View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
August 11, 2005updated 22 Nov 2022 4:26pm

MEN wins the right to name racist gang

By Press Gazette

By Sarah Lagan

Manchester Evening News district journalist Dean Kirby successfully
challenged a Section 49 order to name five white teenagers responsible
for an horrific attack on three Asian schoolboys.

An argument had broken out between the gang and the Asian boys and
the following day they came to their school with about 100 youths,
chased the Asian boys and assaulted them.

The MEN wrote to the
court in advance of the case to ask that the restrictions be lifted.
Kirby, who writes for the paper’s Oldham and Rochdale edition,
requested at Rochdale Youth Court that district judge Alan Berg remove
the automatic reporting restriction on the grounds of public interest
and that justice needed to be seen to be done. The judge agreed to lift
the ban.

Deputy news editor Amanda Killelea said: “We felt it was
important that those responsible for such a serious crime were made an
example of and it was a matter of public interest for them to be
identified.”

Three of the attackers, aged between 15 and 17, received custodial sentences and one was given a supervision order.

The fifth fled the court during the case and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

The MEN reported the case on its front page and included an interview with one of the victims on page four.

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network