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back to article Bloggers could squeak out of court reporting restrictions

Bloggers might be able to escape reporting restrictions on sensitive court cases because they have not been informed of the restrictions. An ongoing case about a boy said to have fathered a child at 12 years of age has highlighted the issue. Reporting on that case has been restricted but foreign news outlets have carried …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Linux

    12yo boy 'fathers' child with local bike?

    Unlikely. From the tabloids it appears that he is just one of many possibles. Modern Britain...great isn't it.

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  2. Anonymous Coward
    Black Helicopters

    I've read...

    ...stuff about this 12 year old boy on foreign news sites over the last couple of weeks and about whether he is the father or not. Very easy to track down the info.

    I think I hear a whirring sound outside!

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  3. Britt Johnston
    Black Helicopters

    modern times: NuLab vs Conservative Opponent

    N.L. lets build a database, then...

    C.O. that would be expensive, and government databases don't work

    N.L. well, we'll have to ban all comment on anything criminal then

    C.O. no proof till the verdict,...

    N.L. how about anything that might be a crime

    C.O. like watching pr0n? we could censor the internet, though

    N.L. better block all types of communication, to be on the safe side

    C.O. oh, shut up!...

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  4. corestore

    More coverage of silliness

    http://www.currybet.net/cbet_blog/2009/03/press_and_google.php

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  5. David Edwards
    Stop

    dont they

    Mention the reporting ban before starting court proceedings each day???? surley.....yes????

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  6. Dennis
    Go

    Re: dont they

    "Mention the reporting ban before starting court proceedings each day"

    The problem is where does the blogger get the information from. If they are in court then they should be aware of the restriction. (But what happens if you arrive mid-morning?)

    What if the blogger merely gets their information from a foreign source. How do they know about the restriction?

    I doubt if "ignorance" is much of a defence. How many bloggers will only read foreign sources? Won't they also check the web sites of UK newspapers and TV channels. These sites will use phases like: "who cannot be named because of reporting restrictions".

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  7. George Forth
    Go

    Ignoratia legis neminem excusat

    Or apparently not any more...

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  8. corrie
    Happy

    we are all bloggers...

    I love the internet age, everyone in the country is a potential blogger.

    so, want to hide a story?.. well, they have to send the story to everyone in the country and tell them not to blogg about it... lmao.

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  9. Andus McCoatover

    What about the "London Gazette" attack?

    IIRC, all the Gummint has to do to promulgate a new restriction is to follow the Hitchhikers Guide as in:

    "It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet, stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying “Beware of the Leopard”"

    The Gummint's equivalent obvious ploy would be to stick the restriction in the obscure "London Gazette" which I believe that's all they need do to 'inform' the populace. Job done. Bloggers shafted. Ignorantia legis neminem excusat. Which would attract more readers were it written in arabic nowadays.

    Happened to me once, when I lived in Leamington Spa. There was a (minor) change to the Amateur Radio licence, which would be in the Gazette, so I went to the library and picked it up. Reading for interest, found the Local Council had hidden a notification they were going to 'double-yellow-road' my street! Found another notice, stapled to a tree in the street. Obfuscated behind a bush.

    (We protested to no avail, it was a foregone conclusion)

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