Oscar the cavoodle: Sydney lawyer Gina Edwards claims she was defamed by Channel 9

A high-flying barrister has taken aim at Channel 9 and one of its journalists for broadcasting “utter lies” about an alleged cavoodle thief.

A Sydney barrister has taken aim at a “plainly defamatory” Channel 9 broadcast concerning a fellow lawyer, who claims she was portrayed as the thief of an Instagram-famous Cavoodle named Oscar by flagship program A Current Affair.

Gina Edwards is suing Nine and A Current Affair journalist Steve Marshall in the Federal Court over two 2021 broadcasts, one of which aired footage of Oscar being taken from her by fellow owner Mark Gillespie on a walk in the Sydney suburb of Kirribilli.

Ms Edwards’ lawyer, Sue Chrysanthou SC, told the court A Current Affair broadcast a “series of lies” about Ms Edwards, who she said was “harassed” by the program, adding Mr Marshall’s reporting was “not journalism”.

Lawyer Gina Edwards with Oscar the cavoodle in happier times. Picture: Supplied

Ms Edwards, who was also filmed at her Sydney legal chambers by the program, has argued the broadcasts and online articles made her out to be a dog sitter who had refused to return the dog to Mr Gillespie, had sought to exploit the dog for financial benefit and had sought to delay a civil case.

Oscar’s custody was at the time subject of a legal battle in the NSW courts between the former friends.

Ms Chrysanthou told the court that Ms Edwards’ picture was taken down from her legal chambers’ website after A Current Affair had visited her workplace, and her reputation as a lawyer had suffered significant damage.

“It’s hard to imagine how terrible that would be,” she said.

Ms Edwards (left) with her lawyer Sue Chrysanthou SC. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

Ms Chrysanthou said A Current Affair had “persisted in harassing” Ms Edwards and the “virus” of social media had ensured hundreds of thousands of clicks of an online article that repeated the claims.

The court was previously told that Ms Edwards, her husband Ken Flavell and Mr Gillespie, a cruise ship director, had been “co-parents” of Oscar, with the three “acting like a family”.

Nine’s lawyer, Dauid Sibtain SC, said “clearly there was no co-ownership agreement” and said the nature of the relationship was “request and respond” where Ms Edwards and Mr Flavell would take Oscar when Mr Gillespie needed his dog looked after.

“The point is they were never owners of the dog,” Mr Sibtain said.

Nine’s lawyer Dauid Sibtain (right) said ‘clearly there was no co-ownership agreement’. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

Nine has said Ms Edwards was not defamed by the broadcasts, or, if the court disagreed, then they were true or contextually true.

The hearing continues.