Case Summary

Cassidy v Daily Mirror Newspapers [1929] 2 KB 331

Tort; defamation; indirect identification of plaintiff.

Facts: The Daily Mirror newspaper published a photograph that showed Cassidy, a racehorse owner, together with a woman. The accompanying caption described the lady as engaged to be married to Cassidy. Cassidy, however, was married to another woman who, although she was not expressly identified in the newspaper, sued the newspaper claiming that what they had published injured her reputation and constituted defamation.

Issue: Had Cassidy's wife been defamed even though she was not identified in the newspaper?

Decision: It was held that Cassidy's wife had been defamed.

Reason: Although not identified expressly by the newspaper, her friends and acquaintances knew that she lived with the man in the photograph. They would assume that, if Cassidy was engaged to another person, the person he was living with must be his mistress.