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Celebrity injunction: Identity of couple at centre of case could be revealed today

Senior judges will decide whether the man can launch a legal challenge

Thursday 21 April 2016 06:22 EDT
London's supreme court
London's supreme court (Getty)

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The UK's most senior judge is due to analyse the case of a celebrity who wants to keep his name out of a tabloid newspaper story.

Lord Neuberger, president of the Supreme Court, is listed to head a panel of five Supreme Court justices scheduled to hear legal argument in London on Thursday.

The man lost the latest round of his legal battle earlier this week when three Court of Appeal judges ruled that an injunction barring the Sun on Sunday from naming him should be lifted.

His lawyers have now asked Supreme Court justices to make decisions.

A Supreme Court spokeswoman said Lord Neuberger, Lady Hale - deputy president of the Supreme Court - Lord Mance, Lord Reed and Lord Toulson will consider the case in two stages.

She said they will decide whether the man should be given permission to mount a Supreme Court challenge and then, if permission is granted, consider his lawyers' arguments for an injunction.

Appeal judges said earlier this week that the injunction would stay in place in order to give the man time to make an application to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court spokeswoman said it would remain at least until the conclusion of Thursday's Supreme Court hearing.

Sun on Sunday editors want to publish an account of the man's alleged extra-marital activities.

But the man has argued that he has a right to privacy and has taken legal action.

The newspaper won the first round in January when a High Court judge refused to impose an injunction barring publication.

But the man appealed - and two appeal court judges ruled in his favour.

Lord Justice Jackson and Lady Justice King imposed an injunction preventing the newspaper from identifying the man in an article.

Lawyers for News Group Newspapers, publishers of the Sun on Sunday, then asked three appeal judges to lift the ban after the man's identity emerged online.

They told Lord Justice Jackson, Lady Justice King and Lord Justice Simon, at a Court of Appeal hearing in London on Friday, that the ban should go because the man had been named in articles abroad - outside the legal jurisdiction of England and Wales - and his name could be found on the internet.

The man opposed the application and said the ban should stay.

But on Monday Lord Justice Jackson, Lady Justice King and Lord Justice Simon ruled in the newspaper's favour.

The man has not been identified in court rulings.

Appeal judges referred to him as “PJS”.

They said he was in the entertainment business and that his spouse - referred to as YMA - was also well-known in the entertainment business.

They said the couple had “young” children.

Press Association.

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