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Secretary of State for Defence v Guardian Newspapers Ltd

Subject Matter

CONTEMPT OF COURT — Sources of information — Disclosure — Secret Crown document — Copy sent to newspaper — Possibility of identification of sender from markings on copy — Newspaper seeking to protect source of information — Whether Crown entitled to immediate return of copy — Whether return of document in “interests of justice or national security” — Contempt of Court Act 1981, s 10

[1984] Ch 156; [1985] AC 339; [1984] 2 WLR 268; [1984] 3 WLR 986

COPYRIGHT — Crown — Secret document — Copy of document sent to newspaper — Whether Crown to be treated as owner of copy document — Copyright Act 1956, s 18(1)

[1984] Ch 156; [1984] 2 WLR 268

Appellate History

Secretary of State for Defence v Guardian Newspapers Ltd [1984] Ch 156; [1984] 2 WLR 268; [1984] 1 All ER 453, CA

Decision of the Court of Appeal affirmed

Secretary of State for Defence v Guardian Newspapers Ltd [1985] AC 339; [1984] 3 WLR 986; [1984] 3 All ER 601, HL(E)

Words & Phrases

"Interests of justice or national security" — Contempt of Court Act 1981, s 10

Cases Cited

Cases cited in: Secretary of State for Defence v Guardian Newspapers Ltd [1984] Ch 156; [1984] 2 WLR 268; [1984] 1 All ER 453, CA

Attorney-General v Mulholland; Attorney-General v Foster [1963] 2 QB 477; [1963] 2 WLR 658; [1963] 1 All ER 767, CA

British Steel Corpn v Granada Television Ltd [1981] AC 1096; [1980] 3 WLR 774; [1981] 1 All ER 417, HL(E)

Ladbroke (Football) Ltd v William Hill (Football) Ltd [1964] 1 WLR 273; [1964] 1 All ER 465, HL(E)

Nichols Advanced Vehicle Systems Inc. v. Rees [1979] R.P.C. 127

Norwich Pharmacal Co v Customs and Excise Comrs [1974] AC 133; [1973] 3 WLR 164; [1973] 2 All ER 943, HL(E)

Warne & Co v Seebohm 39 ChD 73, Ch D

Cases cited in: Secretary of State for Defence v Guardian Newspapers Ltd [1985] AC 339; [1984] 3 WLR 986; [1984] 3 All ER 601, HL(E)

Attorney-General of The Gambia v. Momodou Jobe [1984] A.C. 689; [1984] 3 W.L.R. 174, P.C.

British Steel Corpn v Granada Television Ltd [1981] AC 1096; [1980] 3 WLR 774; [1981] 1 All ER 417, HL(E)

Bwllfa and Merthyr Dare Steam Collieries (1891) Ltd v Pontypridd Waterworks Co [1903] AC 426, HL

Carey v. Hume (1974) 492 F. 2d 631

Chandler v Director of Public Prosecutions [1964] AC 763; [1962] 3 WLR 694; [1962] 2 All ER 314, CCA

D v National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children [1978] AC 171; [1976] 3 WLR 124; [1976] 2 All ER 993, CA

D v National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children [1978] AC 171; [1977] 2 WLR 201; [1977] 1 All ER 589; 76 LGR 5, HL(E)

Home Office v Harman [1983] 1 AC 280; [1982] 2 WLR 338; [1982] 1 All ER 532, HL(E)

Norwich Pharmacal Co v Customs and Excise Comrs [1974] AC 133; [1973] 3 WLR 164; [1973] 2 All ER 943, HL(E)

Petroleum Products Antitrust Litigation, In re (1982) 680 F. 2d 5

Riley v. City of Chester (1979) 612 F. 2d 708

The Zamora [1916] 2 AC 77, PC

Subsequent Consideration

Cases subsequently considering: Secretary of State for Defence v Guardian Newspapers Ltd [1985] AC 339; [1984] 3 WLR 986; [1984] 3 All ER 601, HL(E)

Considered in Hourani v Thomson [2017] EWHC 173 (QB); [2017] 1 WLR 933; [2017] WLR (D) 80, QBD

Considered in Ashworth Hospital Authority v MGN Ltd [2001] 1 WLR 515; [2001] 1 All ER 991, CA

Dictum of Lord Diplock doubted in X Ltd v Morgan-Grampian (Publishers) Ltd [1991] 1 AC 1; [1990] 2 WLR 421; [1990] 1 All ER 616, CA

Considered in X Ltd v Morgan-Grampian (Publishers) Ltd [1990] 1 All ER 608; The Times, 24 November 1989, Ch D

Applied in In re An Inquiry under the Co Securities (Insider Dealing) Act 1985 [1988] AC 660; [1988] 2 WLR 33; [1988] 1 All ER 203, HL(E)

Dicta of Lord Diplock applied in Maxwell v Pressdram Ltd [1987] 1 WLR 298; [1987] 1 All ER 621, CA

Cases citing

Cases citing: Secretary of State for Defence v Guardian Newspapers Ltd [1984] Ch 156; [1984] 2 WLR 268; [1984] 1 All ER 453, CA

In re An Inquiry under the Co Securities (Insider Dealing) Act 1985 [1988] AC 660; [1988] 2 WLR 33; [1988] 1 All ER 203, HL(E)

