May 17th, 2012
A contempt of court charge brought against former NI Secretary Peter Hain regarding criticisms he made of a judge in Northern Ireland has been
dropped. Hain had written to Attorney General John Larkin about the remarks, stressing he never intended to question Lord Justice Paul Girvan’s motivation in handling a judicial review. Larkin said the case against Mr Hain — who had faced a charge of “scandalising a judge” despite doubts from his lawyers over the existence of the offence — no longer needed to continue.
October 24th, 2011
A
Mauritian journalist has been jailed for
contempt of court. Dharmanand Dooharika, who works for weekly newspaper Samedi Plus, was sentenced to three months in prison following the paper’s coverage of a fraud case in August. Dooharika was found guilty of publicly scandalising the Supreme Court and bringing the administration of justice into disrepute. Dooharika was taken ill following the ruling, and
sent to hospital under police guard. Goindamal Saminata Chetty, head of the firm Contact Press which owns Samedi Plus, was fined 300,000 rupees.
August 31st, 2011
The UK press may show more restraint in reporting of high-profile cases if contempt laws are vigorously enforced, says Brian Cathcart
(more…)
January 3rd, 2011
England’s contempt of court laws have long been toothless, but the Internet and the smartphone have made it clear they are not fit for purpose, as demonstrated in the current “monstering” of murder suspect Chris Jefferies, says Brian Cathcart
(more…)
June 5th, 2009
We need more transparency on jury trial deliberations, says Frances Gibb
(more…)
