EXCLUSIVE: Child Reindeer‘s real-life Martha seems to be making good on her promise to sue Netflix, however is but to listen to from the streamer regardless of being recognized in opposition to her needs and claiming to have obtained dying threats and undesirable consideration.
Chris Daw KC, a barrister working with Fiona Harvey to construct a lawsuit, advised Deadline that Netflix had did not contact her in any capability after she was thrust into the media highlight final month.
He mentioned the sequence, which has amassed greater than 65M views since premiering, raised severe questions on Netflix’s responsibility of care requirements. He known as for a “main evaluation” of its compliance procedures.
Daw is assembling a staff of legal professionals within the UK and U.S. to pursue Netflix, producer Clerkenwell Movies, and Child Reindeer creator Richard Gadd, however is but to be formally instructed by Harvey.
He believes that Harvey could have a case for defamation after Child Reindeer was billed as a “true story” and featured her pleading responsible to stalking and being sentenced to jail.
Daw mentioned he’s but to see proof that Harvey has been convicted of stalking and harassment, including that Netflix had did not again up the claims made in Gadd’s hit sequence.
“Portraying somebody as a convicted legal who has achieved time in jail, when that isn’t true, is a reasonably clearcut case of defamation, as it’s certain to trigger severe hurt to that individual’s fame,” he mentioned.
Daw added that Harvey may additionally have a declare for misuse of picture rights. “There are strict legal guidelines on using an individual’s picture for industrial achieve, notably within the U.S., which don’t appear to have been thought-about,” he mentioned.
Daw declined to touch upon how his authorized work is being funded.
Netflix isn’t responding to inquiries regarding Child Reindeer. Netflix’s UK coverage chief Benjamin King was requested concerning the sequence final week throughout a committee listening to in British Parliament. He stood by the truth that it was a “true story” and mentioned Netflix took “each cheap precaution” to guard identities.
Senior sources within the UK tv business have scoffed at this notion. A former high-ranking BBC govt, who has expertise in compliance procedures on factual dramas, mentioned Netflix ought to have modified particulars together with Martha’s career and her nationality.
In an interview with Piers Morgan final week, Harvey described Child Reindeer as a “work of fiction” and denied stalking allegations. She revealed that Netflix didn’t contact her earlier than Child Reindeer debuted and mentioned that the present had uncovered her to dying threats and telephone calls from strangers.
“I discover it fairly obscene. I discover it horrifying, misogynistic,” she mentioned. “Among the dying threats have been actually horrible on-line. Folks phoning me up. You already know, it’s been completely horrendous.”