Facts
A newspaper said a girl had been kidnapped by a dog-doping gang. She had been staying with the claimant, so readers who had seen them together thought it referred to him.
Issue
Must the article contain a pointer to the claimant?
Held
No; it was enough that readers who knew the facts would reasonably think it referred to him.
Principle
Identification depends on what reasonable readers with knowledge of the circumstances would understand.
Why it matters
Identification.
Cited in these chapters
Cite this page
Morgan v Odhams Press Ltd [1971] 1 WLR 1239 (Lanbuk) <https://www.lanbuk.com/llb/torts/cases/morgan-v-odhams> accessed 31 October 2026
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This summary is a Lanbuk study aid based on the generally known facts and reports of the case. It is not legal advice.