A former mayor of Oldham has been awarded damages of £55,000 after winning a "hard-fought" defamation and harassment case.

Councillor Riaz Ahmad won the claim for libel and harassment against ex-councillor, Khazir 'Kaiser' Rehman, in February last year with the final hearing taking place last month to settle damages and costs.

The case was brought over posts made 62 times on Facebook and Twitter by Rehman about Cllr Ahmad in 2020.

Rehman’s defence to the claim was struck out and judgement entered for Cllr Ahmad by Master McCloud after two days of hearings in 2021.

On February 9, 2022, Master McCloud made a Judgment Order by which Rehman was made subject to a permanent injunction, ordered to pay damages to be assessed and ordered to pay the costs of the claim to the date of that order.

Following a period of significant court delays a disposal hearing took place last month.

A week before the February 14 hearing, during which Cllr Ahmad was due to ask the High Court at the Royal Courts of Justice in London to award him £100,000 in damages due to "unreasonable conduct", Rehman accepted a settlement offer to pay Cllr Ahmad £55,000 in damages that was proposed in May last year.

The court made a declaration that Rehman’s acceptance was binding upon him and consequently he must pay £55,000 to Cllr Ahmad per the terms of the accepted offer.

Rehman was ordered to pay the costs of the action, on an indemnity basis from June 4 2022. 

It means Cllr Ahmad has now been awarded the costs of the action, estimated to be in excess of £140,000.

Acting for Cllr Ahmad was a team of lawyers from JMW Solicitors, including Oliver Wright, Savanna Nolan and Ben Gallop, a media communications law specialist of 5RB Chambers.

Mr Wright said: “This has been an incredibly challenging two and a half years for our client.

“This was a campaign of libel and harassment of the most serious kind.

“The case, described by Master McCloud as ‘hard-fought’, has also seen significant court delays, with judgment entered against Mr Rehman a year and a half after the claim was started."

The solicitor said Cllr Ahmad has had the claim "hanging over him" for an additional year due to a pending court decision on the level of damages and costs, plus "Rehman's failure to accept the judgement".

“That unreasonable conduct has rightly been reflected in an indemnity costs order", he said.

Cllr Ahmad added: “I am pleased and relieved that this unequivocal judgement brings to an end over six years of false narrative splashed on social media by Kaiser Rehman.

“It has been an extremely painful time for myself, my family and friends and I would like to thank everyone who stood by me and supported me at this most difficult time of my life.”

The councillor further stated that any monies recovered over and above the costs will be donated to Oldham Foodbank.