May 7, 2004
A year in jail for using a cameraphone in court
A British man sentenced to 12 months in jail for using his cameraphone to take a photograph of a man in the dock, alongside security officers and a prosecution witness giving evidence, has lost his appeal, according to the BBC.
"The man is thought to be the first imprisoned in Britain for the offence.
A judge at the appeal hearing said there was a growing problem of illegal court photos via the latest generation of mobile phones".
Clearing want to set an example in sentencing him, Judge Clark said" it was a "chilling development" and an example of how technology could disrupt a serious trial."
For other related incidents from around the world:
-- Man fined for taking a picture in South Wales court
-- Camera phones banned in Australia's courtrooms
-- Picture phones banned in Oakland County Courthouse
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