Anthony Hudson

Anthony Hudson's principal area of practice is defamation and media law. He has a particular interest freedom of expression and privacy. He is listed as a leading junior in the media and entertainment section of Legal 500 and is described as "immensely sharp" in the defamation/privacy section of Chambers & Partners 2006, and as 'excellent' in Legal Week - 'The Entertainers'.

He regularly gives pre-publication advice to various publishers and advises several national newspapers on matters of defamation, privacy, contempt, malicious falsehood, and reporting restrictions. He regularly lectures in the UK and Europe on freedom of expression and privacy.

Defamation
Anthony Hudson advises both claimants and defendants in defamation claims.

He was junior counsel in, amongst other cases, Michael Ashcroft v. The Times; Independent Television News v. Living Marxism; and Gaddafi v. Telegraph Group Ltd.

He was junior counsel for the defendants in Reuben v. Time Inc.; and Harrods v. Dow Jones. Both of these cases involved issues relating to forum and internet publication. He his junior counsel in Yousef Jameel v. Dow Jones (appeal to the Court of Appeal challenging the presumption of damages);Yousef Jameel v. Sunday Times and the application to the European Court in Steel & Morris v. UK(McLibel), in which the European Court found a violation of the campaigners' right of freedom of expression.

He has conducted a number of libel trials in his own right.

Privacy
He regularly advises on privacy issues. He was counsel in a number of claims which seek to develop the right to privacy in English law, including Thomas v NGN; Ford v PCC; A v. UK; and Paddick v. Associated Newspapers.

Press Complaints Commission
He was junior counsel in Ford v PCC. This was a judicial review of a decision of the PCC rejecting a complaint by a public figure that her privacy had been breached.

Harassment
He was junior counsel in one of the first claims under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, against a national newspaper for alleged harassment arising from the publication of articles: Thomas.

Broadcasting Standards Commission
He has acted for complainants to the BSC.

Reporting restrictions and contempt
Anthony Hudson is regularly instructed to challenge the imposition of reporting restrictions.

In R v. London (North) Industrial Tribunal, ex p Associated Newspapers Ltd, (1998) led by Geoffrey Robertson QC, reporting restrictions imposed by an employment tribunal were successfully judicially reviewed.

He has appeared in front of the UKCC Professional Conduct Committee to obtain an order protecting the identity of a medical professional at a disciplinary hearing.

In R v. Guardian Newspapers Ltd. (2001), led by Andrew Nicol QC, a postponement order under s.4(2) of the CCA 1981, (relating to the trial of the Leeds footballers) was quashed by the Court of Appeal.

In October 2001, led by Geoffrey Robertson QC, he was instructed by CNN to apply to the Shipman Inquiry to permit broadcasting of the Inquiry.

In January 2002, he was instructed by ITN, BskyB, and LNN, to apply to the Climbie Inquiry to permit broadcasting of the video evidence of Carl Manning.

In August 2003, led by Geoffrey Robertson QC, he was instructed by ITN, BSkyB, and Channel 4 to apply to the Hutton Inquiry to permit broadcasting of the Inquiry.

Re S [2004]: injunction in Children Act proceedings amended so as to allow the identification of a child's family in criminal proceedings.

He was junior counsel (led by Andrew Nicol QC) in the Privy Council in TNT v. A-G of Trinidad & Tobago: absence of common law powers to postpone reports of open court proceedings.

In February 2006 he appeared for several media organisations to resist the imposition of reporting restrictions in the first 'double jeopardy' application by the DPP to the Court of Appeal.

Confidentiality
Anthony Hudson is regularly instructed in claims for breach of confidence and passing-off. He is junior counsel (led by Gavin Millar QC) in Mersey Care NHS Trust v. Ackroyd (disclosure of journalistic sources).

He has been instructed by national media organisations (GNL; TNL; BBC; ITN; C5) and ISPs (NTL) to resist applications by the police for the disclosure of journalistic material.

Internet
Anthony Hudson advises on freedom of speech and privacy issues relating to the Internet. He regularly advises IWF (Internet Watch Foundation) on privacy, freedom of expression, and obscenity.

Data Protection
He has a detailed knowledge of the Data Protection Act 1998 and advises on compliance with its provisions, and has been instructed in several claims brought under the DPA 1998.

