Identity of high-profile married man in extortion case to stay secret

The identity of a high-profile married man linked to an extortion case involving an alleged affair will stay secret after a ruling by a Supreme Court judge.

Several media organisations fought to reveal the man’s identity after months of secrecy over the case in the north Queensland city of Cairns.

But the challenge, brought to the Supreme Court, was ultimately unsuccessful, with Justice James Henry ruling on Friday to keep the man’s identity suppressed.

The man, who can only be referred to as ‘MM’, is not facing any charges himself and is not accused of any wrongdoing. But his name was aired in the local court earlier this year as part of another man’s extortion case.

The press were initially unable to report the allegations after Acting Magistrate Gelma Meoli ruled to uphold a police order to suppress the identities and the facts of the case.

She told the court that non-publication orders were made in blackmail and extortion cases, and if threats were not suppressed, victims of this type of offending would not come forward with their complaints.

Andrew O’Brien KC, representing several media outlets including this masthead, applied for a judicial review of the decision, arguing for the non-publication order to be lifted.

He previously told the court the law did not provide the principle for MM to have the protection of anonymity. The only way MM could be protected would be if he was a victim, or a witness in the case, O’Brien said.

After four weeks of deliberation, Justice Henry ruled to keep the suppression order in place.