Met Police chief welcomes contempt of court review after Southport stabbings
Sir Keir Starmer defended the decision taken by authorities not to share information about the case earlier on.
The head of the UK’s largest police force has welcomed a review of contempt of court laws and said it would be great if more information in cases could be shared at an earlier stage.
His comments come after the Prime Minister said the online spread of content in apparent breach of England’s contempt of court rules will be investigated as part of a public inquiry into the Southport stabbings.
Sir Keir Starmer defended the decision taken by authorities not to share information about the case earlier on, insisting that to do so would have risked collapsing a potential jury trial.
Following the attack by 18-year-old Axel Rudakubana last July, in which he murdered three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class, a slew of false claims circulated on social media about the circumstances surrounding the killings.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley described the Southport attack as “horrific” and said listening to the remarks at sentencing and the experiences of the families is “moving for all of us”.
He was asked on LBC on Friday if he thinks the public should have been better informed about what the authorities already knew following the attack.
“We have very strict contempt of court laws in the UK.
“As policing, we would always start from the principle we’d like to have as much information out as possible.
“But we work with (the) CPS.
“They’re officers of the court and we have to make sure we don’t undermine a trial,” he said.
Sir Mark said the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) should not be criticised for insisting on the law.
He told LBC: “There are countries where contempt of court laws are nowhere near this and you’re able to talk more freely, but in our legal system if the police or CPS had said loads more, there is a risk you would have undermined the trial.”
Sir Mark said that in today’s social media age where “rumour goes so quickly”, it is good that the contempt of court laws are being looked at.
“I think it’s good there’s going to be a review of a whole range of things around this, and it’s good that people are looking at the law on contempt of court.
“I think it’d be great if we could have changes that mean more information can be shared earlier because I think today’s social media world generates rumour and debate and sometimes contention.
“So I think we do need changes.”
Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy also welcomed a review of contempt of court laws.
She said: “There’s a narrative out there around the impact of trust between policing, between criminal justice partners, with the communities.
“The Law Commission has commissioned a review of contempt of court legislation and I think that’s right.
“I think this case demonstrates why that review is required.”
Some of the Government’s political opponents have alleged a “cover-up” over Rudakubana’s contact with the authorities, and critics argue more details should have been disclosed earlier to prevent an information vacuum being filled online.
But speaking on Tuesday morning, the Prime Minister insisted the “only losers” if the authorities had shared more would have been the victims and their families, because it could have jeopardised a trial and delayed justice.
