InBrief

The New South Wales Bar Association's proceedings against Nationwide News were concluded before Chief Magistrate Henson this morning in courtroom 5.6 of the Downing Centre.

Counsel for Nationwide News drew the court’s attention to the unreserved apology to referees for Dr Patrick Power published in the Telegraph on 7 July and acknowledged that those who provide such references perform an important function within the legal system.�He�stated that The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph accepted that the provision of character references is a normal and necessary part of our criminal justice system and that those who provide such references perform an important function within that legal system.�He added that the fact that a person provides a reference in a criminal case does not in any way mean that the person condones the criminal conduct to which the case relates.�He made it clear that the newspapers accepted that Dr Power’s referees were simply fulfilling this important function. � In the light of the statement made on behalf of Nationwide News, the Bar Association withdrew its application. The chief magistrate ordered that the application be dismissed with no orders as to costs. � A full transcript will appear in In Brief once it has been received from the Local Court.

20 November 2007