Anonymity

Question 0

What is section 4(2) of the contempt of court act 1981?

Answer 0

A court has the power to order the postponement of publication of reports of a court case, or any part of a case, where doing so appears necessary to avoid a substantial risk of prejudice to the administration of justice in that case or any other case which is pending or imminent.

Question 1

Do adult witnesses get lifetime anonymity?

Answer 1

section 46 of the youth justice and criminal evidence act 1999 say that a court can order that an adult witness has lifetime anonymity if the court is satisfied that the quality of his/her evidence is likely to be diminished by fear/distress in connection with being identified as a witness and if granting anonymity is likely to improve the quality of witnesses evidence or the level of his/her cooperation.

• can’t publish name and address, any educational establishment he/she attends, where they work or any pic of them.
• a prosecution breach has a defence if he was not aware that the publication included the matter in question or that the witness concerned gave written consent for it to be published.

Question 2

Explain section 19 of the youth justice and criminal evidence act 1999 and special measures

Answer 2

• allows courts to make a special measures direction in cases involving vulnerable or intimidated witnesses e.g. Letting witness speak behind a screen, video link, having lawyers and judges remove wigs and gowns.