The BBC reports that Milorad Trkulja, 62, claimed Google’s web and image search results caused harm to his reputation. He had already won a related case against Yahoo.
Migrant community
Mr Trkulja, who moved to Australia in the 1970s from Yugoslavia, is a prominent member of the country’s migrant community, even hosting a television show in the 1990s.
In 2004, Mr Trkulja was shot in the back by a man wearing a balaclava – a crime which was never solved. But as a result of the attack a search for Mr Trkulja brings up images of other people who appeared in news reports. Mr Trkulja claims the pictures show murderers and a drug trafficker which could lead users to believe he was a criminal.
Damages
Mr Trkulja complained that the search results created a ‘false innuendo’, including one site which showed the words ‘Michael Trkulja - Melbourne Crime - Underworld – Ganglands’.
The judge is expected to set the level of damages owed within a fortnight. Google is yet to comment on the verdict, and may still appeal.
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