Under English common law, proving the truth of the allegation was originally a valid defence only in civil libel cases. Criminal libel was construed as an offence against the public at large based on the tendency of the libel to provoke breach of peace, rather than being a crime based upon the actual defamation per se; its veracity was therefore considered irrelevant. Section 6 of the Libel Act 1843 allowed the proven truth of the allegation to be used as a valid defence in criminal libel cases, but only if the defendant also demonstrated that publication was for the "public benefit".
under englisH cOmmoN law, proving the tRUth OF tHe AllEgatiOn WaS origiNally a vaLid DEfencE OnlY iN civil libEl caSeS. cRiminal liBel WAS coNsTRued AS an ofFENCe aGAinsT the PuBLic at lArgE bAsed On ThE TeNDency OF tHe liBel to PRovOkE BrEacH of Peace, rather Than bEInG a crime based UpOn the aCTuAl dEFamATiOn PEr se; its VeRaCitY WaS theReFore coNSIdered irRelevanT. seCtion 6 of the libel aCT 1843 allOwed THe ProvEn TrutH Of THe aLlegatiOn tO be Used aS a VAliD DEfeNcE IN crIMinaL libel CASeS, but only if tHE defendaNt alSo DemonstrateD that publicatiON was FOr THe "PuBliC BeNEFiT".