Senior court judge Lord Justice Leveson has sent out a reminder to his colleagues on the importance of using a booklet - Reporting Restrictions in the Crown Court - as a guide during court cases.
It follows a complaint from Media Lawyer editor Mike Dodd who raised concerns over a reporting ban imposed at Ipswich Crown Court. The guide book was first introduced in 2000, as a way of transforming the relationship between the court and the media. Editors in print and online journalism are now being encouraged to speak openly with resident court judges in order to resolve any issues concerning restrictions.

A serious overnight fire in Exeter was covered by the Express and Echo ahead of print and broadcast competitors.
By 11am the paper had published three breaking stories on the website and uploaded both a video and picture slideshow. The video report was put together by Sarah Elliott, formerly of Northcliffe Electronic Publishing, who is now training as a journalist.

A Sheffield journalist has won the Travel Journalist of the Year award at an annual ceremony.
Stephen McClarence, a columnist with the Sheffield Star, was awarded the prize by English Northwest Tourism for his writings on India and the Far East.

An Ipswich Evening Star campaign to help set up a rehabilitation and refuge centre for local street girls affected by drugs has been supported by music band The Proclaimers.
The band donated signed merchandise towards an auction aimed at raising money for the Somebody’s Daughter Campaign. The campaign was launched in memory of the five female victims who were killed while working in the red light district of Ipswich in 2006.

Fraser Kemp, Labour MP for Houghton and Washington, is backing the Sunderland Echo’s Turn a Leaf campaign to recognise the importance of teaching children to read and write.

Liverpool Echo journalist, Ewan Ross, has scooped a national Games Media award during a ceremony to recognise the country’s best gaming writers. It is the first year the awards, which were sponsored by gaming giants Sony and Nintendo, have been staged.
Ewan, who writes a weekly games column for the Echo, held off strong competition from a number of contenders to win top spot in the regional games column category.