Are the UK’s Contempt of Court Laws Fit for Purpose in the Digital Age?
In this session, we will look at the UK law on “contempt by publication” as set out in the 1981 Contempt of Court Act and discuss whether that law – post the Lucy Letby trial (where an article in The New Yorker was geo-blocked) – and the Southport killings (where the police appeared to believe the law restricted what they could say about the perpetrator of the stabbings, so allowing misinformation to spread), is no longer fit for purpose in the digital age.
In this class you will learn about:
– the origins and currency of the UK’s law on contempt by publication;
– the ECHR background
– The Law Commission’s recent contempt consultation
Gill Phillips will be speaking to Richard Danbury.
Gill Phillips
Gill Phillips is a solicitor who works as an editorial legal consultant for a number of NGOs and not-for-profits, advising on a range of content-related matters including defamation, privacy, contempt of court and reporting restrictions.
Richard Danbury
Richard Danbury is an academic lawyer, a journalist and a former practicing barrister. He directs the MA in investigative journalism at City University, London. He practised — briefly — as a criminal barrister before joining the BBC, where he worked for about a decade, based in News and Current Affairs, and specialising in interviews and investigations.
- 26 June 2025 11.30–12.30