How much is too much?

As a €900,000 award is overturned, questions must be asked about how libel damages are decided upon

Today the Court of Appeal overturned a €900,000 damages award against the Sunday World.

The award had been made by a High Court jury against the paper for claiming that Martin McDonagh was a “Traveller drug king” and a loan shark.

But a judge took the unusual decision to quash the payout and described the award “perverse”.

Giving judgement, Mr Justice Gerard Hogan said it was clear the jury verdict, so far as ...