Court Eases Ban On Secret Agent’s Memoirs (Press, 4 January 1988)
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Summary: Court Eases Ban On Secret Agent’s Memoirs (Press, 4 January 1988)
On 4 January 1988, a High Court judge in London lifted a full ban on the publication of extracts from the memoirs of Anthony Cavendish, a former British secret agent. The decision allows the newspapers "Observer" and "Sunday Times" to publish portions of Cavendish's 150-page book, titled "Inside Intelligence." However, the ruling stipulates that they cannot disclose information related to his work with secret services or any content linked to national security. Cavendish, who is now a merchant banker at the age of 60, served in MI6 counterintelligence before leaving the agency in 1953. The memoirs were privately printed, with 500 copies distributed among friends as Christmas presents. Cavendish stated that his primary intention in publishing the book was to defend the reputation of Maurice Oldfield, the late MI6 director-general, against claims regarding his alleged involvement with male prostitutes. Prior to the court decision, the British government had enforced an injunction that prohibited the "Observer" from releasing any extracts from Cavendish's memoirs. The government contended that former secret agents are obligated to maintain a lifelong silence regarding their operations. During a court hearing on Saturday, the government sought a similar injunction against the "Sunday Times." However, the legal representatives for both newspapers argued that the restrictions imposed were excessively severe, leading the judge to modify the injunction's terms. This ruling permits limited access to Cavendish's memoirs for the newspapers while still safeguarding sensitive national security information.
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