Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, AKA Tommy Robinson, has today been sentenced to 6 months in prison for committing contempt of court by filming outside Leeds Crown Court during a trial. He was committed to prison for a further 3 months for a previous contempt.

In May 2018, Yaxley-Lennon live-streamed a video outside Leeds Crown Court that contained information in breach of reporting restrictions. He also approached defendants and told his followers to “harass them”.

On 5 July, the High Court found Yaxley-Lennon to be in contempt of court, because:

• His online publication of details about the criminal case involved a breach of a reporting restriction order imposed under s4(2) of the Contempt of Court Act 1981.

• The content of what he published online gave rise to a substantial risk that the course of justice in the criminal case would be seriously impeded, thereby amounting to a breach of the rule of contempt law known as “the strict liability rule”.

• By aggressively confronting and filming some of the defendants in that case as they arrived at court, he interfered with the course of justice.

The court concluded that his conduct in each of these respects amounted to a serious interference with the administration of justice.

Speaking after the sentencing, the Attorney General said:

Today’s sentencing of Yaxley-Lennon serves to illustrate how seriously the courts will take matters of contempt.

Posting material online that breaches reporting restrictions or risks prejudicing legal proceedings has consequences, and I would urge everyone to think carefully about whether their social media posts could amount to contempt of court.

Note to editors

The Attorney General was granted permission to bring proceedings on the basis of:

1. Publishing information that was subject to a restriction prohibiting any reporting of the trial until a later, related trial had concluded
2. Publishing a video encouraging his followers to harass the defendants, creating a substantial risk that their rights would be seriously impeded
3. Illegally photographing and intimidating defendants as they entered court

The new Incentives Policy Framework will provide overall consistency while giving Governors greater flexibility to tailor programmes that address the specific situation in their prison.

Among the new initiatives is the removal of the low ‘entry’ level of privileges which was felt to effectively punish new prisoners and create an adversarial relationship with staff from the outset.

The revised scheme has been developed following consultation with prison Governors and other stakeholders. It is built on evidence that shows positive reinforcement is much more effective at shaping behaviour than punishment, while also encouraging lasting behavioural change and rehabilitation.

For those who don’t follow the rules or engage, however, a strict system of adjudications ensures that Governors are able to act swiftly. Punishments range from the removal of privileges to harsher measures such as prosecution and additional prison time.

Justice Secretary David Gauke said:

This new framework gives Governors the tools to set clear behavioural standards for prisoners – enhancing their ability to maintain stability while steering offenders away from a life of crime.

Under the changes being introduced, the new system also:

• Retains the three privilege levels: basic, standard and enhanced, but removes ‘entry level’, which Governors say is bureaucratic and penalises prisoners who are new – setting up an adversarial relationship with staff from the outset
• Emphasises that staff should consistently use verbal reinforcement for good behaviour and challenge poor behaviour outside formal reviews
• Requires Governors to immediately review prisoner incentives after single serious incidents of bad behaviour with a strong presumption that such incidents lead to downgrade
• Gives Governors the freedom to increase the amount of time out of cell for recreational activities or exercise alongside education and work programmes
• Prisoners that behave well and engage in meaningful activities such as education and employment programmes could receive privileges such as more time in the gym or additional visits
• Establishes local ‘incentive forums’ – comprised of staff and prisoners – to review the fairness and effectiveness of the policy locally, delivering on recommendation 24 of the Lammy Review
• Will retain sensible limitations on Governors’ freedoms, so that, for example, no paid-for TV channels or other inappropriate incentives are permitted.

A senior executive at the Sellafield site since 2000, Paul became Managing Director then the first Chief Executive of Sellafield Ltd in 2016.

As Chief Executive, Paul has overseen unprecedented progress in the mission to make Sellafield safer, sooner.

This progress includes: removing the majority of spent fuel from the world’s oldest nuclear fuel pond; creating access routes in to the world’s oldest nuclear fuel store and the start of the removal of materials from some of the world’s most hazardous nuclear facilities.

In the process, Paul established Sellafield Ltd as a business that delivers more value for money than ever before; Sellafield Ltd is on target to deliver £1.4 billion in efficiencies by 2020 and has pledged a further £1 – £1.4 billion to government by 2029.

As part of delivering these successes, Paul oversaw the introduction of new terms and conditions across Sellafield Ltd and successfully managed the completion of nuclear fuel reprocessing at Thorp, whilst ensuring that every person working at the plant remained in employment. Paul has also Identified and started to tackle issues with regard to equality, diversity and inclusion, including taking personal action to address bullying and harassment.

In recent months, Paul has overseen the creation of a new 20-year, multi-billion-pound partnership contract between Sellafield Ltd and the supply chain partners (PPP) that will enable more progress to be made at Sellafield.

