LONDON, June 16 (UPI) -- A British police detective who wrote an anonymous online blog that thinly disguised actual cases can't keep his identity secret, a court has ruled.
The British High Court Monday turned down a request for an injunction against The Times of London from Richard Horton, a detective constable with Lancashire Constabulary, seeking to prevent the newspaper from naming him as the author of the blog "NightJack."
The Times reported that Horton's blog revealed confidential information about real cases, altering only a few details and omitting names. He won an Orwell Prize for political writing in April, but the judges were unaware that he was revealing details of real-life cases -- some involving sex offenses against children -- that could easily be connected to those involved, the newspaper said.
Lancashire police officials say they have issued Horton a written warning. They said in a statement, "We have conducted a full internal investigation and the officer accepts that parts of his public commentary have fallen short of the standards of professional behaviour we expect of our police officers. He has been spoken to regarding his professional behaviour and, in line with disciplinary procedures, has been issued with a written warning."
