Tom Waterhouse Loses Defamation Case

Tom Waterhouse Loses Defamation Case

Tom Waterhouse is never quite far from the front, middle and back pages of the online magazine world and this week is no exception. This time we hear that Waterhouse has lost a defamation case, which he himself started in a disagreement on the use of wordage coming from the quills of Fairfax Media and columnist Peter Fitzsimons

Tom Waterhouse Loses Defamation Case Waterhouse got his knickers in a twist over an article that appeared in Fitzsimons: The Fitz Files column on 8 Sep last year, where the author put pen to paper over an e-mail that TomWaterhouse.com had sent to everyone who had their name listed on the Australian Rugby Union database.

In the bothersome e-mail Waterhouse told the readers that if they backed The Wallabies over the Springboks he would give everyone their money back should they lose. Fitzsimons didn’t take kindly to the e-mail and it’s this response that Waterhouse thought contained enough spurious allegations to result in a defamation case. I guess he got that one wrong.

“Hi Tom, Any chance you’d get out of my face? People like me who handed over our details to the ARU did NOT do so to be harassed with brain-dead offers like yours, let alone have our kids exposed to it.

“And what about a little truth in advertising? What about you add to your spiel, ‘I’m prepared to take a little hit, just once, just to get you on the gambling hook, in the hope that I can then shake you down for decades to come!’

“Do NOT send me your awful offal again. And shame on the ARU for serving up its dwindling supporter base to the likes of you. It is acting well outside its charter to serve the interests of the game, and will face an outright revolt if it continues. Be told. Mr. Fitzsimons, to you.”

The call of Judge Michael Finnane was to side with Fairfax Media by consent from both parties. It seems Waterhouse had to stump up the loose change needed to cover the costs of the whole affair.

Better Luck Next Time?

Young Tom will be hoping that the loss to FairFax Media and Mr. Fitzsimons is not a sign of things to come. In July of this year Bet247 sued Tom Waterhouse over his role in the 2011 rescue of the clients of Bet247 following the demise of Bet247’s wagering services provider Sports Alive.

The suit that currently lies throbbing on the table of someone in the state of Victoria’s Supreme Court alleges that Waterhouse breached the terms of that 2011 agreement, most importantly the sentences alluding to the obligation of Waterhouse to continue distributing profit shares on Bet247’s former clients until Dec 2015. Bet247 are claiming they haven’t received a penny and are claiming $247,979 plus interest.

Fortunately, Mr. Waterhouse is flush with cash, at the moment, after selling his business to William Hill in a deal that could potentially reach $100m dependent on performance figures.