The Director of Public Prosecutions has called on 36 organisations and individuals to appear before a Supreme Court hearing on April 15 to answer accusations they breached a suppression order when publishing material about the George Pell trial last year.
Among those named in documents presented to the Victorian Supreme Court are 2GB’s Ray Hadley and Chris Smith as well as Macquarie Media.
Victorian County Court Chief Judge Peter Kidd placed a non-publication order on the verdict and on all of the evidence in Pell’s trial in order to protect the proceedings of a planned second trial for unrelated offences.
The Judge was furious when a number of outlets alluded to the verdict, without actually naming Pell, while the suppression order was still in place.
The second trial was subsequently dropped and the Judge left contempt charges in the hands of prosecutors.
The DPP is seeking orders of imprisonment as well as fines as an additional or alternative penalty and convictions.
The 36 Respondents:
- Macquarie Media Limited
- Chris Smith
- Ray Hadley
- The Herald and Weekly Times Pty Ltd
- Damon Johnston
- Charis Chang
- News Life Media Pty Ltd
- Queensland Newspapers Pty Ltd
- Sam Weir
- The Geelong Advertiser Pty Ltd
- Andrew Piva
- Nationwide News Pty Ltd
- Ben English
- Lachlan Hastings
- Advertiser Newspapers Pty Ltd
- Michael Owen-Brown
- Fairfax Media Limited
- The Age Company Pty Ltd
- Alex Lavelle
- Ben Woodhead
- Patrick O’Neil
- Michael Bachelard
- Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd
- Lisa Davies
- Michael Stutchbury
- Patrick Durkin
- Danielle Cronin
- Franziska Rimrod
- Mamamia.com.au
- Jessica Chambers
- Allure Media Pty Ltd
- Simon Thomsen
- Nine Entertainment Co Pty Ltd
- Lara Vella
- Christine Ahern
- Deborah Knight