Parish Councillor Ordered to Pay £20,000 for Defamatory Social Media Posts

The High Court ruled that Andrew Peake failed to prove his accusations against clerk James Miller, stemming from a dispute over council conduct.

Andrew Peake, a former councillor in Fleggburgh, Norfolk, was sued for defamation after a series of posts on his Facebook page accused clerk James Miller of dishonesty and misconduct.
Peake claimed Miller made an offensive gesture during a council meeting and engaged in fraudulent behavior, but the High Court found no evidence to support these allegations.
Judge Richard Parkes described Peake's online posts as a prolonged campaign of baseless accusations that caused significant distress to Miller and his family.
The court emphasized the role of social media in escalating the conflict, calling its use in this case 'ill-advised.'
Miller, a Cambridge-educated economist, was awarded £20,000 in damages for the harm to his reputation and the emotional toll of the defamatory claims.