An Old Etonian who was viciously lampooned as 'Mr Toad' by locals on Facebook after taking over a much-loved Cotswold pub, has won a £9,000 libel damages payout. Christopher Horne, 68, was hit with a torrent of 'offensive and salacious' abuse on a Facebook page set up by Alistair Dempster - who had previously worked at The Bell, in Moreton-in-Marsh, Judge David Mackie told London's High Court. The two men 'fell out very substantially' over the running of the 18th Century coaching inn, the court heard, and the page became a platform for Mr Dempster and others to vent their spurious allegations.
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Christopher Horne hit with torrent of 'offensive and salacious' abuse
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Facebook page set up by Alistair Dempster - who had worked at his pub
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The two men 'fell out very substantially' over the running of it
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Former accountant Christopher Horne, pictured (left) here outside the High Court in London, was awarded libel damages over former Cotswold publican Alistair Dempster's 'Mr @placeholder' slur