Juror jailed after Facebook contact with defendant

A JUROR who contacted a defendant through the Facebook social networking website, causing a multi-million pound trial to collapse, was jailed for eight months in a British legal first.

Joanne Fraill, 40, was the first person in Britain to be convicted of contempt of court involving the internet, and the Solicitor General said her case should serve as a warning to other jurors.

“I hope it will act as a deterrent,” Edward Garnier told reporters, saying it had been in the public interest to prosecute.