THE government has U-turned on a decision to delete a huge archive of Britain’s court records.
Courtsdesk helped more than 1,500 reporters monitor the country’s magistrates and search previous cases.
The Government has made another U-turn – this time backtracking on plans to shut down Courtsdesk – which helped The Sun expose paedophiles who are dodging jail timeCredit: Getty
Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy praised Courtsdesk’s vital role in exposing criminal behaviour but warned the archive should never have been at riskCredit: PA
The Sun used it to expose the number of paedophiles who are dodging jail time despite being found with thousands of sex abuse images of children.
But the and its data wiped after it said it had breached its terms by using AI to analyse records.
The MoJ has now written to Courtsdesk asking for the deletion to be paused while talks take place to see if a solution can be reached.
Enda Leahy, chief executive of Courtsdesk, said: “We are very grateful this letter arrived when it did.
“The government’s decision to open a dialogue and invite us to apply for a new licence is a very positive development and one we welcome without reservation.”
Nick Timothy MP, Shadow Justice Secretary, said: “It’s another screeching U-turn from this flailing Labour government.
“Under pressure from campaigners, journalists, survivors and the Conservatives, is no longer hitting the delete button on court records.
“Courtsdesk has provided a vital service, and it is right that this vital database should be preserved.
“If we are going to stop the and expose other patterns of criminal behaviour, we need comprehensive and accurate data.
“But the sad truth is that the archive should never have been put at risk in the first place. needs to get a grip of his department and put the public first.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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