The previously anonymous operator of an online gossip forum described as a trolls’ paradise has been unmasked after losing a defamation case.
Sebastian Bond, also known as Bastian Durward, has been confirmed as the man behind Tattle Life after an Irish couple successfully sued the publisher,according to reports.
Tattle Life describes itself as a platform for “commentary and critiques of people that choose to monetise their personal life as a business and release it into the public domain”. It attracts up to 12 million visitors monthly, mostly in the UK.
The website has long been criticised for threads of toxic and hate-filled comments. On Friday at the high court of justice inNorthern Ireland, Mr Justice Colton confirmed that Bond and two of his firms – Yuzu Zest Limited, a UK-registered company, and Kumquat Tree Limited, registered in Hong Kong – were the publishers of the site, the Journal reported. Bond had been using the name “Helen McDougal” on the website.
Bond, who the court heard used a number of other aliases, is known on the internet as a vegan cooking influencer and author of the book Nest and Glow. The Nest and Glow Instagram account has 135,000 followers.
The plaintiffs in the case were Neil and Donna Sands, who were originally awarded £300,000 damages against the then unknown operators of Tattle Life in late 2023. Donna Sands runs the popular clothing brand Sylkie, while Neil Sands is an AI founder and businessman. The couple were subject to defamation and harassment on the website.
Mr Justice McAlinden said the website was “solely aimed at making profit out of people’s misery”. He said: “This is clearly a case of peddling untruths for profit. People facilitating this are making money out of it … protecting their income streams by protecting the identity of the individual posters.”
After the ruling on Friday, the couple posted a statement on Instagram. It read: “For nearly a decade, the hate site Tattle Life has profited as a space where users could defame, harass, stalk and attack others online – all behind a veil of seeming anonymity.
“Today, we secured a court order to unmask the site’s operator, who has used the false name ‘Helen McDougal’. Their true identity, however, is an Englishman named Sebastian Henry Bond, aka Bastian Durward (43).
“For some this court ruling comes sadly too late, as the site has cost innocent people their businesses, reputations and mental health. For others we hope it marks a turning point – a reminder that the internet is not an anonymous place.”
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The Sands claimed to be subject to defamatory and harassing commentary in a 45-page thread that was only finally removed last month.
In 2023 the court issued a series of orders designed to trace and freeze assets owned by the then anonymous Bond. The couple succeeded in freezing money believed to be the proceeds of Tattle Life in a range of jurisdictions around the world.
Peter Barr, a partner at the law firm Gateley NI, who represented the Sands, told the Journal: “This wasn’t just a matter of law, it was a global forensic investigation. We had to pursue the money around the world, from the UK to Hong Kong, using a mix of legal innovation and digital evidence to expose what was clearly a sophisticated effort to avoid scrutiny.”