▁u ph old ▁its ▁existing ▁contract s ▁with ▁consum ers . ▁ ▁Case ▁law ▁An ▁early , ▁perhaps ▁the ▁earliest , ▁instance ▁of ▁recognition ▁of ▁this ▁tort ▁occurred ▁in ▁Gar ret ▁v ▁Taylor , ▁ 7 9 ▁Eng . ▁Rep . ▁ 4 8 5 ▁( K . B . ▁ 1 6 2 0 ). ▁In ▁that ▁case , ▁the ▁def endant ▁drove ▁customers ▁away ▁from ▁the ▁pla int iff ' s ▁quar ry ▁by ▁threaten ing ▁them ▁with ▁may hem ▁and ▁also ▁threaten ing ▁to ▁“ vex ▁[ th em ] ▁with ▁su its .” ▁ ▁The ▁King ' s ▁Ben ch ▁court ▁said ▁that ▁“ the ▁def endant ▁threatened ▁violence ▁to ▁the ▁extent ▁of ▁comm itting ▁an ▁assault ▁upon ▁... ▁customers ▁of ▁the ▁pla int iff ▁... ▁where up on ▁‘ they ▁all ▁des isted ▁from ▁bu ying .’ ’ ▁ ▁The ▁court ▁therefore ▁u ph eld ▁a ▁judgment ▁for ▁the ▁pla int iff . ▁ ▁In ▁a ▁similar ▁case , ▁Tar leton ▁v ▁McG aw ley , ▁ 1 7 0 ▁Eng . ▁Rep . ▁ 1 5 3 ▁( K . B . ▁ 1 7 9 3 ), ▁the ▁def endant ▁shot ▁from ▁its ▁ship , ▁O th ello , ▁off ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁Africa ▁upon ▁n atives ▁while ▁“ cont riv ing ▁and ▁mal ici ously ▁int ending ▁to ▁h inder ▁and ▁d eter ▁the ▁n atives ▁from ▁trad ing ▁ ▁with ” ▁pla int iff ' s ▁rival ▁trad ing ▁ship , ▁B ann ister