Seven national newspapers are facing possible prosecutions for contempt of court following their reports into the arrest of a man suspected of shooting dead a policeman.
PC Ian Broadhurst was shot dead on Boxing Day when he attempted to arrest a man driving a stolen car.
The papers may have fallen foul of the 1981 Contempt of Court Act when they revealed that a man arrested in connection with the policeman’s murder had a chequered past in the US.
The act forbids reports which could cause a “substantial risk of serious prejudice” to a trial once a suspect has been charged or arrested.
A spokesman for the Attorney General said: “He has written to seven national newspapers seeking their representations about the coverage following the charging of a suspect for the murder of PC Broadhurst.”
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog