Goldilocks and the legal minefield

We have looked at the major areas of law; now see if you can spot them in this well-known story.

You are a journalist working for Forest News; this exclusive story comes to you from an unknown source claiming to be an eyewitness.

Dear News Editor,

I am the local Neighborhood watch representative for the Dark Woods and last night there was a terrible commotion going on at the Three Bears Cottage, I had to call the police who turned up and, in the end, arrested someone.

Anyway, I was talking to Daddy Bear today and he reliably told me what happened. I’ve known Daddy Bear 30 years; he’s not one to lie! He said that his wife had cooked some porridge for their tea last night, he’d just got home from work and because it was way too hot to eat, they thought they’d go out for a walk with their son Baby Bear.

They came home sometime later to find their house had been broken into, not only that furniture had been smashed and Baby Bear’s porridge had been stolen. Even more worrying, they eventually found the intruder, the blonde lass that I saw being arrested, asleep in his son’s bed! Some people have no shame!

Well I reckon it’s that Goldilocks lass from the other side of the woods, not only has she been missing for a couple of days but she’s got previous too – apparently she helped the Big Bad Wolf break into Old Grandmother Riding Hood’s cottage last year, nothing got done about that and I suspect this will be the same so I thought I would write to you, incase you wanted to send a reporter over? I’d be happy to talk to you; I’m fed up with the juvenile crime rate in this area! Bloody kids with nothing better to do!

Anyway, I have started looking into this to save you some time and I spoke to my friend at Forest Crown Court to see if he’d heard anything. He told me, off the record, that it is that Goldilocks girl and the police have charged her too – apparently she’s in court tomorrow, so you best be quick if you want a bit of an exclusive on this.

Yours sincerely

Mr Woodcutter

Dark Woods Neighborhood Watch

Task:

·      Identify the areas of the law that you are at risk of breaking if you publish this story

·      Decide on the best course of action for trying to overcome these areas

·      What would you need to do before you could start writing this?

·      Try and write a piece of legally safe copy stating the facts – this is a fictional scenario but a real challenge that journalists face!

·      Put all your work on your Radio News Blog

First course of action would be?

Area of law at risk of breaking and why	Is it possible to overcome this and how?
Slander The opinion is heavily involved and can influence the writer when punlishing the strory. This could ruin the public opinion of goldilocks before it has gone to court. Previous convictions should not be mentioned after contempt of court.	It is by not adding this influenced opinion into the piece and taking only the factual evidence that is provided you could write the article on this basis.
Animinty – court restrictions The baby and possibly goldilocks will be too young to mention within a publishment due to court restrictions. This means that their identity will be protected.	This could be overcome by not mentioning anything that could be connected to the younger people. This may be stating just ‘girl’ instead of her full name.
d Contempt of court. The word from the court room that are off the record are contempt of court. As the case must not be shared around before the judgement has been decided.	This could be overcome by not writing it into the report or letting it influence the piece in any way.
Baby bear is a victim of crime as he is the victom or the parents as they may locate or influence the crime.	This can be overdone but must have no clues on to the identification on the family.

Defamation

 They can not put that she committed criminal offences- unless this is confimed by the Police and needs justification. You could not argue ‘privalage’ as its from a private source and don’t yet know if its true.

She or anyone else called Golilocks can sue you for liable if its not confimed and identified properly.

Contempt of court

Goldilocks appears to have convictions- thismust be confimed and justified

The proceeding are active so impotant information must not be published although  they could publish a police appeal.

Goldilock is under 10 so she is in youth court and cannot be published. She cannot be charged with a criminal offence. If in crown court their needs a section 39 placed upon it.

The punishment is a prison sentence of upto 2 years.

Child Annonymity

Baby bear should not be mentioned as he is under 16 and under the PCC code he is a victim of crime.

Sexual offences

Goldilock in the bed means that she might be under the SOA act.

Baby bear might get life long protection along with his parents.

Child protection

Goldilocks may be a vonrable child and are subject to a care order or be a ward of court so they can not be named publically without the courts