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Can you ask the judge to stop media

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Familyunitedplease111

Member since
August 2023

9 posts

Posted Fri December 20, 2024 10:26pmReport post

Hi I'm currently in the middle of all of this still going on around me my OH won't appear in court til 2026 but have been told there will be media coverage not sure it's because of where we live. My only concern is my children and how this will affect how ppl treat them and will they be safe in there own home or school.x

Lrf

Member since
July 2024

39 posts

Posted Fri December 20, 2024 11:35pmReport post

I asked this question to victim supports media team, my solicitor and the police, because I have a very vulnerable disabled child and I was told there is nothing to stop the press reporting because it is considered to be of public interest, the police can also put it up on their social media, they can publish his name, photo, address, crimes/charges. The address could be the address he was arrested at or his current bail address. I was told there are guidelines for reporting but the press are not under any obligation to follow them, they are just guidelines. I was told I was not allowed to write to the judge and even if I did they wouldn't be able to stop reporting. You may be able to ask the press to remove details once published if they are incorrect, but they will have already been published at this point so the horse is out the stable really.

The advice is that you remove all social media, you can ask Google to run a deep search based on your name to ensure everything is removed, I even had to contact our local paper to remove my daughter's published obituary as they also put these online.

He should cover his face when leaving and entering the court room, however the police may publish his mugshot anyway. We aren't together anymore and I've removed him from the council tax, changed the childrens names, ensured that most people know we are divorcing e.g. neighbours etc, so when it does come out they know I left.

edel2020

Member since
March 2022

392 posts

Posted Sat December 21, 2024 11:10amReport post

There isn't anything to stop someone requesting a closed hearing. The judge won't always agree to it, but if you have a good reason, then you should write to the court.

LittleRobin3

Member since
April 2024

321 posts

Posted Sat December 21, 2024 3:58pmReport post

This is highly unlikely that you can stop it. They put it on the Police social media regardless of whether there's a press person at the court on sentencing. It appears very hit and miss as to whether any particular case is featured. The more unusual the case, the more likely it is. My persons case was put across the Police social media and that was picked up by local press, 6 weeks after sentencing. I couldn't believe it. It was the most horrendous thing. The problem is, Police and SS's almost expect those convicted of IIOC etc to be a contact offender too. The best way to find victims, if they're there, is to put the offender in the press to see who comes forward. It's very hard to argue against that. When my persons case was put across all media, it happened to be half term so my then 12 and 14 yr olds had to go back to school with everyone knowing. Its incredibly cruel and so very very unfair. X

Edited Sat December 21, 2024 4:01pm