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| Jurors jailed for contempt of court over internet use | Jurors jailed for contempt of court over internet use |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Two jurors have each been jailed for two months for contempt of court after one posted a comment on Facebook and the other researched a case online. | Two jurors have each been jailed for two months for contempt of court after one posted a comment on Facebook and the other researched a case online. |
| Kasim Davey, 21, of London, wrote a strongly-worded Facebook message during the trial of a man for sex offences. | Kasim Davey, 21, of London, wrote a strongly-worded Facebook message during the trial of a man for sex offences. |
| The High Court ruled he and Joseph Beard, 29, who was a juror on a separate fraud trial, "interfered with the administration of justice". | The High Court ruled he and Joseph Beard, 29, who was a juror on a separate fraud trial, "interfered with the administration of justice". |
| There have been two previous similar prosecutions of jurors. | There have been two previous similar prosecutions of jurors. |
| After the attorney general was given permission to bring the cases in April, Kasim and Davey were summoned to the High Court where two judges heard the evidence against them before deciding whether they were guilty. | After the attorney general was given permission to bring the cases in April, Kasim and Davey were summoned to the High Court where two judges heard the evidence against them before deciding whether they were guilty. |
| Strong language | Strong language |
| Davey, from Palmers Green, north London, said he had sent the Facebook message last December as a result of "spontaneous surprise at the kind of case I was on". | Davey, from Palmers Green, north London, said he had sent the Facebook message last December as a result of "spontaneous surprise at the kind of case I was on". |
| His posting - containing strong language and an offensive word - suggested he was going to find the defendant guilty, said BBC News home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw. | |
| Davey's Facebook post: read: "Woooow I wasn't expecting to be in a jury Deciding a paedophile's fate, I've always wanted to Fuck up a paedophile & now I'm within the law!" | Davey's Facebook post: read: "Woooow I wasn't expecting to be in a jury Deciding a paedophile's fate, I've always wanted to Fuck up a paedophile & now I'm within the law!" |
| The judge at Wood Green Crown Court was alerted and Davey was discharged. The defendant, Adam Kephalas, was eventually found guilty of sexual activity with a child. | The judge at Wood Green Crown Court was alerted and Davey was discharged. The defendant, Adam Kephalas, was eventually found guilty of sexual activity with a child. |
| Davey told the High Court he was unaware he had been in breach of a formal order made by the crown court judge. He accepted he was not meant to discuss the case but believed he was only restricted to using the internet to carry out research. | Davey told the High Court he was unaware he had been in breach of a formal order made by the crown court judge. He accepted he was not meant to discuss the case but believed he was only restricted to using the internet to carry out research. |
| In Beard's case, the High Court heard claims that he had wanted to find out how long the proceedings at Kingston Crown Court would take as he was worried they would drag on. | In Beard's case, the High Court heard claims that he had wanted to find out how long the proceedings at Kingston Crown Court would take as he was worried they would drag on. |
| He was said to have researched the case via the Google search engine and told fellow jurors extra information about the number of victims to the alleged fraud. | He was said to have researched the case via the Google search engine and told fellow jurors extra information about the number of victims to the alleged fraud. |
| The case was abandoned in November last year after more than five weeks when his activity came to light. The two defendants in the fraud case were later found guilty at a retrial. | The case was abandoned in November last year after more than five weeks when his activity came to light. The two defendants in the fraud case were later found guilty at a retrial. |
| 'Undermining justice' | 'Undermining justice' |
| The High Court judge, Sir John Thomas, president of the Queen's Bench Division, said "immediate custodial sentences are almost inevitable in cases of this kind". | The High Court judge, Sir John Thomas, president of the Queen's Bench Division, said "immediate custodial sentences are almost inevitable in cases of this kind". |
| In his ruling, he said that "every attempt is made to try and warn jurors not to use the internet or social sites for any purpose in relation to the case". | In his ruling, he said that "every attempt is made to try and warn jurors not to use the internet or social sites for any purpose in relation to the case". |
| He added: "They have done this so that no juror can subsequently claim that he or she did not understand what they should not do and what the consequences might be." | He added: "They have done this so that no juror can subsequently claim that he or she did not understand what they should not do and what the consequences might be." |
| But Sir John said he would invite courts to consider whether a practice adopted by some judges of also handing out a printed notice should be "universally followed". | But Sir John said he would invite courts to consider whether a practice adopted by some judges of also handing out a printed notice should be "universally followed". |
| Speaking after the case, Attorney General Dominic Grieve said jurors who use the internet to research a case "undermine justice". | Speaking after the case, Attorney General Dominic Grieve said jurors who use the internet to research a case "undermine justice". |
| Mr Grieve added: "It creates a risk that the defendant will be convicted or acquitted, not on the evidence, but on unchallenged and untested material discovered by the juror. | Mr Grieve added: "It creates a risk that the defendant will be convicted or acquitted, not on the evidence, but on unchallenged and untested material discovered by the juror. |
| "Equally, the case of Kasim Davey shows that jurors must follow the directions given to them by the trial judge not to discuss the case outside the jury room, including discussions and posts on the internet." | "Equally, the case of Kasim Davey shows that jurors must follow the directions given to them by the trial judge not to discuss the case outside the jury room, including discussions and posts on the internet." |