“An ‘urgent’ change in the law is being considered to allow anonymous witness evidence to be used in court, the government said today.”
The Guardian, 21st June 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
R v Davis [2008] UKHL 36; [2008] WLR (D) 196
“Protective measures, ensuring the anonymity of witnesses without whose evidence the defendant could not have been convicted of murder, denied him the opportunity properly to advance his defence and accordingly rendered his trial unfair.”
WLR Daily, 19th June 2008
Source: www.lawreports.co.uk
Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.
“Two trials at which anonymous witnesses were about to be called to give evidence were suspended for legal argument yesterday following a House of Lords judgment on Wednesday questioning the growing practice of granting anonymity to frightened witnesses.”
The Guardian, 20th June 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
House of Lords
“Protective measures, which ensured the anonymity of three witnesses without whose evidence the defendant could not have been convicted of murder, rendered the trial unfair and were, accordingly, unlawful.”
The Times, 19th June 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
“The four men convicted of murdering two teenage girls outside a New Year party may go to the Court of Appeal following a ruling over anonymous witnesses.”
BBC News, 19th June 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“A key government plan to crack down on Britain’s gang culture by granting anonymity to threatened witnesses was in disarray last night after top judges ruled that such protection could make a trial unfair. ”
The Times, 19th June 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“The Law Lords have ruled that a man convicted of a gun killing on the basis of evidence given by anonymous witnesses did not receive a fair trial.”
BBC News, 18th June 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“Elderly and disabled people and other victims of crime who fear reprisals may get anonymity in court as part of a wide-ranging review aimed at improving confidence in the criminal justice system.”
The Guardian, 18th June 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Witnesses who give evidence against gang members will be guaranteed their anonymity as soon as they come forward so they can be free from fear of reprisals, The Times has learnt.”
The Times, 22nd May 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“A police force that lost track of eight sex offenders has been criticised by senior child protection figures for refusing to release their names and pictures.”
Daily Telegraph, 28th February 2008
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Crawford v Director of Public Prosecutions in the Queen’s Bench Divisional Court
Queen’s Bench Divisional Court
“Courts should take great care when imposing orders restricting the reporting of criminal proceedings.”
The Times, 20th February 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
In re Trinity Mirror plc and Others
Court of Appeal
“The crown court had no jurisdiction to grant an injunction to restrain the publication of the name of a defendant or the nature of his convictions on the basis that his children would be harmed since such an order was not incidental to the defendant’s trial, conviction and sentence.”
The Times, 13th February 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
“An eminent barrister and judge whose conviction for harassing his ex-wife and her new partner was kept secret by a gagging order can be named, the High Court ruled yesterday.”
The Times, 9th February 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
In re Trinity Mirror plc and others [2008] EWCA Crim 50; [2008] WLR (D) 27
“There was no jurisdiction under s 45(4)of the Supreme Court Act 1981 to grant an injunction to restrain the publication of the name of a defendant or the nature of his convictions on the basis that such identification would harm the defendant’s children, who were neither witnesses in the proceedings nor victims of his offences, since such an order was not incidental to the defendant’s trial, conviction and sentence.”
WLR Daily, 5th February 2008
Source: www.lawreports.co.uk
Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.
“The latest rape allegation to attract intense publicity has raised again the question of whether accused men should be granted the same anonymity as their accuser, until convicted.”
The Times, 20th December 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“A bail hearing this week involving one of two men alleged to be involved in a gay sex-and-drugs blackmail plot will be held in private — against the principle of open justice in the courts.”
The Times, 30th October 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“Disgruntled fans of Sheffield Wednesday who vented their dissatisfaction with the football club’s bigwigs in anonymous internet postings may face expensive libel claims after the chairman, chief executive and five directors won a high-court ruling last week forcing the owner of a website to reveal their identity.”
The Guardian, 22nd October 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“A five-judge panel in the Court of Appeal is to be asked to decide whether a man who admitted 20 charges of making and possessing indecent pictures of children should have his identity protected because his two daughters might be harassed or bullied at school.”
The Guardian, 15th October 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Witnesses to gun crime should be given a guarantee they will not be identified in court, police chiefs say.”
BBC News, 6th September 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
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