The Manchester Evening News is writing to Home Secretary David Blunkett after a court refused to consider an application to name a 17-year-old in court for dangerous driving.

The youth almost killed a 67-year-old lollipop lady and left a young boy paralysed as he raced another car in a busy town centre.

He could not be identified because magistrates refused to lift youth court reporting restrictions imposed because of his age – and then failed to consider a written request from the newspaper submitted after a previous appearance, saying the application had to be made in person.

But there was no reporter present because the paper was unaware the youth was due to appear: he was arrested and sentenced within 90 minutes.

The newspaper had been checking daily to see when he would be appearing, but missed out because of the swift dispensation of justice.

Defendants in the youth court are automatically granted anonymity but the magistrates can name them if they agree it is in the public interest.

The paper used a photo of the youth gesturing at the camera but blanked out his face to prevent identification.

The letter to the Government is demanding a re-think on the naming ban.

The Home Office issued a statement, which the paper printed, saying: “The Home Office and the Lord Chancellor’s department has issued a good practice guide, Youth Court 2001 – the Changing Culture of the Youth Court, to the courts earlier this year.

“It encourages the lifting of reporting restrictions where appropriate but, of course, the final decision is a matter for the courts.”

A subsequent MEN “postbag” debate on the naming issue brought hundreds of callers forward – 97 per cent believing the teenager should be named.

Several Labour MPs, colleagues of the Home Secretary, also asked for a re-think on the ban.

Back to the law index

Do you have a story about the regional press? Ring 0116 227 3122/3121, or
e-mail [email protected]