FINAL resolution DH (99) 22

HUMAN RIGHTS

APPLICATION No. 25523/94

MURDOCH AGAINST THE UNITED KINGDOM

(Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 18 January 1999 at the 654th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies)

The Committee of Ministers, under the terms of Article 32 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (hereinafter referred to as “the Convention”),

Having regard to Interim Resolution DH (97) 231, adopted on 15 May 1997 in the case of Murdoch ? against the United Kingdom, in which the Committee of Ministers decided that there had been in this case a violation of Article 6, paragraph 3 c , of the Convention and to make public the report of the European Commission of Human Rights;

Whereas the Committee of Ministers examined the proposals made by the Commission when transmitting its report as regards just satisfaction to be awarded to the applicant, proposals supplemented by a letter of the President of the Commission dated 16 December 1997;

Whereas at the 618th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies, the Committee of Ministers, agre e ing with the Commission's proposals, held by a decision adopted on 18 February 1998, in accordance with Article 32, paragraph 2, of the Convention, that the government of the respondent State was to pay the applicant as just satisfaction, within three months, 1 000 pounds sterling in respect of non-pecuniary damage and 500 pounds sterling plus VAT in respect of costs and expenses, namely a total sum of 1 500 pounds sterling plus VAT, and that interest should be payable on any unpaid sum, calculated on the basis of each full elapsed month of delay at the statutory rate applicable on the date of this decision, it being understood that the interest would accrue from the expiry of the time-limit until full payment was placed at the disposal of the applicant;

Whereas the Committee of Ministers invited the government of the respondent State to inform it of the measures taken following its decisions of 15 May 1997 and 18 February 1998, having regard to the United Kingdom’s obligation under Article 32,  paragraph 4, of the Convention to abide by them;

Whereas, during the examination of the case by the Committee of Ministers, the government of the respondent State accordingly recalled that measures had already been taken to prevent the repetition of the violation found in this case, notably through the adoption of the Criminal Justice Act of 1995 (see for details the Resolution DH (96) 156 in the case of Maxwell against the United Kingdom), and that the Commission's report as well as the Committee of Ministers' decisions had been sent out to the authorities directly concerned;

Whereas the Committee of Ministers satisfied itself that on 17 August 1998, the government of the respondent State paid the applicant the total sum of 1 500 pounds sterling plus VAT as just satisfaction and that the default interest due, that is 31.75 pounds sterling, was paid on 23 September 1998, in accordance with the above-mentioned decision of the Committee of Ministers on just satisfaction,

Declares, after having taken note of the measures taken by the Government of the United Kingdom, that it has exercised its fun c tions under Article 32 of the Convention in this case.