Rugby pundit Hook sues Tribune for defamation

Broadcaster and television rugby pundit George Hook intends suing a Sunday Tribune journalist for defamation of character, a court heard today.

The 69-year-old presenter of Newstalk’s ‘The Right Hook’ programme has already issued defamation proceedings against Tribune Newspapers Plc, currently in Receivership, in relation to an article that appeared in the Sunday Tribune in October last year.

Barrister Conor Feeney, who appeared for Mr Hook in the County Registrar’s Court today, said he had intended making an application to join a co-defendant to the proceedings.

“The current defendant is not going to appear on this motion either way but we do not have an affidavit of service of the summons on the proposed co defendant,” Mr Feeney said.

He asked Offaly County Registrar Verona Lambe, standing in for Dublin County Registrar Susan Ryan, for an adjournment to April 4 to facilitate production of the affidavit of service to the court.

Mr Hook, of Foxrock Park, Foxrock, Dublin 18, while maintaining his claim against the newspaper, now seeks to join journalist Eithni Tynan, Kilbaha, Kilrush, Co Clare, to the proceedings on the grounds she was the author of the alleged defamatory article.

Mr Hook was not in court for the brief hearing today which was adjourned to April 4.