A paramedic charged with murdering his three-month-old son can now be named after a judge lifted his own anonymity order.

In October, the Common Serjeant of London Judge Brian Barker made the order under Section 39 of the Children and Young Persons Act banning the media from naming or giving the occupation of Gavin Gibbs.

The 41-year-old, from Erith in Kent, has been remanded on bail to face trial in June for the murder of his son Charles after he died from a head injury in October last year.

Another hearing on the issue was held last month following protests from the press and a written submission from the Press Association, reports Media Lawyer.

They argued that the court clearly had no power to make the original anonymity order.

The judge said then that he agreed with the view expressed by the Press Association and other journalists but gave the defence time to make representations who argued that naming Gibbs would identify another child.

Judge Barker yesterday amended what he called the order he had made, saying: “I am satisfied that the order I made originally is not proper in law.”

He initially made the order because of linked proceedings in the Family Division of the High Court, he said.

Zoe Johnson, for the prosecution, backed the press. “The purpose of a Section 39 order is to balance between open justice and open and fair reporting, and the protection of children,” she said.

“However nicely it is dressed up, it is not there to provide some short of shield for the defendant.”