A judge has warned a journalist he could face arrest after telling a court he did not want to testify at a legal appeal launched by his editor.
Ceredigion Herald editor Thomas Sinclair is appealing a £1,500 fine handed down after he was found guilty of putting the victim of a sexual offence at risk of identification.
His case was due to be heard at Swansea Crown Court on Friday, but was postponed after Herald assistant editor Jon Coles contacted the court and said he did not want to give evidence, listing his reasons as “autism, depression and a dislike for cities and travelling.”
Craig Jones, the barrister arguing in favour of the initial conviction, told the court Jon had said that after being told he would be required as a witness he had contacted “witness protection” which the court took as meaning witness support.
Jon Coles, left, and Thomas Sinclair
Jon had then visited his doctor who had written a letter listing his health difficulties.
According to a report in the Western Telegraph, Judge Geraint Walters said it would have been better if he had been advised “not to go running to his GP” but of the danger he was in of arrest and detention.
Judge Walters said if the appeal had gone ahead and Jon had not attended he would have issued a warrant for his arrest.
Following a hearing in May, Thomas was also ordered to pay £2,150 in compensation, costs and a surcharge after being convicted by District Judge David Parsons.
It followed a report in the Ceredigion Herald on a voyeurism case which identified “familial links” between the victim and the defendant, potentially enabling the public to make a “jigsaw” identification.
Thomas had told a previous hearing that he had only “skim read” the article before it was published and said “people probably already knew who she [the victim] was.”
The appeal will now be heard on 15 September and Mr Jones said he would issue a fresh order instructing Jon to attend.
Thomas told HTFP: “It is disappointing that Jon Coles was unable to attend court today as a prosecution witness; I want the case over and done with. I wish him a speedy recovery and hope he can attend next month.
“However, following meeting counsel today, I am now more confident than ever that I will be able to prove next month that I did not break the law in relation to the publication of the voyeurism article in the Ceredigion Herald last year.”
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Is this fake news? You couldn’t make it up, could you?
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“..he had contacted “witness protection” which the court took as meaning witness support”
You really couldn’t make this stuff up
Anyone not familiar with mr Sinclairs goings on ( can there be anyone?) should click on the links above and allow a good hour or so for some of the most hilarious but true car crash moments outside of a script for The Office or Fawlty Towers, enough top quality material for someone to make a film of it but I doubt anyone would actually believe it
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I am very familiar with this persons back history of carmage and chaos with his various enterprises thanks to HTFP and the national press, the photo accompanying this latest piece just about sums it all up
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Sadly It’s things like this which add weight to the view that regional publishing is at an all time low and being run by incompetents and this latest updated piece doesn’t do much to dispel this view as having followed the bizarre trail of destruction left in his wake I’m amazed he is still allowed to trade.
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Photo caption:
” Well, that’s another fine mess you’ve gotten me into”
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A soup sandwich, that fella.
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autism, depression and a dislike for cities and travelling aren’t ideal criteria for a reporter I’d say
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I can’t imagine what it must be like to work in that newsroom
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Disgruntled. I can and I am glad I am not.
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The photo very sadly represents, and accurately sums up , the state of regional publishing in this country.
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry ….
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