PRESS RELEASE

22nd December 2010

CPS drop another extreme pornography case

The Crown Prosecution Service in Newcastle have dropped extreme pornography charges after solicitor Myles Jackman of Audu and Co, who has now successfully represented a number of extreme pornography defendants, requested access to the original evidence for an expert witness’ report.

The evidence could not be produced.

CPS concluded “without the image in question, we do not believe that we have a realistic prospects of success”.

A Backlash spokesperson, (1) the sexual civil liberties organisation who put the defendant in contact with his specialist legal team, said “Most lawyers don’t understand this law and advise their clients to plead guilty.”

“This case illustrates yet again – as with the infamous Tiger joke defendant (2, 3 & 4) – that only a thorough and informed approach such as Mr Jackman undertakes prevents the miscarriages of justice and ruined lives that result from an ill-conceived, insufficiently researched, ineptly written and incompetently prosecuted law.”

“This law is a waste of valuable legal aid and police resources. It should be repealed”.

Ends

Notes for editors

(1) Backlash http://www.backlash.org.uk/ is an umbrella organisation providing legal, academic and campaigning resources defending freedom of sexual expression.

(2) www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/6918001/Man-cleared-of-porn-charge-after-tiger-sex-image-found-to-be-joke.html

(3) www.backlash.org.uk/?page_id=856

(4) www.theregister.co.uk/2010/08/06/tiger_freed/

For further information, or for interview, please contact:

Myles Jackman on myles ampersand backlash-uk.org.uk