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Weekly beats naming ban over death crash marine

A weekly newspaper overturned an anonymity order in court for the first time in its 56-year history over the case of a royal marine involved in a fatal road accident while drunk .

The Cheddar Valley Gazette made representations at Taunton Crown Court after 29-year-old Benjamin Moore admitted causing death by driving while over the alcohol limit.

Solicitors representing Moore had obtained the identity order under section 11 of the Contempt of Court Act from magistrates on the grounds of ‘protection’.

The Northcliffe weekly then made representations to Recorder Rosaleen Collins at Taunton Crown Court and defending barrister Malcolm Galloway did not object to it being removed.

The charge relates to the death of a 40-year-old local pub landlady who died five days after being struck by a car in Rodney Stoke, near Cheddar, in July last year.

Moore, who has now been released on bail pending sentencing, had pleaded not guilty to the more serious charge of causing death by dangerous driving and this was removed by prosecuting solicitors.

News editor Laura Thorpe said: “The Cheddar Valley Gazette pulled off a real coup getting this section 11 order overturned.

“Our reporter made sure he was well prepared when he arrived at court and had done a lot of research.

“The information was presented to the recorder in a letter and accepted straight away.”