AFP papers may 'prejudice' staff: Seven

Seven West Media says the identification of staff in police documents, linked to the raids on its offices, could prejudice individuals.

Seven West Media has asked for access to police documents used for raids on its offices to be restricted to protect its employees.

Seven has launched legal action against the Australian Federal Police (AFP) following this month's raids on Network Seven's Sydney offices.

The raids were linked to speculation Seven would conduct a paid interview with convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby and whether that breached proceeds of crime laws.

AFP later apologised for the raids, saying they were due to "an innocent word-processing error".

Seven's action in the Federal Court is to review and set aside the decision to issue search warrants and have material seized by the AFP returned.

Corby's sister, Mercedes, is also suing the AFP.

In a directions hearing on Thursday, Seven's lawyer Andrew Bell SC said employees had been identified in the AFP documents, including the warrants, that were tendered to the court.

He said it was not in the public interest to allow access, including by media, to the documents.

He asked the court to continue restricting access to the material to avert the prejudice of individuals being named in media reports as suspects when that was not the case.

Mr Bell referred to recent media reports of the AFP pinpointing Seven lawyer Justine Munsie in Federal Court documents in relation to the raids.

Mr Bell said the individuals were never suspects or under investigation for an offence.

But the AFP said the people were not nominated as suspects.

The interim order restricting access was continued.

Mr Bell said Seven would like the matter dealt with as soon as possible. The case was adjourned to March 7.


2 min read

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Updated

Source: AAP


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