Met police drop action against the Guardian over hacking sources – The Guardian

Posted September 21st, 2011 in confidentiality, interception, media, news, official secrets act, police by michael

“The Metropolitan police has dropped its attempt to force the Guardian to reveal confidential sources for stories relating to the phone-hacking scandal.”

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The Guardian, 20th September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Phone hacking, the Met police and the David Shayler case – The Guardian

Posted September 21st, 2011 in freedom of expression, interception, media, news, official secrets act, police by michael

“The Met police have turned to the Official Secrets Act to obtain Guardian phone hacking material. In 2000 they lost a similar case relating to former MI5 spy David Shayler.”

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The Guardian, 20th September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

 

Phone hacking: Met failed to consult before invoking Official Secrets Act – The Guardian

“Scotland Yard officers failed to consult either the director of public prosecutions or the attorney general before invoking the Official Secrets Act to try to force the Guardian to reveal journalistic sources, it has been revealed.”

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The Guardian, 19th September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Human rights and the Official Secrets Act – The Guardian

Posted September 19th, 2011 in human rights, media, news, official secrets act by tracey

“Can the seminal Shayler case help the Guardian as the Met tries to force one of its journalists to reveal her sources?”

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The Guardian, 19th September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Pressure on attorney general to block Met move against press freedom – The Guardian

Posted September 19th, 2011 in media, news, official secrets act, police by tracey

“The attorney general, Dominic Grieve, is facing growing pressure to block an attempt by the Metropolitan police to use the Official Secrets Act to force journalists to reveal their sources.”

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The Guardian, 19th September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Phone hacking: Met seek court order to reveal the Guardian’s sources – The Guardian

Posted September 16th, 2011 in interception, media, news, official secrets act, police by tracey

“The Metropolitan police are seeking a court order under the Official Secrets Act to make Guardian reporters disclose their confidential sources about the phone-hacking scandal.”

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The Guardian, 16th September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

MI6 worker jailed for trying to sell secrets – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 3rd, 2010 in intelligence services, news, official secrets act, sentencing by sally

“But Houghton, 25, will be released almost immediately because he has already served half the term while on remand. The software engineer from Hoxton, east London, pleaded guilty to two offences under the Official Secrets Act at an earlier hearing.”

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Daily Telegraph, 3rd September 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Former MI6 man Daniel Houghton admits secrecy breach – BBC News

“A former MI6 worker from London has pleaded guilty to two offences under the Official Secrets Act.”

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BBC News, 14th July 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Regina v James (Daniel) – Times Law Reports

Posted July 1st, 2009 in armed forces, law reports, official secrets act, spying by sally

Regina v James (Daniel)

Court of Appeal

“A member of the Armed Forces, however junior, serving abroad in a theatre of military operations, who chose to disclose information which might be of use to an enemy of the United Kingdom, or prejudicial to the interest and safety of his colleagues serving in a war zone, must expect a lengthy sentence for deterrence and punishment, even if the information disclosed was not proved to have caused any actual damage.”

The Times, 1st July 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

30-year official secrets rule may be changed to 15 – The Independent

Posted January 12th, 2009 in news, official secrets act by sally

“The 30-year rule on government secrets should be changed to 15 years, allowing confidential papers from the Thatcher and Major administrations to be revealed, an official review is expected to recommend.”

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The Independent, 11th January 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Civil servant ‘who left files on train’ to appear in court – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 9th, 2008 in civil servants, news, official secrets act by sally

“A senior civil servant who allegedly lost highly sensitive intelligence files relating to al-Qaeda and Iraq on a train has been summoned to appear in court.”

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Daily Telegraph, 9th October 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Lost data official to be charged – BBC News

Posted September 29th, 2008 in government departments, news, official secrets act, prosecutions by sally

“The Cabinet Office official who left top-secret documents on a train in June is to be charged under the Official Secrets Act, the BBC has learned.”

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BBC News, 29th September 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Officer told he would face trial if bugging was revealed – The Guardian

Posted February 6th, 2008 in investigatory powers, news, official secrets act, police by sally

“Scotland Yard officers threatened a former policeman with prosecution under the Official Secrets Act if he divulged what he knew about a covert operation in which an MP’s conversations were bugged, the Guardian has learned.”

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The Guardian, 6th February 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Civil servant who leaked rendition secrets goes free – The Guardian

Posted January 10th, 2008 in civil servants, news, official secrets act by sally

“Secrets charges against a Foreign Office civil servant were dramatically dropped at the Old Bailey yesterday after it emerged that senior figures within his own department had privately admitted no harm was done by his leaking a series of Whitehall documents.”

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The Guardian, 10th January 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ex-major loses case against MoD – BBC News

Posted November 9th, 2007 in armed forces, news, official secrets act by sally

“An ex-Army major who claims his career was ruined after he was arrested on suspicion of spying has lost the bulk of his High Court action for damages.”

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BBC News, 9th November 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Army officer sues for £1m over spy claim – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 20th, 2007 in armed forces, news, official secrets act by sally

“A former Paratrooper whose career was destroyed after he was falsely accused of spying is to sue the Government for record damages.”

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Daily Telegraph, 19th August 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

In re Times Newspapers Ltd and others [2007] EWCA Crim 1925 – WLR Daily

Posted July 31st, 2007 in contempt of court, disclosure, law reports, official secrets act by michael

In re Times Newspapers Ltd and others [2007] EWCA Crim 1925

A judge in a criminal trial had power to prevent publication of a question and answer exchange which took place in open court but which should have taken place in camera. Publication of speculation as to the content of evidence that was given in camera could constitute a contempt of court.”

WLR Daily, 30th July 2007

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

In re Times Newspapers Ltd and Others – Times Law Reports

Posted July 31st, 2007 in contempt of court, disclosure, law reports, official secrets act by sally

Contempt warning about speculation in press

In re Times Newspapers Ltd and Others 

Court of Appeal

“A judge in a criminal trial could prohibit the publication of a question-and answer-exchange that took place in open court when it should have occurred in camera. The publication of speculation as to the content of evidence that was given in camera could amount to a contempt of court.”

The Times, 31st July 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Ban over secrets trial ‘is nonsensical’ for media – The Times

Posted July 11th, 2007 in contempt of court, news, official secrets act by michael

“A contempt of court ruling in an Official Secrets Act trial at the Old Bailey created a ‘nonsensical situation’ for the media, a QC said yesterday.”

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The Times, 11th July 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Freedom of information: Government could be forced to publish secrets of Iraq memo – The Independent

Posted May 11th, 2007 in freedom of information, Iraq, official secrets act by sally

“What did Tony Blair tell George Bush when they discussed Iraq? Robert Verkaik, Law Editor, considers how the Freedom of Information Act might provide the answer.”

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The Independent, 11th May 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk