Cameras In Courts Could Lead To 'Theatricals' Warns Top Law Officer

Televising the courts could lead to “theatricals” from lawyers and offenders and cause “ethical and practical difficulties", the country’s most senior law officer has warned.












Dominic Grieve has put himself directly at odds with the justice secretary, Kenneth Clarke.

Dominic Grieve QC, the Attorney General, said there was a “big question mark” over allowing cameras in to courts.

His warning puts him on a potential collision course with Kenneth Clarke, the Justice Secretary, who announced the plans on Tuesday.

The 85-year-old ban in criminal courts will be lifted initially with the filming of judges’ rulings in the Court of Appeal but will spread to a judge’s sentencing remarks in Crown Courts.

There are currently no plans to film defendants, witnesses or victims but Mr Grieve signalled he would have concerns if there was a further expansion.

His comments followed concerns from politicians and victims' charities that the move risked turning justice into a reality show akin to Judge Judy by providing a platform for offenders or "eccentric" or legal professionals.

Giving evidence to MPs on the Commons Justice Select Committee, Mr Grieve said filming aspects of the trial itself, "in my personal judgment, is impossible and undesirable".

"Clearly all this needs very careful discussion,” he said.

"The question as to whether sentencing remarks should be filmed is in a sense I think, in terms of the validity of the trial process, completely neutral. I don't think it interferes.

"The issue that then arises is, is this going to help public understanding or might it contribute to the whole thing being turned in to a piece of theatre, which might also be undesirable.

"Clearly filming people actually being sentenced is likely to be undesirable as it would probably encourage theatricals, and so for those reasons I think there must be a big question mark over it.”

Mr Clarke wants to remove the ban "as soon as parliamentary time allows" and a consultation process involving the Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge is planned to ensure the move "does not hinder the administration of justice and that it protects victims, witnesses, offenders and jurors", the Ministry of Justice said.

Mr Grieve also echoed the view of Cabinet colleagues that the sentencing by the courts in the wake of the riots was appropriate.

He said tough sentences helped deter others and showed there were serious consequences for anyone involved in the looting and violence.

He said that while some of the offences may have been similar to shoplifting, "participating in a catalogue of offending behaviour that has the capacity to wreck an area's economy and put local people in fear" was clearly an aggravating factor.

Dealing with the riots has cost the Crown Prosecution Service more than £5 million so far, he added.

Cameron 'Will Allow TV Cameras Inside Courts'

The Prime Minister is expected to announce that television cameras will be allowed to film some elements of court proceedings, according to Sky sources.











At present cameras are banned from courts, apart from the Supreme Court.

The breakthrough comes after the Head of Sky News, who has spearheaded a campaign to televise court cases, wrote an open letter to the Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke urging him to take action.

John Ryley told him the public would have better understood controversial sentences passed on those involved in recent rioting and looting if judges' remarks had been televised.

Broadcasters have been pressing for some years for cameras to be allowed into courts, but at present cameras - including video cameras - are banned from courts in England and Wales by section 41 of the Criminal Justice Act 1925.

The one exception is the Supreme Court where, for the past two years, cameras have been allowed to film proceedings.

Sky's home affairs correspondent Mark White said the changes, set to be announced by Mr Cameron on Tuesday, were a "significant development".

He said that the move would probably see broadcasters allowed to air the sentencing remarks of judges rather than entire trials.

Mr Ryley's proposal, put together with senior management at the BBC and ITN, was for limited coverage of court proceedings, which would not show vulnerable witnesses.

He said: "Sky News welcomes the decision and looks forward to working with the judiciary to bring about more transparency in our justice system."

Legal commentator Joshua Rozenberg said he was surprised that the Government was moving to change the guidelines so soon after the renewed pressure.

"You will see someone convicted, you will see someone being sentenced, but the witnesses who might otherwise be discouraged from giving evidence won't be shown under what we understand the Government's plan to be," he said.

He said the law will have to be changed in Parliament - meaning it might be up to a year before the first television pictures are aired from criminal courts.

I find it quite difficult to think of any arguments against doing it.
John Whittingdale MP

Conservative MP John Whittingdale, the chair of the Culture, Media and Sport committee, told Sky News the changes were "long overdue".

He said he would be "surprised" if any MPs or peers objected to the proposal.

"I find it quite difficult to think of any arguments against doing it.

"It seems to me fairly evident we want to encourage people to... respect the law more, this has to be the right thing to do."

However, not everyone is in favour of the changes.

Baroness Helena Kennedy, speaking earlier on Sky News, warned that such a move "undermines justice" - and that the only cases that would be given real coverage would be "salacious" ones.

In January 2010, Mr Ryley announced a campaign to get TV cameras into other courts, which he said would include legal challenges to the current ban on cameras in court.