A university student wrongly named by Channel Seven as the man who killed six people at a Bondi Junction shopping center on Saturday is suing the broadcaster.
Benjamin Cohen, a student at the University of Technology Sydney, wants an apology, compensation and costs for damages after he was wrongly named as the knife-wielding killer.
The actual killer was Queenslander Joel Cauchi, 40, but Mr Cohen, 20, was named as the attacker in several Channel Seven broadcasts.
Sunrise host Matt Shirvington said on Weekend Sunrise at 6.05am on Sunday that the killer was ’40-year-old Benjamin Cohen, wearing a Kangaroos ARL jersey’.
Shortly afterwards, presenters Monique Wright and Michael Usher spoke to reporter Lucy McLeod, who also incorrectly named Mr Cohen.
Benjamin Cohen (pictured) wants an apology, compensation and costs for damages after he was wrongly named as the knife-wielding Bondi Junction killer
“The attacker, 40-year-old Benjamin Cohen, is known to the police,” she said. “His motives are not yet known, he worked alone.”
Mr Cohen was falsely named on social media as the killer within hours of the mass killings in Sydney’s eastern suburbs on Saturday afternoon.
Police did not name Cauchi as the killer until around 9 a.m. on Sunday.
The television network said human error was responsible for incorrectly naming the computer science student as the killer.
Seven’s apology was read out by reporter Sarah Jane Bell on Sunday evening.
“One more thing: Earlier this morning, reports about the incident incorrectly identified the perpetrator as Benjamin Cohen,” she said.
‘The name was later confirmed to be that of 40-year-old Joel Cauchi from Queensland. Seven apologies for the inconvenience caused by our previous messages.’
Under the NSW Defamation Act, Mr Cohen could receive damages of up to $459,000.
He is represented by high-profile law firm Giles George, which is also acting for former Channel Seven producer Taylor Auerbach in his case against the channel.
News.com.au reported that he has issued a statement of concern in response to comments allegedly made by some of the network’s top executives surrounding the Bruce Lehrmann interview and claims made by Mr. Auerbach in court.
The actual killer was Queenslander Joel Cauchi (pictured), but Mr Cohen was named as the attacker in several Channel 7 broadcasts
Mr Cohen said it was “deeply disturbing” that Seven was wrongly named as the killer.
“It is extremely disappointing to me to see people mindlessly spreading this kind of misinformation without the slightest attention to checking the facts,” he said. The Australian.
“But what’s even more disappointing to me is that a major news outlet would do this and use my name without waiting for a statement from the police to verify it, or without going out and trying to do it themselves.”
Daily Mail Australia contacted Channel Seven for comment and was told by a spokesperson: ‘We do not comment on legal matters.’