Monday, April 03, 2006

suppression and contempt of court


post updated
I've decided, after a few days of thinking about it, to post this. Posting about contempt and suppression issues is a bit like reporting suicides. You need to be careful.

Some bloggers don't seem to realise that contempt of court is punishable by a fine or imprisonment, or both. During the Louise Nicholas case with Shipton, Schollum and Rickards, suppression was again an issue.

One blogger is particularly guilty of deliberately and repeatedly breaching suppression orders. I`d be breaking a suppression order linking to her.

According to the courts, the Internet will be monitored. It remains to be seen how well, and what the authorities will do if they see what I have seen.

It's a shame that anyone with an Internet connection can easily get around suppression orders in relation to the above case. It's also a shame that so many names are being suppressed, to protect others, when their names are so easy to find, as it makes a joke of suppression orders. In many cases the "protected" are just as protected when half the country knows whose name/s are suppressed anyway.

What difference would it make if the suppression orders in connection with the above case were lifted? Would anyone be less "protected" as a result? I very much doubt it.

I know of at least one case where the suppressed person tried to have their name "un-suppressed". I believe final name suppression should be able to be appealed, in certain situations.

Perhaps bloggers who post on suppression issues could either be a little more careful, or remove the comments facility in their posts on suppression and contempt-related issues.

That way they will not have to delete comments that could get them in trouble.

It would be nice if authorities would actually prosecute ofenders for breaking the law instead of wasting taxpayers money questioning, "investigating", and filing the information.

Otherwiads whats the point of having police - just to issue traffic infringements, and conduct investigations?