Court awards Kitty Holland €35,000 in damages in defamation case against John Waters

“Thankfully, this attack on her reputation as a journalist had no consequences for her career,” Judge O’Connor said. “Her colleagues hold her in the highest regard as a journalist and that was confirmed by this court today.”

He said Waters’ defamation was reckless and reckless of Ms Holland’s reputation in order to make a political point. Waters’ words suggested she was a journalist who was deceptive in her presentation of a major news story, probably the biggest of her career.

Judge O’Connor said he tried to be proportionate by awarding damages of €35,000, exactly half of what he could have awarded Waters. He noted that Waters had organised the removal of his speech from Renua’s website, although there was no explanation or apology.

Holland sued her former colleague Waters for up to €75,000 eligible for damages in the District Court for defamation, by which she claimed Waters had seriously damaged her reputation as a journalist.

Holland (53) from Ranelagh in Dublin revealed the story of the tragic death of Savita Halappanavar aged 34 at University Hospital Galway 12 years ago.

She claimed that Waters, without giving her last name, had said in a speech at a party conference that she had lied in her report, portraying her as dishonest, inaccurate and unsuitable for the job of a journalist.

The court heard that both journalists were passionate advocates for both sides of the public debate on abortion that led up to the 2018 referendum on “repealing the Eighth Act” and the “defamation attack” was Waters’ erroneous observation that Holland was not only a shameless liar but also a journalist who started the lie and continued to spread it for money and rewards.

Waters, from Sandycove in Dublin, described in court as a staunch pro-life supporter, gave a full defence against Holland’s allegations that he had slandered her and called her a liar, saying he had nothing to do with the political party that published his speech online.

Holland told the court that after receiving news of Ms Halappanavar’s untimely death, she investigated the matter thoroughly and her story was published in the Irish Times under the headline “Woman denied abortion dies in hospital” after a three-day review by editors and lawyers.

She reported that Ms Halappanavar was refused a termination of her pregnancy because of the fetal heartbeat still present and because she was told “this is a Catholic country”. Under cross-examination, Waters said Holland was in many ways a sincere and decent person who was being used as a tool by dishonest interests inside and outside the Irish Times.

“I have not accused Kitty Holland of personal dishonesty but I believe she has engaged in the telling of a massive lie which has had and will have catastrophic consequences for the Irish public and in particular for its unborn children who have been deprived of the most basic safeguards as a result of that lie,” he said in his 100-page defence.

Holland appeared in court, while Waters was not present at Wednesday’s hearing.

Mr Justice O’Connor said he would hear submissions from Holland’s attorney, Andrew Walker SC, and barrister Shane English on legal costs on July 9.