A judge cleared a club from a defamation suit brought by a visitor for putting up a notice with her picture declaring she had trespassed and was to be treated as persona non grata.

Ms Shirleen Toh had entered the Singapore Swimming Club's premises without being signed in by a member, through no fault of her own, the judge acknowledged. However, he ruled, in this signal case for similar members' clubs, the club did not libel Ms Toh as it had a duty to inform its 17,000 members of her status.