The former editor of University of Otago student magazine Critic has threatened to sue if the magazine publishes ''unknown allegations'' about what led to him stepping down from the role.
Callum Fredric stood down as editor after an employment dispute with the Otago University Students' Association (OUSA) culminated in police being called to the Critic office earlier this month.
Critic had planned a story about the dispute leading up to Mr Fredric's departure for this week's issue, but chose to pull it at the last minute after receiving a letter from his law firm, Gallaway Cook Allan.
In the letter, published by Critic, Gallaway Cook Allan consultant Geoff Bevan warns that the ''repetition'' of a defamatory statement by Critic would make its owner, Planet Media Ltd, liable for defamation.
Mr Fredric said in a statement last night: ''I have no problem with the truth being published, but I do object to defamatory comments, particularly if they're published anonymously.''
Acting editor Sam McChesney said the letter had been passed to the magazine's lawyer.
