Three news organisations have written to a judge asking him to lift a ban on a paedophile who was allowed to remain anonymous, on the basis that naming him could embarrass his family.

The original story was reported in the Croydon Advertiser and the Croydon Guardian, thanks to freelance Bill Bailey, who was in court to get the news.

Now, Trinity Mirror, Newsquest and Times Newspapers Ltd are challenging the judge’s order on the basis that the court does not have the power to impose a permanent ban on identifying the defendant.

The anonymity order was made under section 4 (2) of the Contempt of Court Act 1981, which allows a court to order the postponement of publication of reports of proceedings or parts of proceedings if contemporaneous publication would create a serious risk of substantial prejudice to those or other proceedings.

Croydon Guardian assistant editor Danny Brierley told Media Lawyer: "If left unchallenged this case could set a precedent which would allow other offenders to remain anonymous."

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