CHESTER, UK. 23rd February 2024 - Mark Manley, Managing Director of Chester-based Manleys Solicitors appeared before Mrs Justice Steyn (the Wagatha Christie trial judge in the Rooney v Vardy case) in the High Court in London on behalf of the firm’s client Emmy Tayler.
Ms Tayler had sued Harper Collins Publishers Ltd (UK) following the publication of a book by Julie K Brown entitled “The Perversion of Justice”. The book concentrated on the abuse perpetrated by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. It wrongly associated Ms Tayler with supporting Epstein’s activities. In fact, worse, it placed Ms Tayler at the home of the now deceased paedophile at a time when she was geographically thousands of miles away and had long ceased working as Maxwell’s administration assistant. Ms Tayler was distraught about the false allegation not least as she had previously worked tirelessly with the FBI and other investigations to attempt to assist the victims of Epstein and Maxwell. Her name was wrongly placed in the book instead of an entirely different person. Ms Tayler submitted that this was deliberate – which the publisher denied – but in a judgement at a “meaning hearing” in 2022 Mr Justice Pepperall decided that the publication was defamatory of Ms Tayler and was likely to cause her serious harm.
Manleys attempted to achieve a swift remedy for Ms Tayler – having asked Harper Collins to pulp its unsold copies and cease sales both online and of hard copies. The firm argued that the publisher’s efforts at restricting circulation were too little too late.
In late 2023 Mark Manley appeared as counsel for Ms Tayler in the Southern District of New York in an appeal hearing. On behalf of Ms Tayler he also instructed lawyers in Miami and New York who took legal action over the Perversion of Justice in the USA in addition to the UK libel proceedings.
The hearing in the High Court this week heard Harper Collins “unconditionally” apologise to Ms Tayler, accepting the publication was wrong, and confirming it had paid damages to Ms Tayler and her legal costs. Mark Manley told Mrs Justice Steyn that his client was pleased to finally receive complete vindication and to have received Harper Collins’ apology.
Ms Tayler had sued Harper Collins Publishers Ltd (UK) following the publication of a book by Julie K Brown entitled “The Perversion of Justice”. The book concentrated on the abuse perpetrated by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. It wrongly associated Ms Tayler with supporting Epstein’s activities. In fact, worse, it placed Ms Tayler at the home of the now deceased paedophile at a time when she was geographically thousands of miles away and had long ceased working as Maxwell’s administration assistant. Ms Tayler was distraught about the false allegation not least as she had previously worked tirelessly with the FBI and other investigations to attempt to assist the victims of Epstein and Maxwell. Her name was wrongly placed in the book instead of an entirely different person. Ms Tayler submitted that this was deliberate – which the publisher denied – but in a judgement at a “meaning hearing” in 2022 Mr Justice Pepperall decided that the publication was defamatory of Ms Tayler and was likely to cause her serious harm.
Manleys attempted to achieve a swift remedy for Ms Tayler – having asked Harper Collins to pulp its unsold copies and cease sales both online and of hard copies. The firm argued that the publisher’s efforts at restricting circulation were too little too late.
In late 2023 Mark Manley appeared as counsel for Ms Tayler in the Southern District of New York in an appeal hearing. On behalf of Ms Tayler he also instructed lawyers in Miami and New York who took legal action over the Perversion of Justice in the USA in addition to the UK libel proceedings.
The hearing in the High Court this week heard Harper Collins “unconditionally” apologise to Ms Tayler, accepting the publication was wrong, and confirming it had paid damages to Ms Tayler and her legal costs. Mark Manley told Mrs Justice Steyn that his client was pleased to finally receive complete vindication and to have received Harper Collins’ apology.
Mr Manley commented: “This hearing is the culmination of over 2 years of persistence and resilience by Emmy Tayler. Not many people have the courage to take on one of the World’s largest publishers. Emmy was naturally devastated at the false allegations in the book and was determined to set the record straight. I’m delighted we were able to help her do that in this libel case about false allegations in a book somewhat ironically called “The Perversion of Justice”.
The success in this case follows quickly on the heels of Manleys announcing it is representing Los Angeles based Oscar-nominated Nazrin Choudhury.
ENDS
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