I very much agree with Iain Dale about the media coverage of the “suspect” Robert Murat and indeed of the Russian man who’s now in the spotlight. I really wish the BBC and other media would think again before going headlong towards an American-style approach to reporting crime stories. I think restraint is in the interests not only of a fair trial (and therefore, of ultimately convicting and punishing those who are guilty) but also more broadly of society as a http://www.magliettedacalcioit.com whole: I think feverish reporting of breaking news contributes to paranoia about crime, especially paedophilia, places unnecessary pressure on the police, and is simply distasteful at a time when parents are suffering enormous distress.

Of course the Attorney General can’t do anything in this case to rein in the reporting: the Contempt of Court Act 1981 only applies to proceedings in this country. The Act does not cover the risk of prejudice to proceedings in Portugal.

2017-03-18T07:10:46+00:00Tags: , |