Year: 2006

Victory in Europe for Wainwrights

The European Court of Human Rights has today held that the human rights of Mary and Alan Wainwright were violated when they were subjected to strip-searches at HMP Leeds in 1997.   The Wainwrights were visiting… Read More »

‘Smacking children’ injunction bid fails

The NSPCC last night failed in a last minute bid to prevent ITV from broadcasting a documentary about smacking, ‘I Smack and I’m Proud’.   The programme depicted several identified children being repeatedly smacked by… Read More »

PCC rejects UKIP subterfuge complaint

The Press Complaints Commission has rejected a complaint from Roger Knapman MEP that a Sunday Times journalist employed subterfuge, in breach of Clause 10 (Clandestine Devices and subterfuge) of the PCC Code. It also rejected… Read More »

PCC privacy ruling on pregnancy

The Press Complaints Commission has upheld a complaint that the publication of a diary piece in The Independent revealing an actress was pregnant before she had told family and friends and before her 12 week… Read More »

PCC upholds source confidentiality complaint

The Press Complaints Commission has criticised the Newcastle Evening Chronicle for failing to respect the confidentiality of a source. The source of an article made a complaint under the rarely used Clause 14 (Confidential Sources) of… Read More »

Tommy Sheridan awarded £200,000

Former Scottish Socialist Party leader Tommy Sheridan has won his libel claim against the News of the World over allegations that he was an adulterer who had visited swingers’ clubs and taken part in orgies…. Read More »

Paul McKenna wins ‘bogus’ PhD case

Well-known hypnotherapist Paul McKenna has won his libel claim against Mirror Group Newspapers over an article written by Victor Lewis-Smith which alleged that he had fraudulently boasted of having a PhD which he knew to be… Read More »

End of the line for Fallon

Top jockey Kieren Fallon remains suspended from racing in Great Britain after Mr Justice Davis rejected his challenge to the ban imposed by the Horseracing Regulatory Authority (HRA). After the judgment was delivered, Fallon’s lawyers… Read More »

Political advertising ban challenged

Animal rights group Animal Defenders International (ADI) will today argue in the High Court that the ban on “political advertising” that prevents many campaign groups from promoting their views on radio and television is a violation of the… Read More »

Jail sentences for misuse of data?

The Department of Constitutional Affairs has issued a Consultation Paper on a possible amendment to to the Data Protection Act 1998 to allow for custodial sentences for the ‘wilful or reckless abuse’ of personal data. The… Read More »

Fallon racing ban upheld

The Appeal Board of the Horseracing Regulatory Authority today decided that Kieren Fallon should remain banned from racing in the UK pending his trial on criminal charges of conspiracy to defraud gamblers.   The Board,… Read More »

Armstrong settles Times libel case

Seven-times winner of the Tour de France, Lance Armstrong has settled his libel case against the Sunday Times over doping allegations after the cyclist won an important pre-trial ruling at the High Court in London.  … Read More »

Father wins family report ban case

The Court of Appeal today overturned an injunction preventing a father from publicly identifying his child as the subject of a custody battle.   In a significant decision, the Court ruled that section 97 of… Read More »

Jameel reaches the Lords

The House of Lords will today hear argument in the appeal by the Wall Street Journal Europe in the case of Jameel & Anor v Wall Street Journal Europe Sprl.   The grounds of appeal for… Read More »

Sir Elton fails in injunction bid

Sir Elton John this evening failed in an attempt to restrain publication of photos of him taken by a freelance photographer in the street outside his West London home.   At a 2-hour hearing in… Read More »

Dentist loses libel & harassment case

A dentist has lost a claim for libel and harassment brought against her former employer, Newcastle Primary Health Care Trust, and 12 employees of the Trust.   Denise Merelie contended that she was libelled in a… Read More »

Armstrong wins latest Times battle

World Champion cyclist Lance Armstrong has won the latest round of his battle with The Sunday Times over allegations that he had used performance enhancing drugs in his cycling career. The Court of Appeal today… Read More »

R1 rapped again over bad language

Broadcasting regulator Ofcom has found BBC Radio 1 in breach of its Broadcasting Code after a series of on-air incidents involving offensive language on the Chris Moyles breakfast show earlier this year. Three separate incidents in January… Read More »

Former driving examiner wins £30,000

A former driving examiner has won £30,000 in libel damages over claims that he had deliberately failed driving test candidates and had distorted the Driving Standards Agency’s percentage pass rates at the Ashford Driving Test Centre where he used… Read More »

Watchdog orders ID card report release

The freedom of information watchdog has ordered the Government to publish secret reports containing its assessment of the benefits and risks of identity cards. The Department of Work and Pensions had prepared the reports on how the cards could… Read More »