A Co Antrim couple have been granted leave to appeal a High Court ruling that set aside their £300,000 damages award against the founder of Tattle Life.

Neil and Donna Sands sued over comments posted on the gossip website and secured the award in December 2023.

Mr Justice Humphreys later ruled that the writ had not been properly served on Sebastian Bond and Kumquat Tree Ltd and set aside the judgment along with a worldwide freezing order on £1.8m in assets.

Senior judges in Belfast granted the couple permission to challenge that decision at the Court of Appeal in September.

Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan imposed a temporary stay on lifting the freezing order, which covers assets held across up to 25 financial institutions.

The couple's solicitor had acknowledged that earlier evidence was incomplete and offered an apology for the oversight.

The original claim centred on postings the Sands described as a campaign of harassment, defamation and breach of data rights.