Sky News spared contempt charge over British hostages release report

The attorney general, Dominic Grieve QC, has dropped contempt of court proceedings against Sky News for allegedly breaching an injunction taken out to protect the safety of the kidnapped British couple Paul and Rachel Chandler. Sky was accused of breaching an order prohibiting publication of details of the "health and welfare" of the couple as they were in the process of being released by Somali pirates in November 2010. The Chandlers were kept captive for 13 months before being freed in November 2010. A spokeswoman for the attorney general's office said: "The attorney general brought proceedings in his role as guardian of the public interest. "The attorney general has reconsidered the public interest test in the light of additional relevant information and has concluded that proceedings are no longer required." Sky had said it "scrupulously observed the terms of the injunction" and "followed the spirit, if not the letter" of the court order. The couple, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, were captured by Somali pirates in October 2009 and a ransom demand issued. Intensive media interest was thought to be damaging efforts to secure their release so the Chandler family went to the high court and were granted an interim injunction by Mr Justice Eady in July 2010 preventing publication or disclosure of any information concerning the health or welfare of the couple until they had reached a place of safety. The definition of a place of safety "specifically excluded Somalia". On 14 November 2010, the Chandlers were released and taken to Adado, a town in Somalia. Sky broadcast news of their release at 5.15am that day while they were in Adado, London's high court heard last November.