Oliver pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his grandfather, David Oliver, in south London, and was sentenced last week to life with a minimum of ten years and eight months. Only Judge Sarah Munro QC was filmed to protect the privacy of victims, witnesses and jurors. Sky, BBC, ITN and PA can now apply to Crown Court judges on a case-by-case basis for permission to film and screen footage.
John Battle, head of legal at ITN and chair of the Media Lawyers Association, said: ‘This is a landmark moment for open justice.
‘It will promote better public understanding of the work of the courts and greater transparency in the justice system.’
Law Society vice president Lubna Shuja said: ‘Providing it is done in a sensitive manner, the broadcasting of sentencing remarks can be a valuable tool for educating the public.’
