that time will prove them the wrong and you manifestly right
This was clearly out of order and these idiots are now being hit where it hurts (in the pocket) I would just like to congratulate them for showing themselves up for the lying miscreants they undoubtedly are but we all knew that anyway and now so do the rest of the country . Safe shooting boys (NOT).
Very Good news, although as others have said expected. Well done to chris and team for taking this forward and putting this atrocious lie where it belongs in the dustbin along with the so called journalist involved’s reputation. Why not full costs do we know why?
Well done to Chris and his Team. i hope that this protects you, your family and your colleagues from further offences of this nature. There appears little that the extremists that the shooting lobby harbour in their midst see as being beyond the pale.
Couldn’t happen to a nicer shower
Great news! Hopefully you can sleep a little easier to know others may think twice before trying something similar; Heaven knows, you’ve had enough instances to deal with in the past. You’ve also, perhaps, stopped such people from targeting other campaigners in the same way. Thanks for all you do.
Yet just today another so-called jounalist publishes falsehoods about Mr Packham…
She alleges that “Packham has called game shooters “psychopaths”…
https://uk.yahoo.com/news/chris-packham-jeremy-clarkson-feud-105414005.html
when what he actually said was…
“Foxhunting, incredibly, has resurfaced as an issue, and here, Packham looks genuinely pained. “I don’t understand it, I suppose. That’s the bottom line. To me, it has to have a psychopathic element, if you’re taking pleasure from killing things, just for that pleasure. If you’re going to eat it, if you’re culling an animal that is otherwise damaging the environment because it’s too abundant, I have no problem with killing animals. But if you have no reason but pleasure, then that surely is psychopathic.”
https://www.theguardian.com/global/2015/sep/11/chris-packham-interview-countryside-alliance-bbc-foxhunting
Their Facebook paage has been updated with a post of Chris Packham’s legal team’s statement about the verdict. What is extraordinary is the comment they have posted beneath it. It reads:
“Sadly, we can’t match him for money. He has his lovely TV money. We have the amazing Fieldsports Nation, who paid our lawyers £70,000 legal bill. Packham went to court for justice – we went for value. Both sides got what they wanted. We could have ended today with a £90k bill we couldn’t afford. As it is, it’s cost £30k, which we pay from the company’s own coffers, and we get to fight another day.”
Not a hint of contrition or regret, and a suggestion (backed up by a video of a leering defendant) that they will continue.
I agree, they will never do the decent thing and apologise for fear of losing face. But regardless, this has marked them down in everyone’s eyes on both sides as blaggers and bullshitters, no matter how much they try and shrug it off this is on the record now. I think at heart most of their supporters will have known deep down that the accusations were ridiculous, but felt in a peculiar way kind of honour bound to stick with them, or too awkward to speak out openly. It’s curious that they get such little financial support from the big boys of the shooting world – who they do a lot to support on their YouTube channel, and whose helicopter or wine bill over a couple of days grouse shooting would dwarf all of these costs.
This wasn’t tried in court so we don’t know if Chris wrote the letter himself [Ed: rest of comment deleted as libellous. If you haven’t already, I suggest you read Mr Justice Saini’s judgement from Chris’s first successful libel case and pay particular attention to paras 197-203]
Click to access qb-2021-001227-packham-v-wightman-judgment-25.5.23.pdf
Has anyone seen the expected statement by Fieldsports Channel?
Justice has been done & has been seen to have been done! What a waste of everyone’s time & energy, these silly people and their baseless accusations have caused. Should they now not be charged with ‘wasting police time’ at the very least? Chris, a man of integrity, is, once again, standing on the higher moral ground! I, for one, hope that his resolve to work for a fairer, kinder, more humane, nature rich & well protected world is never shaken!
I remember when Charlie Jacoby head honcho of the Fieldsports Channel appeared in a debate, at one of the Birdfairs I think, with Chris, Mark Avery and our Ruth. Chris was incredibly gracious to Jacoby and asked the potentially hostile audience to give him a round of applause in appreciation for being there. Mark at one point said of the seemingly genial Jacoby “love you to bits”, but Ruth’s contempt for the man just emanated from her from start to finish, which I thought was hilarious and was a great balance to her ‘colleagues’. She wins best judge of character prize, Chris’s decency was certainly never returned was it, very much the opposite. When there’s a tsunami of sneers, misrepresentation and outright crap coming at you there must be times when just shrugging your shoulders and trying to ignore it is the tempting option, but we can’t it’ll just get worse and it’s already pretty bloody terrible on social media. So well done Chris for taking the fight to them and congratulations for winning.
Actually, I hate to say this but I remember in 2018 or something, Fieldsports Channel invited Chris to some game fair or something and he was going to go but then the organisers cancelled the event or something. Sorry my memory isn’t as good as it used to be and i’ve forgotten the details. So instead they did that bird show devate. But yeah, it’s still a huge turnaround!
Quite simply in the immortal words of Fred Flintstone “Yabba-dabba-doo!”
I hope the compensation is adequate to cover all the time, stress and professionalism in making such a response. Robin
Real