Richard Horton (blogger)

Richard Horton (born 1964) is a detective constable with Lancashire Constabulary, and blogger who lives in Lancashire. He is the author of the Orwell Prize-winning anonymous blog NightJack which commented on his work as a police officer.^[1][2]

Controversy over identity

In a controversial and landmark decision, Justice Eady refused to grant an order to protect the anonymity of Richard Horton.^[3][4] The judge ruled any right of privacy on the part of Horton would be likely to be outweighed by a countervailing public interest in revealing that a particular police officer had been making such contributions.^[5]

This gave Patrick Foster, Media Correspondent of The Times, the opportunity to expose Horton's identity in the newspaper, leading to disciplinary procedures against Horton by his superior officers and the forced deletion of his blog.^[6][7]

References

1. ^ http://nightjack.wordpress.com/ Original blog (now deleted)
2. ^ Jones, Sam (2009-04-24). "A fair cop: Policeman's 'perfect' blog wins Orwell prize". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/apr/24/orwell-prize-jack-night-winner-blog. "he had pledged the £3,000 winnings to the Police Dependents' Trust, and is adamant that no one outside his family and friends will learn his true identity" 
3. ^ The author of a blog v. Times newspapers Ltd, [2009] EWHC 1358 (QB)
4. ^ Frances Gibb (June 17, 2009). "Ruling on NightJack author Richard Horton kills blogger anonymity". The Times. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article6509677.ece. Retrieved September 7, 2011. "the judge ruled that Mr Horton had no “reasonable expectation” to anonymity because “blogging is essentially a public rather than a private activity”. The judge also said that even if the blogger could have claimed he had a right to anonymity, the judge would have ruled against him on public interest grounds" 
5. ^ "Police blogger 'to be identified'". BBC. 2009-06-16. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8103132.stm. Retrieved 9 September 2011. 
6. ^ Patrick Foster (June 17, 2009). "Writer advised on how to evade long arm of the law". The Times. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article6515988.ece. "Mr Horton has deleted the blog and received a written warning for misconduct from his police force." 
7. ^ Anna Mikhailova (June 21, 2009). "As I found, you take on the bloggers at your peril". The Sunday Times. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article6543067.ece. "Mr Horton has deleted the blog and received a written warning for misconduct from his police force... If bloggers were made aware that their anonymity was not always absolutely guaranteed, then arguably they would be just a tiny bit more careful. So perhaps the occasional outing is just the level of control that the blogging community needs." 

External links

• Salted Slug's NightJack archive

Persondata
Name	Horton, Richard
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Date of birth	1964
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