R v. Metius

The case of R v. Metius involved the defendant, Candaneace Lea Metius, who was charged with the smothering of her eight-month-old baby. The matter was heard in the Supreme Court of Queensland's criminal jurisdiction. The primary issue before the court was whether to allow the media to copy and broadcast portions of a distressing digital recording taken at the Mater Hospital, which depicted the smothering of the baby, along with still photos of the same.

The court had to weigh the fundamental principle of open justice, which typically supports the public's right to see exhibits in criminal trials, against the sensitivity of the content and its potential misuse. The prosecution and defence both opposed the release of the material, as did the baby's grandmother. The court found the content to be extremely disturbing and within the definition of obscene evidence, given its highly offensive and repulsive nature. Despite acknowledging the public interest and the media's right to report on the trial, the court was concerned about the potential for misuse of the footage, particularly on the internet. The court concluded that the potential harm to the baby's family and the risk of misuse outweighed the principle of open justice in this instance.

In light of the above considerations, the court decided not to permit the copying and broadcasting of the exhibits. The court sealed the exhibits and ordered that they remain unopened unless further ordered by the court. The ruling was not a criticism of the media's application but a careful balancing of competing interests in the specific context of this case.