'Standard' faces contempt action

The High Court yesterday gave the go-ahead for contempt proceedings to be brought against the London Evening Standard over publication of a story which led to the trial of six alleged Whitemoor prison escapees being abandoned.

The Attorney-General, John Morris QC, in a case initiated by his predecessor Sir Nicholas Lyell, was granted leave to apply for court orders punishing Associated Newspapers, Standard editor Max Hastings and journalist Mark Honigsbaum.

The story, headlined "Alcatraz-on-Thames", was published on 22 January and included photographs of three of the trial defendants with captions referring to their IRA connections and the terrorist nature of the convictions for which they were serving time.

Next day, the Woolwich Crown Court trial was permanently "stayed" by Mr Justice Maurice Kay, who had ruled a week earlier that no reference to such matters should be made during the hearing.