High Court upholds naming and shaming

Young offender charities have criticised last week’s High Court
decision to uphold the public naming and shaming of three teenagers
on antisocial behaviour orders.

Personal details and photographs of the boys aged 15, 16, and 18
were distributed to thousands of homes and posted on the internet.

The boys claimed their right to protection of their private and
family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human
Rights had been infringed by the widespread publicity after the
Asbos were obtained by the Metropolitan Police and Brent
Council.

The judges ruled that the publicity was “justified, reasonable and
proportionate” and dismissed applications for judicial
review.

But Frances Crook, director of the Howard League for Penal Reform,
which has called for Asbos for children to be abolished, warned
that the judgement put young people at risk.

“Evidence from local authorities suggests that their intention is
not to create a safer society but to exploit young people for their
own political purposes to show they are doing something about
crime,” she said.