On 29th May 2015, Nicole Putney, 32, committed suicide in a hotel room in Manchester.
The story made front-page news in the national papers. The police report read at the inquest claimed that she had addressed her suicide note to an “un-named female”.
Headlines accused Simon Mueller of cheating on his wife, an accusation he has always denied.
Yesterday, the Royal Court of Justice heard his appeal. Mr Mueller asked for the first inquest to be revoked and a new inquest to be opened without the defamatory report.
Mr Mueller argued that having the implication of his infidelity struck from the public record was the only way he could convince the national papers to clear his name.
The court confirmed that the implication of an affair was purely the opinion of the Detective Inspector who wrote the report. However, they decided that as the hurtful piece of evidence had had no effect on the outcome of the inquest, it was not “necessary” to open a new one.
The judges said Mr Mueller was “entitled to be aggrieved” by the false suggestion of an affair but that the public judgment of the court would have to be enough to “set the record straight”.
Full report on City News at 15:30….
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HeadlineAppeal to Save Grieving Husband’s Reputation Rejected
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Standfirst
On 29th May 2015, Nicole Putney, 32, committed suicide in a hotel room in Manchester.
The story made front-page news in the national papers. The police report read at the inquest claimed that she had addressed her suicide note to an “un-named female”.
Headlines accused Simon Mueller of cheating on his wife, an accusation he has always denied.
Yesterday, the Royal Court of Justice heard his appeal. Mr Mueller asked for the first inquest to be revoked and a new inquest to be opened without the defamatory report.
Mr Mueller argued that having the implication of his infidelity struck from the public record was the only way he could convince the national papers to clear his name.
The court confirmed that the implication of an affair was purely the opinion of the Detective Inspector who wrote the report. However, they decided that as the hurtful piece of evidence had had no effect on the outcome of the inquest, it was not “necessary” to open a new one.
The judges said Mr Mueller was “entitled to be aggrieved” by the false suggestion of an affair but that the public judgment of the court would have to be enough to “set the record straight”.
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