From: billy@anon.com 
  
 "JNugent"  wrote in message news:mh843pF7u7b 
 1@mid.individual.net... 
 > On 26/08/2025 19:01, billy bookcase wrote: 
 >> "JNugent"  wrote in message 
 >> news:mh0cg6Ft44aU2@mid.individual.net... 
 >>> 
 >>> When did it become a crime (in [England] and Wales, if not the 
 >>> whole UK) to express one's opinion? 
 >>> 
 >> 
 >> How would any date after 1066, suit ? 
 >> 
 >> quote: 
 >> 
 >> Defamatory libel was originally an offence under the common law of 
 >> England. It was established in England and Wales and in Northern Ireland. 
 >> It was or is a form of criminal libel, a term with which it is 
 >> synonymous.[1] 
 >> 
 >> The common law offence of defamatory libel was abolished[2] for England 
 >> and Wales and Northern Ireland on 12 January 2010. 
 >> Section 4 of the Libel Act 1843 which created an aggravated statutory 
 >> offence was also repealed. 
 >> 
 >> :unquote 
 >> 
 >> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defamatory_libel 
 >> 
 >> One famous case being of course, Goldsmith v Pressdram Ltd [1977] 
 > 
 > You are aware that it is a defence against an action to publish one's 
 honestly-held 
 > opinion, laws on defamation notwithstanding? 
  
 It is only a defence, if that opinion is based on fact(s), such that any 
 honest 
 person might form a similar opinion, based on those same fact(s) 
  
 Otherwise it would fail. 
  
  
 > 
 > Defamation Act 2013, though that is merely a restatement of previous 
 legislation. 
 > 
 > It is hard to see how Connolly's honest opinion could be other than that 
 she 
 has been 
 > treadted harshly and shabbily. After all, that is also the opinion of a 
 good 
 many other 
 > people. 
  
 While one possible condition for early release, might well be a total 
 acceptance 
 on the part of the prisoner, both of their guilt, and of the fairness with 
 which they've been treated by the system. 
  
  
 bb 
  
 --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05 
  * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)