TT "chains" story leads to payout

Channel Seven has been forced to make a six-figure sum payout over Today Tonight’s “chains in a nursing home” story last year.

Broadcast in February last year, reporter Nicholas Boot said 84-year-old resident Shirley Frey was being kicked out of Willoughby Village, Chatswood.

“Shirley Frey would have to be the oldest person in Australia to be kicked out of a nursing home,” he said. “But this feisty 84-year-old is refusing to budge, chaining herself to her room.”

As was widely reported, Boot brought the chains with him to shoot the story. Nor was Mrs. Frey being kicked out.

Lindy Kearns, chief executive of the Willoughby Retirement Community Association, which runs the village, said she told Boot it was taking Mrs Frey to court for breaching her residential agreement by trying to avoid paying a $250,000 accommodation bond. Ms Kearns said Mrs Frey had claimed she had only $5000 in assets but she owned an apartment in Cammeray.

Mrs. Frey left in February after losing her legal battle.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald the association sued Seven, saying it suffered financial loss as a result of damage to its reputation and goodwill. Yesterday Ms Kearns said Seven had agreed to pay $250,000 plus legal costs.

“This vindicates the longstanding position held by our residents, staff and volunteer directors against the reporting by Today Tonight,” she said last night.

Two days after the story was broadcast, Boot left Seven and thereafter joined TEN’s Sunshine Coast bureau.

In May Seven lost a defamation case against Mercedes Corby, the sister of the jailed drug trafficker Schapelle.

Source: SMH