Anti-bullying campaigner wins £60,000 defamation over ‘fraud’ online claims

An anti-bullying campaigner who became “physically ill” after being labeled a bully has won a £60,000 defamation battle.

Lisa Johnson, 45, became an ambassador for the charity BulliesOut and spoke about her work on TV after being subjected to “years” of agony since childhood.

But she told a judge she needed to take antidepressants when business rival Emma Hammond took to Facebook to accuse her of “cheating” and using “ruthless bullying sales tactics”.

The couple fell out when Hammond, 37, refused to pay for a course she signed up for with Business Coach. Her comments were sent to 3,000 people and Ms Johnson, from Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, was inundated with messages from customers questioning her integrity.

According to the Post last May, Jersey-based Hammond set up her own company and sold the same courses, the High Court heard.

Judge Richard Spearman KC ruled on the damages, saying Ms Johnson suffered “very significant psychological consequences” from the “nasty, baseless” comments.

He ordered Hammond to pay £25,000 plus Ms Johnson’s £35,000 legal costs after she successfully sued for defamation and malicious untruth.

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