England star's gagging order: Second player in week uses court to halt revelations on private lifeBy Jack Doyle
An England footballer has obtained a super-injunction to prevent a newspaper exposé
Another England footballer has won a draconian injunction to gag the media from reporting revelations about his private life - the second in a week.
The multi-millionaire, who cannot be named, is a father in a long-term relationship. He won the restrictive order last night banning a woman from publicising personal details about him.
A similar injunction was granted to a fellow England international last week after he discovered a Sunday newspaper was planning an expose.
The latest footballer to use the courts to prevent unflattering publicity about his personal life earns around £100,000 a week and has played for several top clubs.
He is the fourth sports star this year to take legal steps to prevent public scrutiny.
Last night critics said he is part of an increasing trend which allows highly paid sports stars with access to expensive lawyers to exercise legal rights denied to ordinary members of the public.
In addition, the latest example of media censorship will reignite the row over judge-made privacy laws which have never been approved by Parliament.
Instead, the orders are based on judges' personal interpretation of human rights laws.
Under the strict terms of the injunctions, neither of the footballers involved in this week’s actions can be named, despite the Daily Mail knowing who they are.
Both orders were granted at the High Court in London by Mr Justice Nicol, on the grounds that the revelations would breach the footballers’ ‘right to a private and family life’.
Breaching such an order could result in criminal prosecution for contempt of court
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