Judge's thunderous warning to social media pages speculating over death of Sheffield mum Shanice Brookes
“I intend to maintain the integrity of this trial”
A judge has issued a thunderous warning against speculating online about the murder of Sheffield mum Shanice Brookes.
Shortly before 2.45am on Monday, May 25, police received reports that 30-year-old Shanice Brookes had been shot outside One Four One bar, following an altercation in the street, to which she was an innocent bystander.
Two people - Jemele Rhone, 30, of Outram Road, Wybourn, and Deiryen Dyce, 32, of Ellesmere Road North, Burngreave - were charged with murder and assisting an offender respectively in the days afterwards.
Warning from judge over speculation
Now, The Recorder of Sheffield His Honour Judge Jeremy Richardson has issued a warning that anyone who speculates about Shanice’s death online could land themselves in court.
“I intend to maintain the integrity of this trial,” said the judge at a hearing at Sheffield Crown Court on June 11.
“I publicly indicate I will take very seriously any persons or organisations that in any way goes against the strict liability rule set out in the Contempt of Court Act.
“If anything is drawn to my attention that potentially contravenes the relevant law, I will take firm action.”
What is Contempt of Court and Strict Liability?
The Contempt of Court Act 1981 and the ‘Strict Liability’ rule exists to ensure that when a jury is assembled to deliberate over whether a defendant is guilty or innocent, every step is taken to make sure that jury knows as little as possible about the case when they step into the courtroom.
This is so that the members of the jury only try the case based on the evidence they hear.
It is considered ‘contempt of court’ for anyone - including news sites, social media pages and online commentors - to publish information which creates “a substantial risk of prejudice to a jury over criminal proceedings which are active.”
A case is considered ‘active’ when someone has been arrested or charged with a crime.
This is also why jurors are asked not to research or look up any information about their case, and only consider what they hear in evidence.
In the modern age, there is frequently a great risk to jury trials because information about high-profile defendants is often published and speculated over on social media.
Why did the judge make this order today and what does it mean?
His Honour Judge Jeremy Richardson issued today’s warning because of online speculation about the death of Shanice Brookes and the defendants, Jemele Rhone and Deiryen Dyce.
Since Shanice’s death, there have been many posts across all social media platforms about her murder and the possible identity of her killers.
The concern is that members of the public who could later serve as members of the jury will know speculative information about the defendants and be ‘prejudiced’ against them, ie. more or less likely to presume they are guilty or innocent no matter the evidence they hear.
It means any person or organisation - no matter how official or high profile - who publishes speculative information about Shanice’s case could be held in contempt of court and face prosecution, including severe fines and even prison time.
Rhone and Dyce are expected to stand trial on January 4, 2027.