The interim suppression order in the Tom Phillips case shows how easily they can backfire. Suppression can seem beneficial at first, but it often doesn’t protect the vulnerable – instead, it risks being a blunt instrument that simply feeds speculation, says Jillaine Heather, Chief Executive of the Free Speech Union.

“We accept that suppression orders can serve legitimate purposes, especially in cases involving the welfare and privacy of children: a reminder of the delicate balance between the public’s right to know and the courts’ responsibility to protect the vulnerable. But they can often make matters worse by driving suspicion, fueling conspiracy theories, and undermining trust in public institutions.

“The idea that ‘the truth will out’ is often naïve. By the time it surfaces, rumours have already twisted it, and public trust in the courts is already eroded.

“The Free Speech Union will continue to advocate for legal settings in which suppression must be the exception, not the rule: tightly scoped, temporary, and reviewed. Free speech matters because truth needs daylight. Darkness is where speculation grows.”

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