Hadley to pay $280,000 in damages

2GB's Ray Hadley recently lost a defamation case over calling the wife of a convicted sex offender a "grub" for supporting her husband.

The claims were that he "destroyed the reputation" of a north-western Sydney fish-and-chip shop owner whose husband, Emran Ahmed, was convicted in 2007 of the aggravated indecent assault of a 17 year old student working for him.

Hadley agreed he had called Kim Ahmed "low", "unfit to run a business" and "a silly woman" on his program.

She has been awarded $280,000 in damages.

Handing down his decision today, Acting Justice William Nicholas said he hoped the decision would enable Ahmed to "lay this broadcast to rest in the gutter from which it came".

Taking aim at Hadley's "unbridled tirade" against her, Justice Nicholas said he was satisfied Hadley's comments caused her to suffer "anxiety, alarm, distress and anger".

He said Hadley's "poisoned arrows" had found their mark, leaving Ahmed "sorely wounded" and causing her reputation harm.

Speaking outside court, Ahmed said:

"It's been a horrible, long five years and I hope it's now over. Everything that was thrown at me in court was all proved to be false. Hopefully it sends a clear message to not only (Ray Hadley) but other presenters: you need to tell the truth."

Read more in The Australian.