Is this slander?

jkrowling

Hi,

I have read the rules and hopefully I'm in the right place. Not looking for legal advice but would just like to know if I'm heading in the right direction.

18 months ago someone accused me (falsely) of reporting them to the Social Welfare for fraudulently claiming single parents allowance (which they were doing). This person never said it to me personally but based their assumptions on a post I had on Facebook giving out about the bonus that social welfare claimants were going to get at Christmas. This person then went around telling family and very close friends that I had done this and caused not only a family issue but also a loss of friends. I now have the sense to see that it was not really a loss if they thought I could have done that in the first place!

I contacted this person myself when it was finally brought to my attention as I wanted to settle the issue but they refused to talk or listen to me and despite my best efforts to show it wasn't me, they are sill going around now, 18 months later telling people I did this.

Rumours spread like wildfire and I am now known as the person that reported "x" to the Social Welfare and also have family members not talk to me because of this. It has caused me so much anxiety and stress and I fear it will interfere with my career if she continues to go around telling people this.

I was thinking of asking a solicitor to send her a letter asking her to stop unless she can prove what she is claiming is true - a fact I know she can't as I didn't! Will a solicitor do this or am I way off the mark? As mentioned I have tried to resolve it personally but they're relentless in their campaign against me and I just want this to stop.

TIA

Duffryman

Hi there,

First up, I'm not a solicitor, but I do have some knowledge of the laws of libel/slander through many years of working in the print media.

Have to say I don't think this instance qualifies as slander. You're not being accused of doing anything wrong, either legally, morally, or anything else. In fact, you're being 'accused' of taking the correct action should you find yourself in the circumstance of knowing or strongly supsecting a case of social welfare fraud.

You may however have a case for harassment or similar, but you would need to seek proper legal advice on this.

jkrowling

Thanks for that I appreciate the advice.

Wabbit Ears

Would getting further 'authorities'involved not make their campaign and bad mouthing of you worse, not better?

Just distance yourself from them and ride it out. It will just go away of its own accord and at least you now know who your real friends are!

lab man

Jk.
I has a similar problem a few yrs ago, that I objected to something in writing which I didn't of course , eventually I got a guard to do a call to him problem solved not a word since

intheclouds

Speak to the Guards, this is harassment plain and simple.

jkrowling

Wabbit Ears, if only it were that easy to distance myself I'd have done it long ago.

The person in question is my sister in law and we share the same group of friends and we live in the same area

Larbre34

Don't speak to the Guards, they haven't the time to deal with this sort of stuff, and will inevitably point you towards it being a civil matter.

Speak to a good solicitor and have them send a cease and desist letter, or else further recourse will be taken etc..

That will probably be enough to shock them into dropping this childish behaviour.

jkrowling

Thanks peeps, really appreciate you all taking the time to help and advice.

Harassment seems to be the way to approach this as she's relentless in her attempt to drag me down to the gutter.

I actually know a Garda so will speak with im later and get some advice.

jkrowling

Larbre34 wrote: »

Don't speak to the Guards, they haven't the time to deal with this sort of stuff, and will inevitably point you towards it being a civil matter.

Speak to a good solicitor and have them send a cease and desist letter, or else further recourse will be taken etc..

That will probably be enough to shock them into dropping this childish behaviour.

I have an appointment this week. Hopefully I can finally put this to bed once and for all.

cup of tea

Watch out for your statute of limitations - you have one year generally speaking, from the date of complained incident, you say it happened 18 months ago. You could go off most recent date of incident , I wouldn't delay on it

jkrowling

She was originally called into the Solcial Welfare office in December 2014 and has been accusing me to anyone who will listen ever since.

Most recent occasion was 2 weeks ago to another mother at the school who kindly came back and told me. A few of them were having coffee in the local coffee shop just before the Easter break and she said was telling them not to trust me or ever tell me anything as she lost her book and was investigated by the social welfare because I reported her!

Pat Mustard

Mod:

I am closing this because it contains a request for legal advice.

Legal action against somebody on social welfare may lead to difficulties in recovering costs, even if such an action is successful. This is something to be borne in mind from the outset.

However, it may be worth paying a visit to a solicitor anyway. Perhaps a solicitor's letter could resolve matters.