28/01/2004

Lord Hutton considers legal action against newspapers

Retired senior judge Lord Justice Hutton who published the findings of his inquiry into the death of government scientist Dr David Kelly on Wednesday lunchtime is considering taking legal action against newspapers that carried reports on his findings this morning.

Lord Hutton said it was "regrettable" that the newspapers had chosen to report some of his findings just half a day before the full findings of the Hutton report were published.

Concluding his televised report of his findings today, Lord Hutton said that he was giving "urgent consideration" to what investigative and legal action he would take against the papers and their source.

The former Law Lord had previously warned the media that should any of the reports findings be published in advance of the Wednesday afternoon embargo that he would consider action.

The Sun, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp empire published partial findings of the Hutton report in this morning's edition of the paper.

(SP)

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