As the first Chief Executive of Sellafield Ltd, Paul has established a new approach towards how the company acts as a responsible corporate citizen. Under Paul’s leadership, Sellafield Ltd has recruited record numbers of apprentices, and our new approach towards the social impact of Sellafield’s operations has seen Sellafield Ltd invest over £40 million in projects of benefit to the communities closest to the site since 2015, including:

• a £10 million investment in the new Campus Whitehaven
• £1.75 million in the new WELL Project designed to lift educational attainment levels in every West Cumbrian classroom
• £3.6 million into new economic growth and diversification projects in Whitehaven
• the creation of a new community apprenticeships scheme providing apprenticeships for 50 people.

Paul Foster said:

It has been an incredible privilege to serve as the first Chief Executive of Sellafield Ltd. I have had the pleasure to work alongside some remarkable people on a mission of acute national importance and together, we have ensured that more progress than ever before is being made at Sellafield.

As a new business, Sellafield Ltd is providing more value for the taxpayer than at any point previously. We are making Sellafield safer, sooner, investing in the local community and changing the business to ensure future success for the taxpayer, government, NDA, our workforce and our local communities.

Five years is a significant amount of time to spend as Chief Executive in any organisation. It is the right time to seek a new challenge and I know that the Sellafield workforce will continue to be successful in the future.

Sellafield Ltd Chairman, Lorraine Baldry, said:

Paul has delivered unprecedented progress across the Sellafield site and business and his achievements will be lasting. Five years is a considerable amount of time to serve in such a challenging role and I’m grateful for everything that Paul has achieved. I wish him every future success.

NDA Chief Executive, David Peattie, said:

I’d like to thank Paul for his five years leading the organisation and for his support in building a stronger NDA group. His legacy of cleaning-up the UK’s largest and most complex nuclear site is one of national importance.

Sellafield Ltd today is a stronger organisation because of Paul’s leadership, progressing hazard and risk reduction on the site and supporting the goals of the UK nuclear decommissioning programme.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has been investigating the proposed takeover by LN-Gaiety Holdings Limited – a joint venture between Live Nation Entertainment Inc (Live Nation) and Gaiety Investments – of MCD Productions Unlimited Company (MCD).

Both companies run music festivals, whilst MCD also promotes live music events. Live Nation manages artists, operates venues and provides ticketing services through Ticketmaster – which it owns.

Following its initial Phase 1 investigation, the CMA is concerned that the deal could result in less competition in the music promotion industry in Northern Ireland.

There are only a few rival music promoters in the region and they mainly rely on Ticketmaster to sell tickets to their events. As Live Nation already owns Ticketmaster, the CMA is concerned that if it were to acquire MCD, it may be able to stop rival promoters selling tickets through that platform post-merger. This could result in less competition in promotion services to artists, leading to higher prices for concert goers, as well as a smaller variety of live music events to choose from.

The CMA has also considered other aspects of the companies’ businesses, such as music festivals and access to music venues, but does not have competition concerns in these areas.

If the merging businesses are unable to address the CMA’s concerns, the deal will be referred for an in-depth Phase 2 investigation to be carried out by a group of independent CMA panel members.

For more information, visit the LN-Gaiety Holdings / MCD Productions merger inquiry page.

The move underlines the Government’s commitment to press freedom and the safety of journalists to operate in the UK and comes as the Foreign Secretary hosts an International Conference for Media Freedom in London.

The Committee will be asked to devise a National Action Plan on the Safety of Journalists and ensure that those who threaten journalists are held to account. The plan will examine current protections offered to journalists in the UK, and consider how to work together to build on existing strengths.

DCMS Secretary of State Jeremy Wright said:

With rising disinformation and threats against the media, the UK’s strong and independent press is a beacon of freedom that this Government is committed to supporting and preserving.

The Committee will champion journalists’ ability to safely carry out their important roles in society and to continue to hold the powerful to account. This is part of our broader commitment to ensuring the future sustainability of hiqh-quality, public interest news.

The announcement follows a recommendation to its member states by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the world’s largest security oriented inter-governmental organisation.

Membership of the Committee is to be decided, but the intention is that it will bring together representatives from journalism organisations and relevant government departments.

It is envisaged the Committee will make recommendations to Government, but will not be able to interfere with the independence of the press.

DCMS will now engage across government and more widely to agree the terms of reference and membership of the Committee.

As well as supporting media freedom in the UK, the Government has also made clear its commitment to promoting this freedom abroad. It is encouraging all governments at the Global Conference for Media Freedom to commit to developing a National Action Plan.

The establishment of the Committee is in line with the Government’s objectives on reinforcing the rules-based international system and supporting a prominent UK role in the United Nations and OSCE post-Brexit.

The conference is a key part of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s international campaign to shine a global spotlight on media freedom and increase the cost to those who are attempting to restrict it.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

• The International Conference on Media Freedom is taking place on 10 and 11 July in London, co-hosted with the Canadian Government.

• In the context of recent attacks, threats, and murders of journalists, in April 2019 the OSCE urged member states to establish “a national committee for safety of journalists which would gather representatives of the prosecutor’s office, the police and journalist associations to verify that all attacks and threats are properly investigated, improve procedures if needed; propose protection measures when necessary and implement preventive action to reinforce the security of journalists.”