The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has secured a second victory for open justice in three weeks after challenging an order by Avon & Somerset Police’s top officer to hold a misconduct hearing in private.
Former DC Scott Burton’s case was due to be heard behind closed doors after Chief Constable Sarah Crew initially ruled that this was the only way to protect the identity and welfare of his child victim, who received sexual messages from the ex-detective, and her family.
But Bristol Live and the LDRS successfully argued that it was the duty and responsibility of the media, not the chief of police, to decide how hearings like this should be reported to the public in a sensitive manner while ensuring the youngster is not identified. It comes after we persuaded Chief Constable Crew last month to lift an anonymity order on another discreditable cop, PC Kevin Curd.
