He who shall not be named? Rethinking Northern Ireland’s approach to defendant anonymity in serious sexual offence cases

This thesis contributes to the ongoing anonymity debate by offering a more nuanced, theoretically informed and empirically grounded rationale for extending anonymity to the point of conviction in serious sexual offence cases in Northern Ireland. In particular, it reframes the discussion by centring on the impact of public identification on the rights and interests of the accused, examined through a lens of stigma (Goffman, 1963) and shaming (Braithwaite, 1989).

The thesis explores how the persistent stigmatisation of sexual offences in Northern Ireland generates a shaming response towards those accused, resulting in a range of collateral consequences for the accused, their families, and complainants. Drawing on Northern Ireland as a case study, it highlights the influence of Northern Ireland’s distinct socio-cultural context, the arguments surrounding the anonymity debate, and the feasibility of reform, drawing on comparative insight from the Republic of Ireland, where anonymity until conviction has long been established.