High Court in London begins case over ban on publishing celebrity's name

The essence of the dispute

A two-day hearing has begun at the High Court in London in a lawsuit brought by a celebrity whose name has not yet been disclosed. He is asking the court to bar two media organisations — ITN and The Guardian — from publishing his identity and claims that for many years he abused his status to engage in, or attempt to engage in, 'inappropriate sexual conduct with a large number of girls and young women'. The story was reported by BBC News, whose correspondent covered the hearing from court.

The parties' positions

The celebrity's lawyers told the court that publication 'would be highly likely to drive him to suicide', stressing that such a reaction would stem not from any guilt but from fear of 'trial by media'. The man himself, according to his team, denies allegations that he used 'the power and status of celebrity' to contact and build relationships with young women and teenagers in order to have sexual relations with them. The lawyers for ITN and The Guardian, for their part, told the court that the 'risk of suicide' could be mitigated and that there were no proper grounds for 'restricting the publication of journalism in the public interest'.

Medical evidence and the judge's position

A medical report prepared for the court indicated that inpatient treatment could provide 'a significant, but not complete, reduction in risk', and that treatment — possibly over several months — 'has real potential to reduce the risk'. The judge, Mr Justice Nicklin, noted the 'significant public interest' in the proceedings and described the case as 'difficult and important', adding that the court must resolve it fairly, on the basis of evidence and legal argument. No substantive ruling had been made at the time of writing: this report describes the start of the hearing, not the outcome of the case.

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