Should sex offence suspects be granted anonymity?

Whether those accused of sexual offences should be entitled to anonymity, particularly pre-charge, is a thorny topic. Writing in NLJ, Patricia Londono, Red Lion Chambers, considers the recent Supreme Court case of Khuja v Times Newspapers Ltd [2017] UKSC 49.

The court dismissed an anonymity request by a man who was arrested along with other child rape and child trafficking suspects, but subsequently not charged. In doing so, Londono says, the court held that a degree of ‘collateral impact’ is the price to be paid for open justice.