Richard Rampton: A legal genius

I was saddened to read that renowned defamation lawyer Richard Rampton, KC, died just before New Year. His was an extraordinary career, detailed here in this Guardian obituary.

One small aside is that Richard represented me when I was charged with contempt of court in 1993 and something he said to me has remained a part of me ever since.

I had received a letter from the Attorney General asking me to explain why I had committed contempt and to give good reason why I should not be sent to prison.

I was editing The Northern Echo in 1992 when a special constable, Glenn Goodman, was shot dead in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire. The speculation was that it was an IRA hit.

When the killer was arrested five days later, he was indeed an IRA activist. ITN named him on the Six O'clock News and mentioned that he had previous convictions, including killing an SAS officer. I ran the details in the next day’s Echo.

Long after the court case had finished, I received the Attorney General’s letter. I went to see Richard who asked me why I had done it. I explained that it was in our readers’ interest to be aware that an IRA cell was operating in the North-East. Richard raised an eyebrow. ‘It was also in the public domain,’ I said hopefully. ’The public domain,’ he said. ’That is the worst defence I have ever heard.’ 

He put together a detailed case arguing that we knew the IRA man’s trial would be held in London and showing how many copies of the Echo were sold there. There was also nine-month gap from our story being published to the court case starting.

Richard was clear - the chances of an Old Bailey juror having read The Northern Echo was more than remote. Even if they had, they could not possibly remember it. There had been no substantial risk of serious prejudice.
There were four publishers and one broadcaster, ITN, up for contempt at the Royal Courts of Justice. One by one they apologised to the court. As the regional editor, I was last in the pecking order.

Richard told the three judges that I did not wish to apologise to the court. They stared at me and asked him to repeat it. He did.
The prosecution countered Richard’s ’location, distance and time’ defence with a scenario where people would travel South from the North-East with their Echoes, leave them in bars and cafes in Sidcup to be picked up and read by people who, nine months later, would be called up for jury duty. Richard called this ’the absurd notion of leakage’.
In the end, we won. As the judges got up to leave, the matter of legal costs was raised. The judges declined each request. When it got to me, Richard stood up and said: ’This is the editor of The Northern Echo who came here today and refused to apologise to the court because he knew he had not committed contempt and you have confirmed he was right. On what grounds would you not give him his costs?' ‘You have your costs Mr Rampton,’ they said. More than £30,000 straight back on my bottom line.
I filed my copy, was interviewed by the BBC and then said to Richard, please let me buy you and the team a drink in the Seven Stars. No, he replied, the Attorney General will buy us a drink.
It was a remarkable and unforgettable experience. I thought I was going to lose but Richard filled me with confidence, was on my side from the outset and was a brilliant operator. Oh, and my Fantasy Football team has always been called the Public Domain - as it has the worst defence you have ever seen. RIP and big thanks, Richard.