$630,000 ‘wetting’ for Ian Alleyne

Ian Alleyne, host of the Crime Watch show which airs on CNC 3, has been ordered to pay $630,000 in damages to local contractor Junior Sammy and his son Shaun as well as the company Junior Sammy Contractors Ltd for defamation. The award was granted yesterday by High Court Master Marissa Robertson after her assessment of the damages to be awarded to the Sammys.

Alleyne has also been ordered to pay costs which are to be assessed.

The younger Sammy told the media yesterday that while he still has to go through the court’s assessment, he intends to give a portion of the money to charity. The Sammys took Alleyne to court in 2014, following statements the talk show host made on his programme on the cable network CNC3.

After Alleyne failed to put in a defence, judgment was given to the Sammys and costs were ordered to be assessed.

The businessmen also secured an injunction against Alleyne which restrained him from speaking, broadcasting, publishing or uttering anything in relation to Sammy, who at the time, was before the magistrates’ court on a driving under the influence charge.

Sammy pleaded guilty and was earlier this year given a conditional discharge and placed on a bond to keep the peace for three years. Sammy was represented by Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj SC, Om Lalla and Dereck Balliram.