Paying to keep a case out of newspaper

Crooked Jack

Id be careful about that. any time anyone rings our paper to keep stories out we make a point of putting them somewhere prominent.

coylemj

michael999999 wrote: »

Something along these veins happened recently. A prominent sportsperson appeared in court on serious driving charges.

Local papers reported it in a small section half way through the paper, misspelt he's second name even though its one of the most famous in the country. And never mentioned that he was a national sporting icon in he's sport.

If you read the piece you would think they were talking about joe anonymous.

Some cases never even make it to court. Many years ago a prominent person in a national sports organisation had an alcoholic wife who regularly wrapped her car around lamp posts. When the Gardai arrived on the scene and discovered who she was, they typically drove her home in the patrol car and the husband got the car removed the following day. There was never a court case, let alone an account of the incident in the papers.

jd80

It is not just what is said in 'open court' that makes it into the papers.

The courts Service prints off a list of all the cases including name, address, age, charge (as recorded on charge sheet)

If you ever attend court, you will notice that apart from the name and charge the other details are usually not mentioned (though charge is not mentioned on procedural dates)

This is NOT the 'normal' list of cases, which is usually available in the court on the day - they show only name, prosecuting Garda, no. of offences

Heaven forbid the court reporter should actually have to strain her ears or do any investigations herself.

jimmycrackcorm

ResearchWill wrote: »

If a person pays money to stop reporting of certain facts not only may it be corrupt, it may be criminal

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2001/en/act/pub/0050/sec0043.html#sec43


Corruption is not defined in the act.

Don't see anything there of relevance. Newspapers can choose what to print.

ResearchWill

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

Don't see anything there of relevance. Newspapers can choose what to print.

Of course they can, but if a editor or a journalist accept a payment so as to refrain from doing an act that maybe corruption.

Johnny Utah

jd80 wrote: »

It is not just what is said in 'open court' that makes it into the papers.

The courts Service prints off a list of all the cases including name, address, age, charge (as recorded on charge sheet)

If you ever attend court, you will notice that apart from the name and charge the other details are usually not mentioned (though charge is not mentioned on procedural dates)

This is NOT the 'normal' list of cases, which is usually available in the court on the day - they show only name, prosecuting Garda, no. of offences

Heaven forbid the court reporter should actually have to strain her ears or do any investigations herself.

Is a court reporter legally entitled to have access to this sheet printed by the Courts Service?

jd80

Johnny Utah wrote: »

Is a court reporter legally entitled to have access to this sheet printed by the Courts Service?

Good question.

I put this to the Data Commissioner - though not as a formal complaint.

The response I received was as follows

"As previously advised, information contained in a charge sheet as to the
identity of an accused may be expected to be made public in the course of
criminal proceedings, such proceedings being required by law to be
administered in public.

As it is the intention that such information be made public we do no
consider that there is a data protection matter to be investigated."

I do not consider it correct though.

It is one thing to report it if it is said in open court

It is another for the media or anyone to be facilitated with this data (which comes from the charge sheets) in extended form as stated in my previous post #34.

opinions?

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

jd80

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

No, you cannot

Get your local paper. Pick a name from a Court report of someone who was in court the previous week

Ring the Courts Service with that name and ask for age, address and charge details

You will not receive them.

The 'list' you may be referring to is the short list, which is printed out and available in the Courtroom on the day but it 'only' shows name, prosecuting Gaurd and no of offences or similar.

It is printed out to give those present an idea when the case will come up whereby (and is this contravening Data protection?) solicitors receive this list usually the day before per e-mail
Is this what you mean?

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.