Home Secretary warns against public commentary that could prejudice Southport case
The aim is to avoid the risk of potential jurors being influenced by material they see in the news or on social media when they come to try a case.
Last updated 30th Oct 2024
Prosecutors and the Home Secretary have warned against any public commentary or reporting that could prejudice the Southport case.
Criminal proceedings are subject to strict contempt of court laws designed to protect the right of any defendant to a fair trial.
The aim is to avoid the risk of potential jurors being influenced by material they see in the news or on social media when they come to try a case.
Journalists from reputable media companies receive training in the laws governing what can and cannot be reported at each stage of criminal proceedings.
And jurors are routinely told at the beginning of a trial to ignore any previous material they may have read about the case, and to consider the charges only on the information that is presented in court.
But with cases that provoke heated debate or strong feelings, it is common for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the Attorney General's office to remind the public about the law.
In an entry on X on Wednesday, the CPS said: "Yesterday we announced further charges against Axel Rudakubana.
"We want to remind people that criminal proceedings against Axel Rudakubana are active and therefore it is extremely important that there is no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.
"We are determined to deliver justice in this case."
On Tuesday, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper also warned against public speculation over the case.
She said: "The most important thing is to get justice for Bebe (King), Alice (Dasilva Aguiar) and Elsie (Dot Stancombe) and their heartbroken families, and all those affected by the attack, and nobody should put that at risk.
"The police and prosecutors have an important job to do in their investigation, pursuing every avenue and taking the action they need to ahead of the trial.
"We must support them and ensure that everything possible is done to deliver justice."