Joanna Yeates articles were in contempt of court, Attorney General alleges
Articles in the Sun and the Daily Mirror about landlord Christopher Jefferies during the hunt for Joanna Yeates’s killer were in contempt of court, the Attorney General has alleged.
Three judges are scheduled to hear evidence about the issue in the London High Count over the next two days.
Dominic Grieve QC (pictured) said the articles, which were released after the arrest of Jefferies as a suspect in the case, held a "substantial risk of serious prejudice" if a trial had gone ahead. Jefferies was released without charge, and Dutch engineer neighbour Vincent Tabak (33), admitted to the killing.
By law, journalists could face contempt of court charges if they report on a suspect following an arrest, if the article could prejudice a jury during a trial.
Lawyers representing Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), publishers of the Mirror, and News Group Newspapers (NGN), publishers of the Sun, have outlined their defence in written submissions given to judges.
Jefferies has also made a separate libel complaint against the articles, dated 30 December 2010 and 1 January 2011.