In serious cases, contempt of court could result in a trial being delayed or stopped
Axel Rudakubana, 18, appearing via videolink during a preparatory hearing at Liverpool Crown Court. Picture date: Wednesday December 18, 2024.(Image: Elizabeth Cook/PA Wire)
Merseyside Police and the Attorney General’s Office have both issued stern warnings today ahead of the high-profile trial of Axel Rudakubana. Anyone who shares or posts information online “which could in any way prejudice the trial” could face harsh consequences of up to two years in prison.
Rudakubana, of Banks in West Lancashire, is accused of murdering six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nine-year-old Alice Da Silva Aguiar, who were fatally stabbed during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport on July 29 last year. He is also accused of attempting to murder eight other young girls and two adults, Leanne Lucas and John Hayes, who were also stabbed during the incident.
The 18-year-old is further charged with possession of a bladed article in a public place, production of a biological toxin, and possession of information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, namely a PDF file entitled “Military Studies in the Jihad Against the Tyrants: The Al-Qaeda Training Manual”.
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Merseyside Police said: “The trial of Axel Rudakubana will begin on Monday 20 January relating to the incident at Hart Street, Southport, on 29 July 2024. We want to remind everyone that proceedings remain active throughout the entirety of the trial and it is important that there is no sharing or posting of information online which could in any way prejudice the trial.
“Doing so may be in breach of the Contempt of Court act and lead to prosecution by the Attorney General.”
A further statement posted by Attorney General’s Office today warned: “While proceedings are active, the Attorney General is reminding editors, publishers and social media users that fair and accurate reporting of legal proceedings held in public in good faith is permitted.
“However, you may be in risk of being in contempt of court if you publish material or comment online that is inaccurate, unfair, or involves discussion or commentary which could influence the jury’s deliberations. This includes anything that asserts or assumes, expressly or implicitly, the guilt of Axel Rudakubana. This is due to the risk of potentially jeopardising the criminal trial.”
The Contempt of Court Act 1981 seeks to prevent any interference with the administration of justice and the right to a fair trial. This includes saying whether you think a person is guilty or innocent, referring to someone’s previous convictions, and sharing any evidence or facts about a case that the judge has said cannot be made public.
People may also be found in contempt if they publicly identify victims, witnesses and offenders under the age of 18, sex crime victims, and anyone else the judge has allowed to remain anonymous.
Anyone found to be in contempt of court may receive a prison sentence of up to two years, a fine, or both. In serious cases, contempt of court could result in a criminal case being delayed or stopped as a judge may decide a fair trial is not possible.