Police pressured news agent to stop selling Private Eye magazine

Police officers cautioned a newsagent selling copies of the Private Eye magazine near the Old Bailey that they could be in contempt of court.

A news vendor said a policeman asked him to “consider” taking down issues of the satirical magazine due to the proximity to the phone hacking hearings of Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson.

The issue which has a picture of Ms Brooks with the caption horror witch costume withdrawn from shops was shown to the jury and said to be a ‘joke in exceptionally bad taste’ by Mr Justice Saunders, presiding judge on the phone hacking case.

The newsagent refused to remove the magazine from sale without a court order.

The Attorney General, Dominic Grieve, later ruled that there was no need to launch contempt proceedings.

Freedom of speech groups have criticised the Police for attempting to pressure the newsagent with the threat of legal action .