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| Elliott: almost £50k damages over defamatory Flanagan tweet | Elliott: almost £50k damages over defamatory Flanagan tweet |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The High Court in Belfast has awarded almost £50k in damages to a former Ulster Unionist leader over a defamatory message posted on Twitter. | The High Court in Belfast has awarded almost £50k in damages to a former Ulster Unionist leader over a defamatory message posted on Twitter. |
| Mr Justice Stephens awarded Tom Elliott £48,750 compensation following a tweet by Sinn Féin's Phil Flanagan. | Mr Justice Stephens awarded Tom Elliott £48,750 compensation following a tweet by Sinn Féin's Phil Flanagan. |
| The Fermanagh MLA posted the message after Mr Elliott appeared on a BBC radio programme in May 2014. | The Fermanagh MLA posted the message after Mr Elliott appeared on a BBC radio programme in May 2014. |
| Mr Elliott served in the UDR for 10 years, between 1982 and 1992. He is now the MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone. | Mr Elliott served in the UDR for 10 years, between 1982 and 1992. He is now the MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone. |
| Mr Flanagan's tweet read: "Tom Elliott talks to @StephenNolan about the past. | |
| "I wonder if he will reveal how many people he harassed or shot as a member of the UDR." | |
| The tweet was taken down from Mr Flanagan's Twitter account within an hour being posted. | The tweet was taken down from Mr Flanagan's Twitter account within an hour being posted. |
| However, Mr Elliot said that, despite the tweet being removed, it remained accessible on the internet, social media sites and political blogs. | However, Mr Elliot said that, despite the tweet being removed, it remained accessible on the internet, social media sites and political blogs. |
| On Wednesday Mr Justice Stephens ruled that Mr Flanagan's tweet was grossly defamatory. | |
| The judge said: "To state that a senior politician, who had been the leader of a political party in Northern Ireland, was responsible for harassing and shooting people during his service with the UDR (Ulster Defence Regiment)... is a most serious libel." |