‘Star’ editor suspended as pictures probe launched

The editor of the Irish Daily Star has been suspended after its shareholders agreed to a joint investigation into publication of topless photographs of Kate Middleton.

Michael O’Kane was sidelined with immediate effect as one of the investors, Northern and Shell, appeared to climb down from its insistence that the newspaper be closed.

Mr O’Kane, who joined the Star from RTÉ in 2002, was promoted to the post of editor in December.

However, the decision to publish the pictures, taken of the royal couple while they were on holiday in France, provoked an angry response from its English-based shareholder.

Independent News and Media, which owns the title with N&S, had already begun its own inquiry into the affair.

In a statement, the newspaper said both investors were behind the new investigation and the decision to suspend Mr O’Kane.

“Independent Star Ltd has suspended editor Michael O’Kane with immediate effect, pending an investigation into the circumstances that led to the Irish Daily Star re-publishing pages from the French magazine Closer, which contained images of the duke and duchess of Cambridge.

“Independent Star Ltd has no further comment pending conclusion of the joint investigation by the newspaper’s shareholders,” it said.

Earlier, Justice Minister Alan Shatter waded into the controversy by declaring he would re-open discussion of the privacy bill to see how it could restrict the ability of the press to print such images. However, his ministerial colleague Pat Rabbitte said & he would not like to see the Government “obliged to legislate for privacy”.