Associated wins court victory

Associated Newspapers, publishers of the Evening Standard, today won a major victory in the High Court over an attempt by a rival newspaper to hijack the "Mail" name.

The legal action was brought when Express Newspapers announced on television earlier this year plans to call a new free London paper "The Evening Mail".

Associated, also publisher of the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday, took pre-emptive steps on the grounds that the title "Evening Mail" or "London Evening Mail" would infringe its trademark rights and amount to passing off.

Today Mr Justice Laddie ruled in favour and accepted that either of those names for a new London newspaper would inevitably be shortened to "The Mail", which would also amount to passing off.

He concluded that use of the proposed "Evening Mail" title and the shortened form "The Mail" would infringe all three of Associated's trademark registrations.

He also ruled that use of an alternative title of "London Evening Mail" would infringe an Associated trademark.

Harvey Kass, Associated's Legal Director, said: "This case was about a threat to a core Mail brand. Associated could not contemplate standing by while our goodwill and reputation were being hijacked by a rival."

On Monday the judge will make his detailed order and rule on costs.