“The Metropolitan police is to be allowed explain to MPs in private why it threatened to invoke the Officials Secrets Act in an attempt to force the Guardian to hand over notes and reveal sources behind its phone-hacking coverage.”
The Guardian, 21st September 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“The Metropolitan police has dropped its attempt to force the Guardian to reveal confidential sources for stories relating to the phone-hacking scandal.”
The Guardian, 20th September 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“The Met police have turned to the Official Secrets Act to obtain Guardian phone hacking material. In 2000 they lost a similar case relating to former MI5 spy David Shayler.”
The Guardian, 20th September 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Scotland Yard officers failed to consult either the director of public prosecutions or the attorney general before invoking the Official Secrets Act to try to force the Guardian to reveal journalistic sources, it has been revealed.”
The Guardian, 19th September 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Can the seminal Shayler case help the Guardian as the Met tries to force one of its journalists to reveal her sources?”
The Guardian, 19th September 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“The attorney general, Dominic Grieve, is facing growing pressure to block an attempt by the Metropolitan police to use the Official Secrets Act to force journalists to reveal their sources.”
The Guardian, 19th September 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“The Metropolitan police are seeking a court order under the Official Secrets Act to make Guardian reporters disclose their confidential sources about the phone-hacking scandal.”
The Guardian, 16th September 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“But Houghton, 25, will be released almost immediately because he has already served half the term while on remand. The software engineer from Hoxton, east London, pleaded guilty to two offences under the Official Secrets Act at an earlier hearing.”
Daily Telegraph, 3rd September 2010
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“A former MI6 worker from London has pleaded guilty to two offences under the Official Secrets Act.”
BBC News, 14th July 2010
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“The 30-year rule on government secrets should be changed to 15 years, allowing confidential papers from the Thatcher and Major administrations to be revealed, an official review is expected to recommend.”
The Independent, 11th January 2009
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“A senior civil servant who allegedly lost highly sensitive intelligence files relating to al-Qaeda and Iraq on a train has been summoned to appear in court.”
Daily Telegraph, 9th October 2008
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“The Cabinet Office official who left top-secret documents on a train in June is to be charged under the Official Secrets Act, the BBC has learned.”
BBC News, 29th September 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“Scotland Yard officers threatened a former policeman with prosecution under the Official Secrets Act if he divulged what he knew about a covert operation in which an MP’s conversations were bugged, the Guardian has learned.”
The Guardian, 6th February 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Secrets charges against a Foreign Office civil servant were dramatically dropped at the Old Bailey yesterday after it emerged that senior figures within his own department had privately admitted no harm was done by his leaking a series of Whitehall documents.”
The Guardian, 10th January 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“An ex-Army major who claims his career was ruined after he was arrested on suspicion of spying has lost the bulk of his High Court action for damages.”
BBC News, 9th November 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“A former Paratrooper whose career was destroyed after he was falsely accused of spying is to sue the Government for record damages.”
Daily Telegraph, 19th August 2007
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
In re Times Newspapers Ltd and others [2007] EWCA Crim 1925
“A judge in a criminal trial had power to prevent publication of a question and answer exchange which took place in open court but which should have taken place in camera. Publication of speculation as to the content of evidence that was given in camera could constitute a contempt of court.”
WLR Daily, 30th July 2007
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.
Contempt warning about speculation in press
In re Times Newspapers Ltd and Others
Court of Appeal
“A judge in a criminal trial could prohibit the publication of a question-and answer-exchange that took place in open court when it should have occurred in camera. The publication of speculation as to the content of evidence that was given in camera could amount to a contempt of court.”
The Times, 31st July 2007
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.
“A contempt of court ruling in an Official Secrets Act trial at the Old Bailey created a ‘nonsensical situation’ for the media, a QC said yesterday.”
The Times, 11th July 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
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