BBC fined £28,000 for broadcasting High Court hearing

The BBC has been fined £28,000 for broadcasting a recording of a High Court case on an evening news bulletin.

The BBC admitted broadcasting a six-second clip of a judicial review case during a BBC South East Today report last November.

Recording and broadcasting proceedings from courts in England and Wales is prohibited.

The BBC "apologised unreservedly for the mistakes" that led to the clip being aired, a spokesman said.

The broadcaster had "taken extensive action to prevent them from happening again", he added.

On 17 November, Mr Justice Holgate was hearing an appeal for a judicial review of Surrey County Council's decision to grant planning permission for "fracking" operations at a site at Horse Hill, near Horley.

Producers for BBC South East Today recorded the appeal, which took place over a video conferencing call.

Since March last year, many court hearings have been conducted online as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Lawyers acting for the BBC described the clip then being used as "wallpaper" to help illustrate the news report.

Although there was audio, nothing of what was being said could be made out clearly.

In a High Court ruling on Wednesday, two senior judges said the problem "could and probably would have been avoided" if the BBC had taken more "proactive steps" to ensure journalists were aware of the rules.

The report was swiftly removed from the BBC iPlayer.

Following the broadcast, a memo was circulated to journalists at the BBC setting out restrictions on filming and broadcasting court proceedings.