Tobacco tycoon Travers ‘The Candyman’ Beynon wins first fight in court battle with neighbour James Blacklege

Candyman Travers Beynon has had an early win in his defamation case against a neighbour who he alleges called him “an ignorant a***hole”.

THE CANDYMAN has had an early win in a court battle against a neighbour he claims called him “an ignorant a***hole” and “weak as piss”.

Travers “The Candyman” Beynon took a neighbour in his Helensvale estate to the Southport District Court seeking $30,000 compensation, for allegedly damaging his reputation and causing him hurt and embarrassment through a series of emails to other residents.

James Blackledge had tried to argue some of those emails should have been thrown out of court because they were sent more than a year ago.

But the court on Friday ruled the emails should be allowed, means The Candyman’s defamation case can continue.

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“The publications were discovered by the plaintiff through a non-party disclosure request made in a separate District Court proceeding to the present matter,” Judge David Kent wrote in his judgment.

“There is also an application for extension of the limitation period, given that the plaintiff was unaware of the existence of the allegedly defamatory matter until recently, and thus issued proceedings outside the permitted limit of one year.”

Travers 'Candyman' Beynon arriving at Love Nightlife nightclub in Broadbeach.

Outside of court, Mr Blackledge’s lawyer Campbell MacCallum, of Moloney MacCallum Abdelshahied Lawyers, said he was “disappointed” with the decision.

“On that basis we will be seeking instructions to file pleadings on that matter,” he said.

Mr Beynon claims Mr Blackledge, a resident within the River Cove Community Title Scheme, wrote “weak as piss x travers” in an email to various residents when discussing a good behaviour complaint by Freechoice Australia in November 2017.

Travers 'Candyman' Beynon.

The tobacco tycoon, also known for his wild house parties, claims the email was defamatory as it suggested he was an “extremely weak person”, a “coward” and “worthy of ridicule”.

Mr Beynon claims Mr Blackledge damaged his reputation and caused him hurt and embarrassment.

Mr Beynon claims Mr Blackledge doesn’t like him as The Candyman’s company has sued him before.

He also refers to two emails from November 2018 in the claim, in which Mr Blackledge wrote about “damages” following an “event/debacle”.

Mr Beynon alleges Mr Blackledge wrote to the committee and a resident: “It does not surprise me that the ignorant asshole did not even call to apologize (sic) for the damage/traffic congestion & angst he has cause to the estate all the more ammo for legal challenge.”

He claims the emails were sent with “malice” and accused Mr Blackledge of having published

“other defamatory statements”.

Originally published as Tobacco tycoon Travers ‘The Candyman’ Beynon wins first fight in court battle with neighbour James Blacklege