A DCU student has been awarded a temporary stay on costs given against him in a legal case involving six Irish newspapers.
Eoin McKeogh, a Business and Japanese student, was wrongfully accused of skipping a Dublin taxi fare in an online video. Originally he secured an injunction preventing Google, Facebook and various other websites from broadcasting the video.
He then commenced legal proceedings against the six newspapers, in a bid to prevent them from publishing his name as a result of the injunction.
After losing his case in January 2012, against newspapers including the Irish Daily Star, the Irish Independent and the Irish Times; McKeogh was ordered to pay the legal costs of all six publications involved.
Justice Michael Peart agreed to place a stay on the order which ran out on Friday November 22nd, the date of the hearing.
Acting on McKeoghs behalf, Pauline Walley SC argued that any lifting of the stay would damage both her client’s reputation and life.
Speaking in the High Court, she said: “It would blight a young life that has already been blighted. There is still material on the internet that says he came to court because he was guilty. That is the sad reality.”
Since the original case, McKeogh has parted company with his solicitor, with Pauline Walley SC acting on his behalf during the hearing. It was also disclosed that McKeogh would not be challenging the case’s outcome, but merely the awarding of legal costs against him.
Justice Peart concluded there had been an obvious disintegration in relations between McKeogh and his previous solicitor. Taking that into account, he agreed for the stay to be extended by a further 21 days in order to allow McKeoghs counsel register an appeal application with the Supreme Court.
Eoin McKeogh could not be contacted by The College View for comment.
Darragh Mc Grath
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