The Director of Public Prosecutions has applied to the High Court to imprison Mr Vincent Doyle, Editor of the Irish Independent, and to sequester the assets of Independent Newspapers Ireland Ltd for alleged criminal contempt over publication of an article in the Irish Independent.
The article concerned a man charged with child abuse and was published before his trial. That trial stands adjourned pending the outcome of High Court proceedings which he has initiated seeking to prohibit the trial.
During the course of yesterday's hearing Mr Justice Kearns ruled that the man was not to be identified.
Mr Maurice Gaffney SC, for the DPP, said that in May this year the court gave the DPP permission to serve notice that he would be seeking to commit Mr Doyle and, if necessary, to attach the assets of the company.
Counsel read an affidavit by a prosecution solicitor in the office of the Chief State Solicitor, who said the alleged criminal contempt concerned the pending prosecution of the man. The hearing was adjourned to Monday next.