Court directs blogging site owner to identify author

The US owner of blogging site WordPress.com has been directed by the High Court to identify the author of allegedly defamatory material posted about Irish-based exploration company, Petroceltic International, and two of its executives.

Auttomatic Inc was also ordered by Ms Justice Marie Baker to delete the blogger’s “blatantly untrue” remarks about the company and CEO Brian O’Cathain and its financial chief Tom Hickey.

Bernadette Quigley, counsel for Petroceltic and its two executives, told the court the blogger had threatened to post further allegations on the site.