Blick journalist wants acquittal

The verdict is expected to be announced on Tuesday. In May 2011, Blick had reported on the arrest of two cab drivers in St. Gallen who were accused of rape. The report was illustrated with photos of the suspects. However, one of the two men pictured was innocent. A cantonal police officer had given the photos to a private detective and thus violated official secrecy. The private detective, in turn, was allegedly incited by the Blick journalist to illegally obtain the pictures. In 2013, the District Court of Wil sentenced all three parties to conditional fines.

Detective and police officer accepted penalties

The detective (240 daily sentences) and the policeman (45 daily sentences) accepted their sentences. Both are no longer working in their former professions. The journalist challenged his conditional fine of 60 daily sentences, so that the Cantonal Court now had to deal with the case. The journalist answered the questions of the court chairman only partially. His defense attorney demanded an acquittal. The journalist had neither wanted nor known that the private detective had incited a police officer to violate official secrecy. He had merely asked the detective if he knew anything about the case.

Damages and satisfaction

The lawyer of the cab driver who was wrongly denounced in the newspaper claimed damages of 10,000 francs in court. He also demanded 20,000 francs in compensation for his client. The publication of the photos had been an "extremely blatant" violation of personality. The public prosecutor asked the cantonal court to dismiss the journalist's appeal. The Blick employee had known that the private detective - himself a former police officer - had good contacts with the police. The detective had also provided the tabloid with information from police sources in another case. (SDA)