Newspaper to face contempt charge over abandoned trial

The Sunday Mirror newspaper will face contempt of court proceedings for publishing the article which caused the collapse of the multi-million pound trial of Leeds United footballers Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate, the Attorney General said today.

In a statement, he confirmed he would apply to the Divisional Court for permission to bring proceedings against the company, but not the former editor Colin Myler.

The newspaper's publishers Mirror Group Newspapers said in a statement they had acknowledged the article could be said to be in contempt and had apologised to the Attorney General.

But it added: "We are pleased to note that the Attorney General decided not to proceed against us for common law contempt and therefore has accepted that this was not a deliberate or reckless act."

The Attorney General, Lord Williams of Mostyn QC, said the application for contempt proceedings will be made "as soon as possible".

The full statement from his office read: "The Attorney General has today informed solicitors acting for MGN Limited that he intends to apply to the Divisional Court for permission to bring proceedings against the company for contempt of court, in respect of articles published on April 8, 2001 in the Sunday Mirror.

"The application will be made as soon as possible.

The Attorney General has decided that it is not necessary to bring proceedings personally against the editor, Colin Myler."

Players Jonathan Woodgate and Lee Bowyer, and two others, are to face a retrial in October on charges of attacking student Sarfraz Najeib.

Trial judge Mr Justice Poole halted proceedings at Hull Crown Court and discharged the jury of seven men and four women (correct). The trial was in its 10th week.

The full statement from MGN read: "Following our internal investigation and advice from senior counsel we have acknowledged to the Attorney General that the article published on April 8 could be said to have been in contempt as a breach of the strict liability rule.

"We have apologised to him for that and will do so again at any court hearing.

"We are pleased to note that the Attorney General decided not to proceed against us for common law contempt and therefore has accepted that this was not a deliberate or reckless act."

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