X Ltd v Morgan-Grampian (Publishers) Ltd [1991] 1 AC 1; [1990] 2 WLR 1000; [1990] 2 All ER 1; The Times, 5 April 1990, HL(E)

Cases citing: Secretary of State for Defence v Guardian Newspapers Ltd [1985] AC 339; [1984] 3 WLR 986; [1984] 3 All ER 601, HL(E)

Ackroyd (Robin) v Mersey Care NHS Trust [2003] EWCA Civ 663, CA

Ashworth Hospital Authority v MGN Ltd [2001] 1 WLR 515; [2001] 1 All ER 991, CA

Camelot Group Plc v Centaur Communications Ltd [1997] QB 124; [1999] QB 124; [1998] 2 WLR 379; [1998] 1 All ER 251, CA

Council of Civil Service Unions v Minister for the Civil Service [1985] AC 374; [1984] 3 WLR 1174; [1985] ICR 14; [1984] 3 All ER 935, HL(E)

Dhooharika v Director of Public Prosecutions [2014] UKPC 11; [2015] AC 875; [2014] 3 WLR 1081; [2014] WLR (D) 179; Case details, PC

Hourani v Thomson [2017] EWHC 173 (QB); [2017] 1 WLR 933; [2017] WLR (D) 80, QBD

In re H & K Medway Ltd [1997] 1 WLR 1422; [1997] 2 All ER 321, Ch D

In re M and N (Minors) (Wardship: Publication of Information) [1990] Fam 211; [1989] 3 WLR 1136; [1990] 1 All ER 205, CA

In re Palmer, decd (A Debtor) [1994] Ch 316; [1994] 3 WLR 420; [1994] 3 All ER 835, CA

In re West (Ian Stuart) [2014] EWCA Crim 1480; [2015] 1 WLR 109; [2014] 2 Cr App R 467; [2014] WLR (D) 321, CA

Inner West London Assistant Deputy Coroner v Channel 4 Television Corpn (Practice Note) [2007] EWHC 2513 (QB); [2008] 1 WLR 945, QBD

InterBrew SA v Financial Times Ltd and ors [2002] EWCA Civ 274, CA

Interbrew SA v Financial Times Ltd [2002] EWCA Civ 274; [2002] 2 Lloyd's Rep 229, CA

John v Express Newspapers [2000] 1 WLR 1931; [2000] 3 All ER 257, CA

Kelly v British Broadcasting Corpn [2001] Fam 59; [2001] 2 WLR 253; [2001] 1 All ER 323; [2001] 1 FLR 197; [2000] 3 FCR 509; [2000] Fam Law 886, Fam D

Maxwell v Pressdram Ltd [1987] 1 WLR 298; [1987] 1 All ER 621, CA

R (Bailey) v Secretary of State for Justice (No 2) [2023] EWHC 821 (Admin); [2023] 1 WLR 2564; [2023] 2 Cr App R 7; [2023] WLR(D) 173, DC

R (Miranda) v Secretary Of State for the Home Department [2014] EWHC 255 (Admin), QBD

R (Miranda) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (Liberty intervening) [2014] EWHC 255 (Admin); [2014] 1 WLR 3140; [2014] 3 All ER 447; [2014] WLR (D) 93, DC

R v Shannon [2001] 1 WLR 51; [2001] 1 Cr App R 168, CA

Reynolds v Times Newspapers Ltd [2001] 2 AC 127; [1999] 3 WLR 1010; [1999] 4 All ER 609, HL(E)

Richard v British Broadcasting Corpn [2017] EWHC 1291 (Ch), Ch D

Saunders v Punch Ltd [1998] 1 WLR 986; [1998] 1 All ER 234, Ch D

U3 v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2023] EWCA Civ 811; [2024] KB 433; [2024] 2 WLR 319; [2024] 3 All ER 17; [2023] WLR(D) 311, CA

Venables v News Group Newspapers Ltd [2001] EWHC 32 (QB); [2001] Fam 430; [2001] 2 WLR 1038; [2001] 1 All ER 908; [2001] 1 FLR 791; [2002] 1 FCR 333; 9 BHRC 587; [2001] UKHRR 628; [2001] EWHC QB 32, Fam D

W v M (TOLATA Proceedings: Anonymity) [2012] EWHC 1679 (Fam); [2013] 1 FLR 1513, Fam D

X Ltd v Morgan-Grampian (Publishers) Ltd [1991] 1 AC 1; [1990] 2 WLR 421; [1990] 1 All ER 616, CA

Commentary

Blackstones Criminal Practice 2024
Heads of Public Interest Immunity - Sources of Information Contained in Publications F9.23

Heads of Public Interest Immunity - Sources of Information Contained in Publications - Disclosure ‘Necessary in the Interests of Justice’ F9.24

Heads of Public Interest Immunity - Sources of Information Contained in Publications - Effect of ECHR, Article 10 F9.27

Contempt of Court in Respect of Criminal Proceedings - Forms of Contempt: Refusal to Disclose Sources of Published Information B14.115

Blackstones Civil Practice 2023
Judicial Notice - Judicial notice after inquiry - Political facts 49.33

Statutory Restrictions on Disclosure - Journalists’ sources 50.135

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