News / Local paper fined for contempt of court
THE SHETLAND Times newspaper has been fined after being found guilty of contempt of court.
The paper published a photo of Martyn Fisher on 24 July alongside a report of his trial, which at the time was ongoing. Fisher was found guilty of four charges on 4 August.
In Scotland publishing a picture of an accused person before or during a trial will almost certainly be treated as contempt of court if identification is an issue.
The matter was brought to the sheriff’s attention by the Crown, and editor Adam Civico appeared at the court on 5 August for the first time when the case was adjourned.
At the court on Wednesday, Sheriff Philip Mann concluded that the issue of identification in the trial by witnesses was pertinent enough to warrant a penalty of £1,250.
The sheriff said: “This is not a finding I have any great joy in making because the newspaper in question does serve the court and the public well.”
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