April 2011 Judge refuses application for gagging order in child porn case A JUDGE has refused to make a gagging order which would have allowed a man found with child pornography to keep the conviction secret. A previous order made unlawfully at Grimsby Crown Court was overturned and a new application for a blanket ban on reporting the case was thrown out Christopher Hammond, 21, of Cleethorpes, admitted making indecent images of children on July 31, 2008. At an earlier hearing in September, defence barrister Gordon Stables asked for a blanket ban to be imposed on reporting the case and this was approved by Recorder Eric Elliott QC. But, at a resumed hearing, Judge Graham Robinson ruled that it was “clear there was no jurisdiction to make such an order”. He told the court: “At the moment, there is no valid order. I can’t allow that to continue.” He said the argument of Mr Stables, that problems would be caused for Hammond’s family if the case were reported, “got nowhere near justifying” a gagging order. Judge Robinson said: “If there is suppression, particularly in a case of this nature, it will be said that the court are seeking to keep secret a conviction the community is entitled to know about. There is all sorts of concern in the press about gagging orders and superinjunctions. There are consequences to offending.” Mr Stables later admitted that the previous gagging order made on the case should not have been made and that his latest application was mistaken and could not proceed. Jeremy Evans, prosecuting, said police discovered a total of 23 images, including movies, on a computer as a result of a search of Hammond’s home as part of another investigation in to other unfounded allegations. Hammond was given a three-year supervision order, including a sex offender treatment programme, and was told to register as a sex offender for five years.