Free newspapers the Kentish Saturday Observer and Kent on Sunday have broken an embargo imposed by
Kent Police by publishing pictures of potential key witnesses of a
murder on their website which were due to be broadcast exclusively by BBC television show
Crimewatch.
The CCTV images could help officers investigating
the murder of 18-year-old Christopher Alaneme and the attempted murder
of a second man to find more information.
Crimewatch had secured
an exclusive interview with Alaneme's mother Agatha who appealed on the programme on Tuesday night for
anyone to come forward with knowledge of her son's killing.
Meridian
TV also broadcast
the CCTV footage and a clip of the mother's plea in advance, and radio station Invicta
FM and the Kent Messenger group are also understood to have run early publication of the appeal.
Kentish
Saturday Observer editor Gary Wright told Press Gazette: "If they (Kent
Police) are genuinely serious about catching these people then send it
to the local telly – it will get to the right people. Stick it on
Crimewatch and people are less likely to find them than if they are on
local telly.
It could be on people‘s websites straight away. We think it's important
to catch these people. We think it's a terrible murder and even those
two hours can help if somebody sees it on their website – they might be
able to identify the people and get some vital evidence sooner. We have
broken the embargo – it's on our website now."
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