Official Secrets Act
Ponting admitted revealing the information and was charged with a criminal offence under Section 2 of the Official Secrets Act of 1911. His defence was that the matter was in the public interest and its disclosure to a Member of Parliament was protected by Parliamentary Privilege.
Although Ponting fully expected to be imprisoned – and had brought his toothbrush and shaving kit along to the court on 11 February 1985 – he was acquitted by the jury. The acquittal came despite the judge's direction to the jury that "the public interest is what the government of the day says it is". He resigned from the civil service on 16 February 1985.
Read more about this topic: Clive Ponting
Other articles related to "official secrets act, act, official":
... The phrase official secrets act may also be used to refer to statutes of a similar nature in other countries ... Canada's Official Secrets Act was replaced in 2001 by similar legislation titled the Security of Information Act (which was created in the wake of September 11th 2001 ... The United States does not have any Official Secrets Act, although the Espionage Act of 1917 has similar components ...
1 of the Official Secrets Act 1911 Cmnd ... at the home of Squadron Leader Peter John Reen RAF, to which he had official access before he retired in 1961 Cmnd ... in which Miss Helen Mary Keenan, typist in the Cabinet Office, had been charged under the Official Secrets Act 1911 Cmnd ...
... These powers have been exercised by the following instruments The Official Secrets Act 1989 (Prescription) Order 1990 (S.I. 1990/200) The Official Secrets Act 1989 (Prescription) (Amendment) Order 1993 (S.I. 1993/847) The Official Secrets Act 1989 (Prescription) (Amendment) Order 2003 (S.I ...
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