Jorth Gar member Todd Hayden takes Viking group’s organiser to court over Facebook row
A Viking battle over weapons regulations has moved from the field to the courtroom as warriors duke it out over comments made on social media.
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A VIKING battle over weapons regulations has moved from the field to the courtroom as warriors duke it out over comments made on social media.
Tweed-based Todd Hayden is suing the organiser of Jorth Gar, a Viking historical re-enactment group, Luke Payne in the Southport District Court for allegedly defaming him on Facebook.
He is claiming $150,000 in damages.
Mr Hayden said in court documents his former friend posted on a Facebook group Mr Hayden had refused to accept weapons regulations of Jorth Gar NGV, illegally recorded people and incited discontentment.
Jorth Gar is a Gold Coast-based group does historical re-enactments of the Viking’s military group the New Varangian Guard and also has a “civilian” section where they practice “living history”, also known as live action role play or LARP.
Mr Hayden was also kicked out of the group and removed from the Jorth Gar Facebook page on October 3 last year, the court documents said.
The documents said the imputations made by Mr Payne included that Mr Hayden refused to accept the Jorth Gar weapons regulations, illegally recorded conversations, incited discontent, conspired to bring about Jorth Gar’s destruction, spread lies and caused loss of balance and harmony in Jorth Gar.
Mr Hayden also claims to have lost at least nine friends and his only enjoyable means of exercise as a result of the comments.
He said this was because he spent 14 years as a member of Jorth Gar, a historical re-enactment group based on Viking military, and is where he met most of his social circle.
“(Mr Payne) has disconnected (Mr Hayden) from his community of re-enactment friends,” the court documents said.
“(Mr Payne) has disconnected (Mr Hayden) from his only means of enjoyable physical exercise and social outlet.”
Mr Hayden claims since the comments were made in October last year he suffered from anxiety and lost sleep.
“(Mr Hayden) wakes up during the night and/or early in the morning and just lays there thinking about his matter, and drifts in and out of sleep,” the documents said
Mr Hayden joined Jorth Gar in 2005.
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Mr Hayden claims in court documents his problems began with Mr Payne when he spoke to him in September 2019 about the “Code of Conduct”.
He said Mr Payne responded with “defensiveness, hostility, insults, condescension and emotional manipulation”.
On October 3 last year Mr Payne told Mr Hayden his membership with Jorth Gar was cancelled and removed him from the Facebook page, the court documents said.
Mr Hayden alleges that same day Mr Payne made the defamatory post to the group’s Facebook page.
The court documents said he sent asked Mr Payne to remove the post and apologise on October 23 but he refused.
Mr Hayden declined to comment.
Attempts to contact Mr Payne were unsuccessful.
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