Melbourne underworld figure Mick Gatto loses defamation stoush with ABC
Melbourne underworld figure Mick Gatto has lost his bid to sue the ABC for defamation over an article that he claimed implied he was a murderer.
Melbourne underworld figure Mick Gatto lost his defamation case against Australia’s national broadcaster over an article which he claimed alleged he was a murderer and threatened to kill Lawyer X.
Mr Gatto sued the broadcaster in Victoria’s Supreme Court over an article in 2019 which reported allegations he threatened to kill lawyer-turned-police snitch Nicola Gobbo.
Gatto claimed the article also aired allegations he was implicated in the gangland murders of Victor Peirce and Frank Benvenuto.
The 65-year-old wanted “maximum” compensation from the organisation and an apology because he said the story was not accurate.
But Justice Andrew Keogh dismissed the case in a ruling he handed down on Friday.
“It is understandable that Mr Gatto is unhappy about the publication of the article, which reports on very serious allegations that were made against him,” said.
But Justice Keogh said the ABC “did not impute” they were true but carefully recorded they were allegations.
“To the contrary, (the ABC) carefully recorded that they were no more than allegations that had been made in the course of the proceedings,” Justice Keogh ruled.
Mr Gatto took to the stand at the trial last year and said it made him “sick” that the broadcaster hadn’t apologised.
“It’s terrible what they said about me,” he said.
The broadcaster defended the article and said it was based on “absolute privilege” of the media to report on evidence tendered in court.