London's High Court has ruled Essex Police need to rethink their name and shame posters.

Convicted burglar Gary Ellis objected to his mugshot being used in the poster campaign aimed at discouraging crime in Brentwood.

While accepting that such a scheme might well be in the public interest and would not necessarily be unlawful, the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Woolf, said further "appraisal and monitoring" were needed before it became reality.

The Chief Constable of Essex agreed to reconsiderwhether it would be right to feature Gary Ellis on a poster bearing the headline: "If you come to Brentwood to commit crime, expect to do the time".

But Lord Woolf said it was important to note that "this was a genuine initiative by the police with an objective that is in the public interest" - the reduction of crime and the promotion of public confidence in the police and criminal justice system.

He said against the scheme the court had to consider adverse consequences which could arise including a danger the scheme "may be detrimental to rehabilitation".

Spokesman for Essex police Supt Peter Coltman said: "The focus of this initiative has always been crime prevention about dissuading individuals from committing crime and reassuring residents that Essex police will not tolerate crime."

Published Thursday, June 12, 2003

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