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Sun and Mirror in contempt case over Jo Yeates stories | Sun and Mirror in contempt case over Jo Yeates stories |
(about 2 hours later) | |
The Sun and Daily Mirror are facing contempt of court proceedings over the way they reported the death of landscape architect Jo Yeates. | |
The High Court has granted the attorney general permission to bring a case against the publishers of the tabloids. | |
The allegations concern stories about the arrest of the Bristol woman's landlord, Christopher Jefferies, who was later released without charge. | |
Miss Yeates's body was found on 25 December after an eight-day search. | |
She had vanished after returning to her basement flat in Bristol's Clifton area on 17 December. Her body was found on a grass verge about three miles away in Failand on Christmas Day. | |
Case 'arguable' | |
BBC legal correspondent Clive Coleman said it was extremely rare for contempt of court proceedings to be brought against newspapers. | BBC legal correspondent Clive Coleman said it was extremely rare for contempt of court proceedings to be brought against newspapers. |
It only happens when the reporting is thought to have created a "substantial risk" of seriously prejudicing a fair trial. | It only happens when the reporting is thought to have created a "substantial risk" of seriously prejudicing a fair trial. |
In this particular case it is especially unusual as Attorney General Dominic Grieve is acting in respect of someone who was not charged, our correspondent added. | |
Andrew Caldecott QC for the attorney general told judges that two Daily Mirror articles and one in the Sun article might have prejudiced a trial. | |
Judge Lord Justice Moses said there was clearly an "arguable" case against the newspapers and adjourned the proceedings so that a date for a hearing could be fixed. | |
The newspapers could be fined or individuals at the papers imprisoned if the case is proved. | |
The Sun said it was not commenting on the proceedings while the Daily Mirror is yet to respond to an inquiry from the BBC. | |
It comes after lawyers for Mr Jefferies launched separate libel and privacy claims against the Sun, Daily Mirror, Daily Mail, Daily Express and Daily Star. | It comes after lawyers for Mr Jefferies launched separate libel and privacy claims against the Sun, Daily Mirror, Daily Mail, Daily Express and Daily Star. |