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01 July 2021
Issue: 7939 / Categories: Legal News , In Court
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#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
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MOVERS & SHAKERS

NLJ Career Profile: John McElroy, London Solicitors Litigation Association

NLJ Career Profile: John McElroy, London Solicitors Litigation Association

From first-generation student to trailblazing president of the London Solicitors Litigation Association, John McElroy of Fieldfisher reflects on resilience, identity and the power of bringing your whole self to the law

Clarke Willmott—Elaine Field

Clarke Willmott—Elaine Field

Planning and environment team expands with partner hire in Manchester

Birketts—Barbara Hamilton-Bruce

Birketts—Barbara Hamilton-Bruce

Firm appoints chief operating officer to strengthen leadership team

NEWS
A wave of scandals has reignited debate over misconduct in public office, criticised as unclear and inconsistently applied. Writing in NLJ this week, Alice Lepeuple of WilmerHale says the offence’s ‘vagueness, overbreadth & inconsistent deployment’ have undermined confidence
FIFA’s 2026 Men's World Cup is already mired in controversy, with complaints over ‘excessive prices’ and opaque ticketing. Writing in NLJ this week, Professor Dr Ian Blackshaw of Valloni Attorneys warns that governing bodies may face scrutiny under EU competition law, with allegations of a ‘dominant—if not monopolistic—position’ in ticket sales
Ten years after Brexit, UK and EU trade mark regimes are drifting apart in practice if not principle. Writing in NLJ this week, Roger Lush and Lara Elder of Carpmaels & Ransford highlight tighter UK scrutiny after SkyKick, where overly broad filings may signal ‘bad faith’
A landmark Supreme Court ruling has underscored the sweeping reach of UK sanctions. In NLJ this week, Brónagh Adams and Harriet Campbell of Penningtons Manches Cooper say the regime is a ‘blunt instrument’ requiring only a factual, not causal, link to restricted goods
Fraud claims are surging, with England and Wales increasingly the forum of choice for global disputes. Writing in NLJ this week, Jon Felce of Cooke, Young & Keidan reports claims have risen sharply, with fraud now a major share of litigation and costing billions worldwide
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