9 Aug 2010 07:00
Nighthawk Energy plc
("Nighthawk" or "the Company")
Bulletin Board Legal Action
The board of directors of Nighthawk, the US focused hydrocarbon production and development company, is pleased to advise of action that has been taken and is continuing in response to persistent defamatory and untrue postings on the Interactive Investor Trading Limited ("iii") and ADVFN plc ("ADVFN") bulletin boards. The postings concern the operations of Nighthawk and its management which the board considers to be extremely damaging to the Company and its reputation.
The Company took steps to identify the posters who try to escape liability for their defamatory postings by hiding behind a cloak of anonymity, using anonymous email, social networking or bulletin board accounts to disseminate those postings. In some cases the names and other details used to register these accounts are fictitious and posters also can try and cover their tracks using numerous pseudonyms but they can be traced through their IP addresses.
The operators of the bulletin board services can be prevented by confidentiality and data protection laws from disclosing the names and other personal information associated with the accounts. However, the English Courts can exercise their discretion and order such disclosure, provided certain criteria are met.
In the High Court of Justice on 28 June 2010 Nighthawk obtained a Norwich Pharmacal order instructing iii and ADVFN to provide information in respect of various posters, who were posting material that the Court accepted could be defamatory.
Both iii and ADVFN are assisting the Company with providing the relevant information including details of the posters.
The identities of various individuals behind these postings have now been established and the Company and its directors are now considering with their legal advisers instituting civil proceedings against them for defamation.
Further announcements will be made as appropriate.
Enquiries:
| Nighthawk Energy plc David Bramhill, Managing Director Tim Heeley, Commercial Director |
07787 160682 07956 525433 020 7887 1454 |
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| Westhouse Securities Limited Tim Feather Matthew Johnson | 020 7601 6100 tim.feather@westhousesecurities.com matthew.johnson@westhousesecurities.com |
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| Matrix Corporate Capital LLP Louis Castro James Pope | 020 3206 7000 louis.castro@matrixgroup.co.uk james.pope@matrixgroup.co.uk |
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| Bishopsgate Communications Limited Nick Rome | 020 7562 3395 nick@bishopsgatecommunications.com |
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| Financial Dynamics Ben Brewerton Ed Westropp
| 020 7831 3113 ben.brewerton@fd.com edward.westropp@fd.com |