KB-2023-000257 - [2024] EWHC 647 (KB)

The claimant, Frank Sinton, works as a project manager on major construction projects for luxury hotels. He brings a claim in libel, malicious falsehood and for breach of data protection law against a company and its directors. The corporate defendant is part of a group of companies involved in two large hotel construction projects. The claims for libel and malicious falsehood relate to publications following the defendants’ decision in April 2022 to suspend his access to various sites at which he had been working. The defendants say that the suspension was necessary pending an investigation into allegations that he had behaved inappropriately towards other workers. Mr Sinton denies the allegations which he says were conveyed by the publications.

The defendants apply for summary judgment on the entirety of the libel and malicious falsehood claims pursuant to CPR 24.2 and 24.3, alternatively to strike out the claims as disclosing no reasonable grounds for bringing the claims pursuant to CPR 3.4(2)(a) and/or an abuse of process pursuant to CPR 3.4(2)(b). The truth or falsity of the underlying allegations is not among the issues to be determined on this application.