Don't risk contempt of Court.

You are quite right... look at what happened to OJ Simpson. He got away with it.

OK so he's off bounds until the case is finished.

I don't think it is quite as fierce as that Whitewave. There will be plenty in the media. Reading the David Banks site on Contempt of Court does tend to help understand what is or is not permissible to post and it is mainly aimed at the Press. Worth a read just to be on the safe side.

OK. Thanks I have no idea about what constitutes contempt. Well a tiny bit I suppose, but I am happy to err on the side of caution if it ensures that that representative of hate is appropriately punished.

No problem. My thinking was a bit woolly too until I read the information and I have two daughters who are lawyers.
Punishment or adequate help and support will depend on what unfolds.

I've just skim read Banks. Not sure how social media is going to be controlled. Defence will surely make use of that?

I think it is more that jurors, if there is a jury, will read them and be influenced. They are told not to engage with anything that might influence their view but it is very hard to monitor. I think some people have already been done for social media browsing. Do they have a jury in such a trial?

Won't it depend on what they consider to be his mental health. Mind you I suppose he could plead guilty. Job done. Save all the expense.

I warned of this re another case once before and other posters more or less told me I was being ridiculous!

I agree, Devorgilla, we would not want the trial jeopardised in any way.
However, social media being what it is now it will be difficult to pick a jury who have seen nothing prejudicial.

I presume it will only be people in London who will be called for jury.
Has that law come through yet where if you plead guilty you get a lesser sentence?

Can he plead not guilty?

Due to balance if mind?

I don't know about a lesser sentence but you are not then tried in front of a jury I think. They did suspend trial by jury in Ireland for a time during the Troubles didn't they?
The Court he was taken to is the one normally used for terrorist type crimes. My daughter says she thinks he was brought to London to be tried there as it could be argued that emotions are so high in the Yorkshire area that he would not get a fair trial. It is very hard in these circumstances I know, but everyone, no matter how heinous the crime, is entitled to a fair trial.
I gather the reason why the tweets were posted re Contempt is because the previous AG Dominic Grieve was prepared to hold in contempt blogs and tweets that jeopardise a trial. Whether that is now law and will be also implemented by the new one I don't know. Guess blogs and tweets are a bit like Pandora's Box.