View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Media Law
June 30, 2011

The Sun and Daily Mirror face contempt trial next week

By PA Media Lawyer

The trial of two national newspapers accused of contempt of court in their coverage of the killing of landscape architect Joanna Yeates is to start on Tuesday and is expected to last two days.

The trial will be held at the Royal Court of Justice in central London.

Attorney General Dominic Grieve obtained permission from the High Court on 12 May to pursue contempt proceedings against the publishers of The Sun and Daily Mirror over the publication of articles in relation to the death of Miss Yeates, 25, of Bristol, last December.

He alleged that that two articles which appeared in the Daily Mirror and one published by The Sun after after police arrested Ms Yeates’ landlord, Chris Jefferies, might have prejudiced a trial.

Jefferies was later released without charge.

The Attorney General argued that the strict liability rule under the Contempt of Court Act 1981 is not merely concerned with causing a substantial risk of serious prejudice to the trial, but is also concerned to protect the integrity of the course of justice in the proceedings, and applied to matters which might impede it.

The High Court was told that both Mirror Group Newspapers, publisher of the Daily Mirror, and News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun, deny liability for contempt.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Mr Jefferies’ solicitor, Louis Charalambous, said after the High Court hearing that his client expected the newspaper owners to sack editors if they were found guilty of contempt.

A 33-year-old engineer has admitted killing Ms Yeates. Dutchman Vincent Tabak pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denied murder at a hearing earlier in May.

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network