Offer of Amends
Under the Defamation Act 1996, a publisher can make an offer of amends. This is an offer to publish a suitable correction and a sufficient apology and to pay the claimant compensation and costs. If the offer to make amends is not accepted by the claimant, then it will be a defence to defamation proceedings unless the claimant can prove that the defendant knew or had reason to believe that the statement complained of:
- Referred to the claimant or was likely to be understood as referring to him or her; and
- Was both false and defamatory.
