HL Deb 20 April 1998 vol 588 cc195-6WA
Baroness Mallalieu

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the full face and profile photographs of Sidney Cooke, a serving prisoner, published in the Sunday Telegraph on 5 April and other newspapers on 6 April, are photographs taken with the consent of the Home Office; and what are the circumstances leading to their availability for publication. [HL1440]

Lord Williams of Mostyn

The photographs in theSunday Telegraph were taken in the course of Sidney Cooke's prison sentence. Their release to the press was not authorised. In view of the length of time since the photographs were taken, and the large number of staff who would have had access to his records, it is not possible to say how the photographs became available to the Sunday Telegraph.