High Court told Virgin Media has taken down programme featuring footage of deceased man

Sisters of deceased man continue privacy and trespass proceedings despite programme being removed from streaming service

The sisters' case is against Virgin Media Television and the independent filmmakers who made the series, Alley Cat Films Ltd. Picture: Nick Ansell/PA Wire

Virgin Media Television has removed an episode of a programme from its streaming service that is at the centre of a High Court dispute over the use of footage showing a man's body after his death while lying on the floor of his flat during an ambulance call-out.

Two sisters of the deceased, Bernard Slean, have brought proceedings over the programme, entitled First Timers on the Frontline, after footage of their brother's body was included.

Jennifer McCaffrey and Alison Lynch claim there was a trespass at the flat in Ayrfield, Dublin, on October 8, 2025, as well as a breach of privacy. 

The sisters owned the apartment jointly with their brother as part of a family arrangement that Bernard would live there for as long as he had addiction issues.

The sisters' case is against Virgin Media Television and the independent filmmakers who made the series, Alley Cat Films Ltd.

The sisters initially sought an injunction requiring that the material be removed from the streaming service and social media platforms.

Alley Cat Films gave an undertaking last week not to publish the material pending further order of the court. 

However, Virgin Media disputed the breach of privacy claim and argued there was a counterbalancing public interest in the broadcast.

The court was due to hear the sisters' application on Wednesday for an injunction requiring the material to be taken down.

However, their barrister, Conor Bowman SC, told the court that Virgin Media's director of programming, Anthony Niland, had stated in an affidavit that the episode had been removed from the streaming service, that related content had been removed from social media, and that it would not be republished pending resolution of the dispute.

In light of that development, counsel said it had been agreed there was no need to proceed with the injunction application.

Mr Justice Brian Cregan noted the undertakings and struck out the injunction proceedings.

The alleged breach of privacy and trespass proceedings remain before the court.