header-logo header-logo

01 July 2021
Issue: 7939 / Categories: Legal News , In Court
printer mail-detail

#ThinkBeforeYouPost

The Attorney General has warned against social media posts that prejudice trials, following a rash of incidents

One woman streamed more than an hour of her partner’s Crown court trial to Facebook. In February 2021, she received a four-month suspended sentence and a costs bill of £500.

Another woman posted information and photographs that she said were of Jon Venables (a court order forbidding identification of Venables has been in place since 2001), and got an eight-month suspended sentence and a £10,000 costs order for her troubles. Contempt proceedings for breaching the same court order have been brought against a further eight people.

Attorney General Michael Ellis QC this week launched a #ThinkBeforeYouPost campaign to highlight the dangers of posting prejudicial information online. Contempt attracts punishment of a fine or up to two years in prison.

Ellis said: ‘A mis-judged tweet or post could have grave repercussions and interfere with a trial.’

Issue: 7939 / Categories: Legal News , In Court
printer mail-details

MOVERS & SHAKERS

EIP—Stuart Malcolm

EIP—Stuart Malcolm

EIP strengthens Commercial practice with a new partner

Ellisons—Francesca Brown

Ellisons—Francesca Brown

Ellisons welcomes Francesca Brown to Family team

Shakespeare Martineau—Marie Bourke

Shakespeare Martineau—Marie Bourke

Shakespeare Martineau strengthens Sheffield regulatory practice with new hires

NEWS
A wide-ranging Civil Way column highlights developments from insolvency procedure to employment law, but one case stands out for its lessons on bankruptcy, family homes and digital communications
A sprawling Intellectual Property Office battle between House of Fraser and Frasers Property has delivered a masterclass in modern trade mark law
Courts in England and Wales and Singapore are increasingly confronting complex disputes over international child relocation as families become more globally mobile
The government’s long-awaited family law reform consultation could mark a turning point for domestic abuse victims navigating financial remedy proceedings, but significant challenges remain
A new commercial court pilot giving the public access to documents used in hearings, including expert reports, is raising difficult questions about transparency and privacy
back-to-top-scroll