Karam takes defamation case against campaigners

David Bain supporter Joe Karam has started legal action against several individuals for defamation.

Mr Karam said he had issued two claims in the High Court at Auckland against members of the Justice for Robin Bain Group (JFRB) and counterspin.co.nz, and the Trade Me website.

He said one claim was against Vic Purkiss and Kent Parker from JFRB and counterspin, and the second was for the online trade site in respect of its message boards.

Mr Parker said yesterday the defamation claims were for statements on the group's Facebook site, counterspin and Trade Me.

"The claims include 194 citations involving 18 different people, and 12 items of alleged damage have been claimed.

"We will be defending Mr Karam's claim and maintain that it is improper and vexatious. We have a very good team in place and are confident of a positive outcome for the JFRB Group."

In his blog, Mr Parker said Mr Karam had given the group a defamation warning on Christmas Eve. Mr Karam confirmed this, but refused to comment any further.

Mr Parker said in response to the warning the group had made its Facebook page private, and on the counterspin site "great care had been taken to screen out any content that is potentially defamatory".

No one from the JFRB Group was available for further comment pending the judicial process.

Trade Me spokesman Paul Ford said it was aware of the claim against it and was seeking legal advice. He declined further comment.

JFRB is an activist group against David Bain, who was convicted in 1995 of murdering his parents, Robin and Margaret, two sisters Laniet and Arawa and brother Stephen in their Dunedin home.

In 2007 the Privy Council quashed his convictions on the grounds of a substantial miscarriage of justice and ordered a retrial.

He was found not guilty at the retrial in June last year.

- NZPA