Section 202 Authorised firearms officers: reporting directionsI1

A reporting direction, in relation to a person (“D”) charged with (or convicted of) a qualifying offence, is a direction that no matter relating to D may be included in any publication if it is likely to lead members of the public to identify D as a person who is, or was, alleged to have committed (or who has been convicted of) the offence.

The matters relating to D in relation to which the restrictions imposed by a reporting direction apply (if their inclusion in any publication is likely to have the result mentioned in subsection (1)) include in particular—

A relevant court may by direction (“an excepting direction”) dispense, to any extent specified in the excepting direction, with the restrictions imposed by a reporting direction if satisfied that it is necessary in the interests of justice to do so.

An excepting direction—

A reporting direction has effect—

but this is subject to subsection (5)(b) of section 200 and subsections (3), (6) and (7) of section 201.

A reporting direction may be revoked if a relevant court is satisfied that it is necessary in the interests of justice to do so.

In this section—

• “publication” has the same meaning as in Part 2 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 (see section 63 of that Act);

• “qualifying offence” has the meaning given by section 200(2);

• “relevant court”, in relation to a reporting direction, means—

  1. (a)

     the court that gave the direction,

  2. (b)

     the court (if different) that is currently dealing, or that last dealt, with the proceedings in which the direction was given, or

  3. (c)

     any court dealing with an appeal (including an appeal by way of case stated) arising out of the proceedings in which the direction was given or with any further appeal.