Crime Watch host Ian Alleyne has been ordered to pay businessman Shaun Sammy over $600,000 in compensation for defamation.
Sammy received the award from High Court Master Marissa Robertson yesterday months after the High Court entered judgment in default because Alleyne failed to enter a defence in court.
Speaking with reporters outside the Hall of Justice yesterday, Sammy said he was happy with the legal victory.
“I have to look at the figures but I definitely want to give a portion to charity,” Sammy said.
Sammy, his father, business magnate Junior Sammy, and the family’s company Junior Sammy Group of Companies sued Alleyne last year, after Alleyne spoke about Sammy’s then pending case for drunk driving on his Crime Watch programme.
The programme is aired on television station CNC3, which is part of Guardian Media Limited, which also publishes this newspaper. As with previous hearings of the case Alleyne was not in court yesterday. Alleyne was also ordered to pay Sammy’s legal costs for bringing the lawsuit.
According to police reports, Sammy was driving his vehicle along French Street, Woodbrook, around 5 pm on August 23, last year, when he was stopped by police.
A breathalyser test was done which showed he had a blood alcohol level of 86 microgrammes (mcg) of alcohol in every 100 millilitres of breath, 51 mcg above the legal limit.
Sammy eventually pleaded guilty to the offence in October and was placed on a bond to keep the peace for three years.
Sammy was represented by Senior Counsel Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, Om Lalla and Derrick Balliram.