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Oxo Mum wins High Court battle over businessman



Actress Linda Bellingham has won damages and an apology from a businessman who wrongly accused her and her husband of being involved in property fraud.

Darren Richards created anonymous blogs that defamed Miss Bellingham and her property business, Virtual Property World, which she owns with her husband Michael Pattemore.

The 64-year-old actress, who starred as the mother in the Oxo television adverts, won a six-figure settlement from Richards who has also apologised.







Linda Bellingham and her husband Michael Pattemore (left) and entrepreneur Darren Richards (right)


She is now warning of the dangers of the internet which she said can destroy lives.

Mr Pattemore was convicted of involvement in a fraud and served 21 months in jail in 1997. But neither he nor Miss Bellingham had ever hidden the conviction. Miss Bellingham had previously explained that her husband had been 'a small pawn in a financial scam' and that the matter should be laid to rest given he had served his time.





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But Mr Richards accused Mr Pattemore of being involved in property fraud. The couple believed he was trying to stop customers using their property business

Miss Bellingham and her husband only discovered what had been written on the blogs when they were contacted by the British Franchise Association.




Damages: Linda Bellingham became known as 'Oxo Mum' after starring in the television adverts

The couple applied to the High Court and were granted an 'unmasking order' which meant Google and Wordpress had to reveal the IP address of the computer which posted the blog.

Mr Richards told The Sunday Telegraph: 'I had got the wrong end of the stick, I thought I was repeating what was already out there - namely his conviction for fraud.

'However I thought I had read it involved property, so I wrongly alleged it was property fraud and I'm happy to accept that I was wrong now.'

Mr Richards set up a dating service after surfing the web when he came out of a long-term relationship.

Having spotted a gap in the market, he set up DatingDirect.com

In 2007 he sold the company for £30million.

Following on from the dating site and building up a successful multi-million property protfolio, Mr Richards set up his own estate agency services and launched EstatesDirect.com - a national estate agency.

He now divides his time between the UK and Tenerife where he has business interests ranging from bars and clubs to holiday villas and apartments.

When in the UK, Mr Richards like to fly his helicopter and has a collection of sports cars.


Miss Bellingham has called for stricter policing of the internet following the case.


Rupinder Bains, from Pinder Reaux law firm which represented Miss Bellingham, said: 'It's a victory for those who are abused and defamed online.


'But there are still problems with the anonymity of the internet which need to be addressed.
'Anyone can go to an internet cafe and write whatever they want about someone and can bring down a company - which they have effectively done in this case.'

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