Tilley brothers reporting restriction lifted

HHJ Christine Henson QC, sitting at Lewes County Court in Hove, yesterday lifted an order made under s45 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, which had forbidden the media from identifying George and Archie Tilley.

The Tilley brothers were charged for their roles in a violent attack which took place in a park in Sussex on Easter Sunday last year, in which they beat Mr Willson with a log and left him with permanent severe brain injuries, a fractured skull and spinal fractures. At the time of committing the offence against Mr Willson, George Tilley was 13 and Archie Tilley was 14.

Following a trial, George and Archie Tilley were each convicted of GBH with intent. A third defendant, Harry Furlong, who was 18 at the time of trial, was convicted of GBH without intent.

At the sentencing hearing, the Sun applied to lift the s45 order so that reporting of the convictions and sentences could identify the Tilley brothers. Applying the principles in R v KL, HHJ Henson QC held that it was “now in the interests of justice to lift the restriction”.

Upon being sentenced to 12 years each, the story was reported in the Sun, identifying the two teenage defendants: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/19049740/trio-teen-yobs-dad-coma-unmasked-jailed/

5RB’s Gemma McNeil-Walsh acted on behalf of the Sun, instructed by SMB.