Freedom of assembly
He was junior counsel in DPP v. Jones & another, a successful appeal to the House of Lords challenging a decision that there was no general freedom of assembly in England.

European Convention
He has a detailed knowledge of Articles 8 and 10 of the European Convention and has been involved in several applications to the European Commission/Court including Goodwin v. UK(journalistic sources); Wingrove v. UK(blasphemy/obscenity); Steel & Morris v. UK (libel); and A v. UK (privacy and parliamentary privilege).

Police claims
Anthony Hudson has acted in many cases involving claims both against and for police officers, including: false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, misfeasance in public office, and negligence.

Crime
Anthony Hudson is instructed in media-related criminal cases, including prosecutions under the Video Recordings Act 1984 and the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988.

He was junior counsel defending two newspaper editors prosecuted under s.39, Children and Young Persons Act 1933: Bradshaw and Briffett v CPS.

Cases:

• R v. D (Acquitted Person: Retrial) (CA) (27.2.06);
• Mersey Care NHS Trust v. Robin Ackroyd [2006] EWHC 107 (QB);
• R v. Crown Court at the Central Criminal Court ex p TNL [2006] EWCA Crim 04;
• R (on the application of Gazette Media Co Ltd) v. Teesside Crown Court [2005] EWCA Crim 1983;
• Steel & Morris v. UK (Appln no 68416/01) (15.2.05).
• Yousef Jameel v. Times Newspapers Ltd. [2005] EWHC 1219 (QB);
• Dow Jones & Co Inc. v. Yousef Abdul Latif Jameel[2005] EWCA Civ 75.
• Chan U Seek v. (1) Alvis Vehicles Ltd; (2)Guardian Newspapers Ltd [2005] 1 WLR 2965.
• TNT v. A-G of Trinidad & Tobago (power to order postponement of reports of open court proceedings) (Privy Council) [2005] 1 AC 190.
• Mersey Care NHS Trust v. Ackroyd [2003] EMLR 36 (CA) (disclosure of journalistic sources).
• Re S (A Child) [2005] 1 AC 593 (anonymity injunction in family proceedings).
• HTV v. Bristol City Council [2004] 1 WLR 2717 (DC) (right to inspect local authority accounts).
• Re X & Y (children) v. Newsquest [2004] EMLR 29.
• City of London Police Authority v. Medical Referee[2004] EWHC 897 (Admin).
• Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis v. Lennon[2004] 1 WLR 2594.
• Todd v. DPP (LTL 6/10/2003) (DC) (reporting restrictions in youth court).
• R v. Ipswich Crown Court, ex p NTL [2002] 3 WLR 1173 (JR of decision to order ISP to disclose material).
• Briffett & Bradshaw v CPS [2002] EMLR 12 (appeal against conviction for breach of s.39 order CYPA 1933).
• Esther Thomas v. News Group Newspapers Ltd. [2002] EMLR 4 (Protection from Harassment Act 1997).
• R v PCC, ex p Anna Ford [2002] EMLR 5 (JR of PCC).
• R v. Guardian Newspapers Ltd. [2001] EWCA Crim 1351 (CA) (order postponing reporting).
• Gaddafi v. Telegraph Group Ltd. (27.7.00) (LTL 22.8.00) (strike out).
• R v. Criminal Cases Review Commission, ex p Maria Pearson [1999] 3 All ER 498 (judicial review of CCRC).
• DPP v. Jones & Lloyd [1999] 2 AC 240 (freedom of assembly).
• R v. London (North) IT, ex p Associated Newspapers Ltd. [1998] ICR 1212 (reporting restrictions in employment tribunals).

Publications

• Your Rights - The Liberty Guide to Human Rights(Liberty/Pluto Press, 2000) -the right of free expression.
• European Human Rights Law Review - Special Privacy Issue 2003.
• You are so obviously and incontestably right that you are wrong, Tolley's Communication Law, Vol.8, No.4, 2003, 323.
• Fighting Words, Index on Censorship, Vol 32 4/2003.

Lectures
Anthony regularly lectures on topics relating to media law.

last updated March 2006

Year of Call

1996

Education

LLB (Hons)

Email Address

a.hudson@doughtystreet.co.uk

Specialist Teams

Anthony Hudson is a member of the following specialist law teams:

• Actions Against the police
• Human Rights
• Media and Defamation
• Public and Administrative Law