The High Court showed it was in step with the times yesterday when it granted an order which allowed service of an injunction via Twitter.

Solicitors Griffin Law, who dealt with the matter, dubbed it “Blaney’s Blarney Order” after the subject matter - a blog called Blaney’s Blarney (donalblaney.com).

It requires an unknown Twitter user anonymously posting under the same name, and thus breaching the copyright and intellectual property of the blog’s owner, to stop posting and immediately identify themselves.

The firm said that it was the first order ever to be served via Twitter and signalled an end to anonymous breaches of the law on that or any other internet site.

Matthew Richardson, the barrister who obtained the order at a hearing at London’s High Court before Mr Justice Lewison, said: “The Blaney’s Blarney Order is a huge step forward in preventing anonymous abuse of the internet.

“People have to learn that they can no longer hide behind the cloak of anonymity the internet provides and break the law with impunity.”

Donal Blaney, the victim of the anonymous impersonation and the principal of Griffin Law, said: “This is an important step in dealing with online bullying.

“The scales of justice have been tilted in favour of innocent victims today.”

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