AddThis SmartLayers

Regional daily reporter blocks anonymity bid in teacher misconduct case

danrussell nottinghampostA regional daily journalist has blocked an attempt to give retrospective anonymity to witnesses in a misconduct hearing against a former primary school headteacher.

Nottingham Post education reporter Dan Russell, pictured left, was covering an education tribunal involving former headteacher Margaret Gretton who is accused of racist behaviour, bullying staff and yelling at children.

Gretton was sacked from her position at Burton Joyce primary school near Nottingham last year after allegations of gross misconduct.

The hearing of the National College for Teaching and Leadership, in Coventry, was well into its second day when counsel for the tribunal applied for retrospective anonymity for all witnesses.

At that point in proceedings, some of the names of those involved had already been published on news websites and social media.

The lawyer said some witnesses found giving evidence in front of a public audience “hard to cope with” and were not in favour of having their names made public.

Dan phoned Post editor Mike Sassi for advice and then asked the tribunal to reject the application, arguing that the principle of open justice demanded that witnesses in a public hearing should not be able to hide behind anonymity.

As a result, the application was temporarily set aside.

Said Mike: “We will challenge any future attempt to impose reporting restrictions.”

2 comments

You can follow all replies to this entry through the comments feed.
  • March 24, 2015 at 2:37 pm
    Permalink

    This is a difficult one.
    If the tribunal is an open one then it is difficult to introduce anonymity for witnesses – and as here, at a late stage.
    But some common sense should prevail on the part of the publisher as this is still a workplace disciplinary hearing and one would not expect to appear as a witness at, say an internal hearing at your factory, office – even a newspaper office, and have your name in the papers.
    We might live in a media savvy age of celebrity but most people still face speaking in public with fear and trepidation. Those seeking all the facts and the truth at these tribunals are not doing anything wrong by protecting nervous witnesses.

    Report this comment

    Like this comment(5)