Legal rulings

Kevin Marsh writing on the BBC editors blog,brings our attention to the case of Graeme Mc Laggan,whose book Bent Coppers was the subject of a legal action by a former flying squad officer

An appeal by the publishers succeeded on the basis of the "Reynolds defence" a legal precedent that gives investigative journalists under which according to Guardian media


" journalists can claim the right to publish material in the public interest even if they cannot prove its accuracy or it turns out to be untrue."

Of course this is no carte blanche excuse for journalists to write what they want.

The law lords ruled in 2001 that

1.the writing had to be of sober intent.
2.its subject should be important
3.of urgent public interest.