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Crown Prosecution Service to review charges under Operation Elveden Crown Prosecution Service to review charges under Operation Elveden
(about 1 hour later)
The controversial policy to prosecute journalists over leaks from public officials is under urgent review by the Crown Prosecution Service, it has emerged.The controversial policy to prosecute journalists over leaks from public officials is under urgent review by the Crown Prosecution Service, it has emerged.
The decision to reconsider the trial or retrial of 10 tabloid journalists follows the court of appeal’s quashing of a conviction of a former News of the World journalist and a prison officer last Friday.The decision to reconsider the trial or retrial of 10 tabloid journalists follows the court of appeal’s quashing of a conviction of a former News of the World journalist and a prison officer last Friday.
In his ruling, the Lord Chief Justice, said the judge in the case had misdirected the jury on the “seriousness” of the leaks and should have been more explicit about how misconduct could cross the line into criminality.In his ruling, the Lord Chief Justice, said the judge in the case had misdirected the jury on the “seriousness” of the leaks and should have been more explicit about how misconduct could cross the line into criminality.
The first of the eight trials lined up between now and the end of September involving these journalists was due to start this week.The first of the eight trials lined up between now and the end of September involving these journalists was due to start this week.
It was adjourned at the Old Bailey on Tuesday after the Crown asked to have until 24 April to consider the ramifications of the Lord Chief Justice’s ruling for that case and others brought as a result of the Met’s Operation Elveden investigation into payments by newspapers. It was, however, adjourned at the Old Bailey on Tuesday after the Crown asked to have until 24 April to consider the ramifications of the Lord Chief Justice’s ruling for that case and others brought as a result of the Met’s Operation Elveden investigation into payments by newspapers.
The court of appeal decision was a major setback for the CPS which has brought 24 journalists to trial so far over cash for leaks and tips from public officials. Separately the CPS advised the Lord Chief Justice it would not be seeking a retrial of the journalist whose conviction was quashed and who cannot be named for legal reasons. The journalist had been sentenced to six months in jail, suspended for a year, and ordered to do 150 hours unpaid community work.
In a statement on Friday, it said the judgment “does not call into question the prosecution of the cases they considered”, but it noted that the Lord Chief Justice “acknowledged this is an extremely difficult, and rarely visited, area of the law”. However, it will be seeking a retrial of the prison officer who was convicted to three and a half years for misconduct in public office.
It said it would “consider the contents, and its implications, very carefully”. The court of appeal decision to quash the conviction was a major setback for the CPS as it was the first guilty verdict they got through the Elveden cases.
In a statement, the CPS said last week’s decision by the court of appeal did “not call into question the prosecution of the appellants concerned”.
However ,it also confirmed its separate request for more time to consider the implications for Elveden trials.
“We have also asked for an adjournment in the Operation Elveden trial due to start today in order to consider the wider implications of last week’s judgment on this case and others within Operation Elveden,” it said in a statement.
Operation Elveden was launched in the wake of the hacking scandal that closed the News of the World, but has nothing to do with interception of voicemails.Operation Elveden was launched in the wake of the hacking scandal that closed the News of the World, but has nothing to do with interception of voicemails.
So far, just two journalists have been convicted in Elveden trials with 10 acquitted, seven scheduled for retrials and four journalists currently on trial.So far, just two journalists have been convicted in Elveden trials with 10 acquitted, seven scheduled for retrials and four journalists currently on trial.
The majority of journalists have worked for the Sun, but journalists from other tabloids have also been tried or are about to go on trial.The majority of journalists have worked for the Sun, but journalists from other tabloids have also been tried or are about to go on trial.