Historically, court reports used to routinely contain detailed descriptions of sexual offending, but increasing concern for complainants and the effects such reports can have on the general public means court reporters are paring back. These comments highlight an issue that court reporters have been attuned to for years. It therefore needed to be included in court reports, prurient as it may have seemed. When the exact details of how a sexual offence occurred are not at stake, court reporters can and should be more circumspect. Reporting on these difficult court cases that would otherwise be held in secret is a daily exercise in judgment for court reporters.

Source: The Irish Times April 08, 2026 09:33 UTC