PORT Of SPAIN (Trinidad), Dec 9: Former West Indies middle order batsman Gus Logie has won a libel suit against state-owned National Broadcasting Network (NBN) over a report that linked him to match-fixing in cricket.

High Court Judge Humphrey Stollmeyer in his ruling said, “there is no interest in the public being misinformed.”

Logie had sued NBN’s television network after its sport segment of the station’s main newscast had on Nov 2, 2000 made the allegation against him.

But the Judge ruled that the defendants had failed to meet the standards of responsible journalism.

“At best the broadcast was careless. At worst, it represents an indifference to the written word, or a disregard for accuracy bordering on the unreasonable,” the Judge said in his ruling.

He criticised the television station for not verifying the information it had by speaking with Logie, who is now the West Indies youth cricket coach.

Judge Stollmeyer said the tone of broadcast was sensational and accusatory in nature “but there was nothing of which Mr. Logie could be accused.”

“I have come to the conclusion that the defendants have failed to meet the test of responsible journalism. They have failed to exercise due professional skill and care. There can be no arguable defence in qualified privilege to the claim.”—AFP