R (JC and RT) v Central Criminal Court
[2014] EWHC 1041 (Admin) — High Court (Divisional Court), 2014
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What the court held
The Divisional Court quashed a s.4(2) Contempt of Court Act 1981 postponement order that had prohibited reporting of a terrorism trial in its entirety. Confirmed that s.4(2) orders must be strictly necessary and proportionate to protect a specific fair-trial risk.
Key rulings
- S.4(2) postponement must target a specific, identified fair-trial risk.
- Blanket bans on reporting are rarely justified.
- Media can challenge orders at first instance and on judicial review.
Topics
Reporting restrictionssection-4-2terrorism-trials
Acts cited
- Contempt of Court Act 1981
Authoritative source
Read the full judgment on BAILII (British and Irish Legal Information Institute):
https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2014/1041.htmlRelated landmark cases
Case summaries are drafted by UK JournoHub Editorial for practising UK journalists. They are not legal advice. Always consult primary sources and, for high-risk stories, take specialist legal advice.