A 20-year-old university student who was wrongly identified as the Bondi stabbing attacker by the Seven Network has settled his legal dispute with the media giant for an undisclosed amount.
Benjamin Cohen was incorrectly identified by Seven on air and on the company’s social media channels on Sunday, April 14 as the 40-year-old who carried out the horrific attack that killed six people and seriously injured 12 more.
Later that morning, police identified the mass murderer as 40-year-old Joel Cauchi, who had been shot dead at the scene.
After lawyers acting for Cohen sent a defamation concerns notice to Seven last week, both parties today confirmed they had reached a settlement in the matter.
“As Seven stated earlier, it was a mistake to name Mr Benjamin Cohen as the Bondi Westfield attacker,” a Seven spokesperson said.
“Seven has apologised to Mr Cohen. The parties have reached a settlement on confidential terms.”
Under the settlement, Seven’s apology is public, but its terms – including any sum that may have been paid to Cohen – are otherwise confidential.
“Seven accepts the identification was a grave mistake and that these assertions were entirely false and without basis,” the apology from CEO and managing director Jeff Howard states.
“Seven withdraws the false allegations unreservedly and apologises to you for the harm you and your family have suffered as a result of Seven’s statements about you.”
Lawyers acting for Cohen said they had been instructed to “make representations to the commissioner of police concerning the conduct of certain persons on social media who originated, agitated or facilitated this dangerous and harmful false accusation”.
“Users who abuse a platform to target individuals or communities should be held accountable for the consequences of their actions, and platforms should be more accountable for the content they host,” Cohen said.
