Relief for Chris Gayle, wins defamation case in Australia

Chris Gayle (Reuters)

Sydney: West Indies batsman Chris Gayle won a defamation case against an Australian media company in the New South Wales Supreme Court on Monday over an alleged incident during the 2015 World Cup.

After less than two hours of deliberation, the jury found Fairfax media had failed to establish the truth of a series of reports it ran alleging the 103-Test cricketer had exposed himself to a masseuse during the tournament.

It also found Fairfax had failed to establish that the allegation Gayle had propositioned the masseuse was “substantially true”. “I came all the way from Jamaica to actually defend myself and my character as well. At the end of the day I’m very, very happy,” Gayle told reporters outside the court.

“I’m a good man. I’m not guilty.” The jury also found that Fairfax, which publishes The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age newspapers, was motivated by “malice” in publishing the stories.

A hearing over a number of damages will be held at a later date but the defence lawyer for Fairfax said he would be considering an appeal, local media reported.