back to article Judge throws out case against journo bugged by police

Sally Murrer, a journalist for the Milton Keynes Citizen, has had charges against her for receiving leaked information dismissed by the judge. Murrer faced charges of aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office brought by Thames Valley Police. An ex-police officer, Mark Kearney, his son, and another reporter faced …

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  1. Steven Knox
    Happy

    Who?

    "An ex-police officer, Mark Kearney, his son, and another reporter faced related charges."

    So, is that list:

    An ex-police officer,

    Mark Kearney,

    his [Kearney's] son,

    and another reporter,

    or:

    An ex-police officer, Mark Kearney,

    his [Kearney's] son,

    and another reporter,

    or:

    An ex-police officer,

    Mark Kearney, his [the ex-officer's] son,

    and another reporter

    ?

    There are several more possible permutations. Come up with your own!

    On the topic of the article, good decision there. The press should definitely be allowed to covertly investigate people and organizations without having to be worried about being covertly investigated.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Jacqui Smith says

    Jacqui Smith says zero ministerial involvement in the arrest of the opposition MP.... and if anyone leaks any memo that says otherwise she'll stick her terrorist police on their ass!

    So the police just decided among themselves according to her, to arrest a tory MP for receiving documents that embarrass NuLabour, but should be public.

    Would you trust a mass surveillance of email, phones and internet from her department?

  3. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
    Flame

    Halt!

    The judge evidently does not understand the invigorating and necessary revival that serious surveillance and upright fascism can bring to the UK's moribund and weak populace and institutions. Shame!

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    In latter news

    the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker were all found to be one in the same person, speculation has now arisen as to the identity of the cow, a nom de plume is suspected.

    Who do we have to fear, oh right it is those who are paid to uphold liberty who appear to be doing their level best to break the rules, and enforce their own world order views, well nothing new there.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    @AC

    It's worse than that, Waqui Jaqui will put the leaker's name down as an ID card fan.

    Remember, the first rule of the Home Office club is that you never talk about the Home Office.

    The second rule of Home Office club is All your email, phone calls and movements are belong to us.

    Stalin, can we have a Stalin icon for Waqui Jaqui items please? Either that or a large spliff icon?.

  6. Tenko
    Stop

    I acctually woke up worried this morning.

    We've all joked about the police state and Waqui Jaqui's crusade to make us all criminals but when ZaNuLabour start arresting the opposition's MPs for basically being opposition MPs we normal people are f*cked.

    Don't ever, ever, EVER say that a law is just meant for the paedo/ terrorist/ illegal aliens because they are coming for you.

    It's just a matter of when.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    Hear, Hear

    A round of applause and good cheer for that judge.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    Coercion in any other form

    The embarrassment factor must have been very high.

    Sally Murrer was charged with "misconduct in a public office" and, in addition to being strip-searched, was repeatedly assured by the police that arrested her that "you'll be going to prison for life" because indeed that charge does attract a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

    Let's hope that some very extreme embarrassment does come along for the apparatchiks that decided to visit all this unpleasantness on someone trying hard to shine some light in a few murky corners.

    AC? Yes, because. And Paris, well she knows about stripping if not being searched.

  9. Tony

    Don't worry...

    I am sure that following this verdict the government will quickly move to 'close this dangerous loophole' as after all what would happen if you had a journalist that was also a terrorist paedophile?

  10. Anonymous Coward
    IT Angle

    Is It Just Me?

    ... or do others think receiving information should not potentially be criminal, only what one does with it /might/ be?

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Receiving stolen goods

    Well if Jackie is going to start prosecuting people for receiving information of public interest, perhaps she should also prosecute the far more serious crime of knowingly paying for stolen goods:

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/26/hmrc_disc_tax/

  12. druck Silver badge

    Repression without conviction

    Even if there wasn't a strong possibility of a conviction in this case, it still achieved the desired repression of a journalist, trying to do her duty of bringing abuses of the state to the attention of the public. Her life has been ruined, spending 18 months fearing conviction, and is seriously considering giving up Journalism according to the BBC. Of course if she does, the enhanced CRB check will ensure she is barred from ever holding a responsible job again.

  13. dervheid

    New keyboard please.

    I scanned this header as "Judge throws out case against journo BUGGERED by police"

    Mind you, the way things are going...

  14. Eponymous Cowherd
    Black Helicopters

    Re:Don't worry...

    ***"after all what would happen if you had a journalist that was also a terrorist paedophile"***

    Didn't you know? El Wacqui believes every man, woman *and* child in the UK is a potential Paedophilic terrorist (hence ID cards, the NIR, DNA Database, and the tracking of our phone calls, emails and web activity).

    Given that she believes we are *all* borderline kiddy-fiddling crazed bombers, then all journalists are, by default, also likely to be minor-molesting terrorist scum.

  15. Steve Browne
    Black Helicopters

    Those who have nothing to fear - revisited

    I have said many times that he laws enacted to protect us from the most vile in society were being enacted to permit the state and it's Stasi to threaten us all. But no, it was never believed, after all it is to protect the children or save us from Islam.

    Now it is laid bare. The anti terror legislation is to allow the government to enforce it's will upon Icelandic banks, opposition Members of Parliament and journalists. It enables council's to look through our trash, it enables the police to make up laws covering photography in a public place.

    I now just hope that those who think having nothing to hide means nothing to fear will wake up and beg the forgiveness of us all for supporting this fascist, authoritarian and totalitarian government for destroying OUR country.

    These laws MUST be repealed, habeus corpus MUST be reinstated. The rights of the individual are paramount, no matter of what they are accused, put JUSTICE back into society, not fear and repression.

  16. Ted Treen
    Pirate

    @ Steve Browne

    Sir, you are a man after my own heart - with whose discourse I heartily concur.

    No doubt you (and I) might miss the forthcoming festivities as we could very well be "going away (involuntarily) for Christmas" to assist Whacqui's little helpers with their enquiries...

    Back in 42 days...

  17. Alan Fisher

    Move away now!

    I have and I look at the stream of similar stories to this one coming up almost daily and thank my very impulsive decision of three years ago! I'm so glad to be well away from that loony country, really I am!

    Arresting an Oppositon MP, trying to destroy an 'opposition' party (ok, in their dreams hahaha) by leaking it's member list (well they deserve it but the priniciple...)....time to print off your V masks and stock up on fireworks my good P.O.Ms (Prisoners of Her Majesty) , you're going to need them soon!

  18. Scott

    Its POME

    @Alan Fisher Its POME - Prisoner of Mother England - but i'm still jealous as its summer downunder.

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