Journalist Andrew Drummond 'Photoshop' case to go to trial!

Pattaya 3rd February 2014

Andrew Drummond - convicted and now must post bail in 2nd case

Pattaya Provincial Criminal Court has this morning accepted for trial a case brought by Pattaya businessman Drew Noyes in relation to two 'photoshopped' posted on his blog in August 2013.

Drew Noyes

Noyes previously described this case as a 'test case' to see what view the Court would take of the images, which Drummond describes as 'satire' - I would guess it is not looking so funny now.

Drummond must now surrender to Pattaya Court to post bail on April 21st 2014, or a warrant for his arrest will be issued.

The decision to accept this case came only minutes before Drummond was convicted in case number 9819/2555 for allowing a third party to make a comment on his web site against Drew Noyes and David Hanks. The Court convicted Drummond then jailed him for four months before suspending the senence for one year. Drummond was also fined THB 40,000 (GBP 800).

Drummond faces Court later this month in Koh Samui on February 10th and February 17th in case numbers 1246/2556 and 1269/2556 brought by David Hanks and Brian Goudie, in relation to defamatory remaks made about Hanks and in relation to eleven (11) photos also faked by Drummond, but prior to then Goudie is expected to file charges over at least another ten (10) images.

Brian Goudie

Noyes, similarly is expected to file a large number of charges in relation to a number of fake images posted on the blog, and the decision today is said to have exposed Drummond to the potential of an avalanche of litigation.

Drummond has intimated that his defence is that he did not make the 'photoshops'- lawyers for Noyes and Goudie say this is irrelevant as the law says it is the web site owner that ultimately must take responsibility.