Justice secretary Shabana Mahmood suggested that shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick risked the collapse of a trial after being criticised in court for tweeting about an active murder case. Jenrick posted a since-deleted message on X during the Elias Morgan trial describing the victim, Lenny Scott, as exposing corruption and calling for radical change. The defence counsel called the post appalling, outrageous and egregious, and prosecutors raised it to the judge amid fears it could prejudice proceedings and amount to contempt of court. Mahmood said politicians must maintain system integrity and warned of repercussions for risking contempt. Elias Morgan received a minimum 45-year sentence.
I do think that it's incumbent on politicians of all stripes to play their part in maintaining the integrity of our system. Certainly if a Labour politician, and somebody whose behaviour I could more directly influence through our party structures was, for example, risking the collapse of a trial, it [sic] would be repercussions. Needless to say, no parliamentarian should be risking a contempt [of court] and the possibility of a murderer walking free.
The Liverpool Echo reported that Jenrick's tweet, described as appalling, outrageous and egregious by the defence counsel, was raised in court during the trial because of fears it could prejudice proceedings and amount to contempt of court.
Lenny exposed corruption and took on the gangster controlling a prison wing. He received threats to his life, but he was left unsupported. Four years later he was shot dead. That will enrage any decent person. We need radical change, now.
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