Killer wins newspaper photo ban

The Sunday Life newspaper has been banned from printing unpixilated photographs of a convicted sex killer.

A High Court judge ruled unobscured pictures of Ken Callaghan, 40, could not be published in the media.

Callaghan beat Carol Gouldie, 21, to death with a hammer in 1987. He was ordered to serve at least 21 years in jail. His tariff expired last October.

He sought an injunction against the paper's plans to print photos taken while he was on a pre-release scheme.

Lawyers for Sunday Life publisher Independent News and Media argued the newspaper wanted to show Callaghan's facial features as part of a campaign to alert people who may come into contact with him.

In effect the defendant is seeking to introduce its own Megan's Law, irrespective of whether it is in the public interest Mr Justice Stephens

But Mr Justice Stephens found that printing unpixelated photographs of Callaghan would identify his precise whereabouts.

He said: "The publication will increase the risk to the public by disrupting the first plaintiff's home employment and support networks."

"Such disruption is recognised as factors increasing the risk of re-offending and therefore the risk of harm to the public."

The judge said that monitoring and supervision was being carried out by the Prison Service, the police and Probation Service.

I feel that Callaghan has been treated like the victim in all of this Sharon McWilliams Carol Gouldie's sister

"In effect the defendant is seeking to introduce its own Megan's Law, irrespective of whether it is in the public interest and without proper regard for the accuracy of what they have published."

Mr Justice Stephens also imposed a ban on revealing Callaghan's address, any place of work or travel arrangements.

He said Callaghan posed a low to medium risk of re-offending without the publication of unpixelated photographs.

Carol Gouldie's sister Sharon McWilliams said she was "disappointed" with the judgement.

"I don't want his picture shown so that someone could do him harm," she said.

"I feel that Callaghan has been treated like the victim in all of this."