Sussex journalist cleared of obscenity after flagging explicit picture liked by ex-MP
He denied sending an offensive, indecent, obscene or menacing message on a public communication network.
Last updated 17th Nov 2025
A journalist has been cleared of an obscenity charge after drawing attention to explicit content on the X account of a former Labour MP.
Greg Hadfield, 69, of Brighton, East Sussex, denied sending an offensive, indecent, obscene or menacing message on a public communication network.
The X post showed former Labour MP and defence minister Ivor Caplin, 67, engaging with explicit pornography on the platform, Brighton Magistrates' Court heard.
Mr Hadfield told the court on Monday that he had tried repeatedly to flag Mr Caplin's "likes" for a year before he included the screenshot.
District Judge Sam Goozee dismissed the case, saying that "context is important" and Hadfield was just "a journalist expressing frustration".
The former Sunday Times, Daily Mail and Brighton and Hove Independent journalist posted Mr Caplin's reply to a picture featuring a young man with an erect penis on June 25, 2024.
Above the explicit content, Hadfield wrote: "I'm sure @FionaSharpe has known about @ivorcaplin's 'likes' - and likes - for a very long time. Why didn't she say something?"
In January 2024 Mr Caplin was arrested over alleged sexual communication with a child, the court heard, and was released under investigation by Sussex Police.
Judge Goozee said: "Context is all important in cases such as these and context was missing from the prosecution exhibit."
He added: "What is concerning is the exhibited tweet by you on which the prosecution rely is not actually the full tweet, context is important, as what will at first blush appear to be indecent, is tempered by context."
Fiona Sharpe, a pro-Israel campaigner, sent a complaint about the X post to Sussex Police in July 2024, which led to the charge being brought.
Ms Sharpe had previously repeatedly accused Mr Hadfield of antisemitism, although none of those claims are substantiated, the court heard.
In the same thread on X, Mr Hadfield posted "how could Peter Kyle and UK Labour not know, of course they did".
Mr Kyle, the current Secretary of State for Business and Trade, had been a close associate of Mr Caplin, the court heard.
"You are simply asking Fiona Sharpe, who is clearly associated with Ivor Caplin, why has she not said something, you were whistleblowing and frustrated by the actions of other parties," said Judge Goozee
Mr Hadfield had been a member of the Labour Party from 2006 to 2021 and was involved in local Brighton politics alongside Mr Caplin, after he stepped down as an MP in 2005.
While giving evidence Mr Hadfield described Mr Caplin's now deleted X account, saying: "Hundreds of likes of extreme pornographic acts involving young people - they looked as though they were probably 18, 17, 19."
He added that the Labour Party is "very clear" about its code of conduct, saying "no member" should ever post "sexualised imagery" online.
The prosecution had intended to call Ms Sharpe, but instead relied just on the evidence of the officer in the case, Detective Constable Joe Williams.
Mr Hadfield broke down in tears as his lawyer, John Cooper KC, told the court that he was doing what was "best" for Brighton and acting in the public interest.
He was bolstered by a number of "stellar" character references from senior journalists, including Peter Oborne, former chief political commentator of the Daily Telegraph.
As he was cleared, Mr Hadfield let out a deep sob and was quickly comforted by family and friends who were supporting him in court.