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Seven’s gag order on Ms Harrison has been extended. Picture: Supplied
THE ex-mistress of Channel Seven CEO Tim Worner will continue to be gagged by the court from speaking about her affair after a Supreme Court Justice said she had threatened to “destroy” his career and reputation out of “revenge.”
In his decision to maintain a temporary injunction, Justice Robert McDougall tore apart Amber Harrison’s case against her former lover, but chastised not only her, but also Channel Seven chairman Kerry Stokes and board member Jeff Kennett for “waging” media campaigns to slander each other in the fallout over the sex scandal, The Daily Telegraphreports.
Justice McDougall said Ms Harrison had breached at least some of her obligations to the company and has been “reckless or indifferent” to damaging others’ reputations.
“There is a mass of evidence showing that Harrison has threatened to destroy Mr Worner’s career and reputation apparently as some sort of revenge for what she sees as the wrongs done to her,” he said.
Jeff Kennett’s Twitter war with Ms Harrison was “not well-advised”, the judge said. Picture: Aaron FrancisSource:News Corp Australia
Channel Seven sought the injunction against last week when Harrison began releasing sensitive documents on Twitter allegedly in breach of an agreement she signed when she left the company.
In his reasons for extending an injunction against the former Seven staffer, NSW Supreme Court Justice McDougall said unless Ms Harrison was restrained, it was likely she would continue to breach her obligations under a deed of release she signed in November 2014, when she excited Seven.
Justice McDougall criticises Stokes and Kennett for having “descended into the welter of accusation and counteraccusation” He said Mr Kennett’s Twitter battle with Ms Harrison had not been well-advised.
In court, Ms Harrison’s lawyer James Catlin accused Seven of using the temporary gag order to attack her publicly when she could not defend herself, citing Mr Stokes and Mr Kennett’s accusations that she stole $262,000 from the company. She denies the claim.
The court has heard Harrison and Worner’s affair soured in mid-2014.
Channel 7 boss Tim Worner. Picture: Justin LloydSource:News Corp Australia
Ms Harrison was investigated for misuse of a credit card, and exited employment with the company in November 2014, signing a deed of agreement by which Seven claims they paid her in instalments a total of $427,418, including $100,000 for “alleged injury, including loss of professional standing and reputation”.
The payments stopped in February 2015, when Harrison refused to hand over her electronic devices to Seven.
‘THE NUCLEAR OPTION’
When the payments never resumed Harrison took what Justice McDougall described as the “nuclear option,” and went public about the affair in December last year.
Justice McDougall criticised Mr Stokes and Mr Kennett for telling the media that Harrison had stolen $262,000 from the company and that she was paid out $380,000.
“(They) descended into … accusation and counter accusation,” Justice McDougall said.
“I don’t think the media campaign Mr Kennett waged was well advised.”
He said the affair “shed light on the way corporate governance was carried out at Channel Seven”.
The case was adjourned to March 3, when a date will be set for a full hearing for a permanent injunction on Ms Harrison.
Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes was also chastised by the judge. Picture: John FederSource:News Corp Australia