A High Court judge in Northern Ireland refused to stay civil proceedings in a case involving harmful material posted on Snapchat privacy. The judge made the decision on April 11, 2025, after the second defendant applied to suspend the civil case pending a related criminal trial. The plaintiff, anonymized as CDP, seeks damages and injunctive relief from Snap Group and KBE, who allegedly posted explicit material.
Civil Proceedings Continue Despite Criminal Case in Snapchat Privacy Matter
The second defendant applied for a stay under Section 96(3) of the Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978. He argued that continuing the civil case would harm his defense in the criminal trial. He claimed revealing his defense strategy early would hurt his case. Additionally, he argued that the criminal trial’s outcome could impact the civil case and reduce the need for multiple witness testimonies. However, the plaintiff opposed the stay, emphasizing her right to a timely resolution of her Snapchat privacy case under Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Court’s Decision Upholds Snapchat Privacy Claims
Mr. Justice Colton acknowledged the court’s discretion to stay civil proceedings. He stressed that the court must balance justice between the parties. The judge noted the second defendant failed to prove a real risk of prejudice, as he hadn’t been formally charged and had given a “no comment” interview during the police investigation.
Judge Upholds Plaintiff’s Right to Pursue Her Claim
The judge also noted that the second defendant’s right against self-incrimination wasn’t at risk by proceeding with the civil claim. He pointed out the court had already provided protections, such as reporting restrictions and anonymity for the defendant. The judge decided that the plaintiff’s right to pursue her Snapchat privacy case outweighed the second defendant’s concerns and ordered both defendants to serve their defenses within 21 days.
Managing the Snapchat Privacy Case Going Forward
The judge indicated that the court would continue managing the Snapchat privacy case. He also allowed for reconsideration of the stay if any specific prejudice arose from the criminal proceedings in the future.
