British politician spent $100k on legal fees in attempt to cover up teenage son's steroid use.

Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman took out the injunction for her 17-year-old son who had taken banned steroids after suffering a leg injury when playing rugby

Mrs Spelman decided not to appeal the ruling and instead issued a statement explaining why privately-educated Jonny, 17, had taken the steroids.

She pursued the injunction despite senior Tories warning her it was folly.

They said her legal battle would only succeed in giving the story wider publicity.

Jonny, who has played for his country in under-16 matches against Italy and Wales, is understood to have ordered a consignment of banned drugs over the internet to aid his recovery from a sporting injury.

He took the steroids for four weeks before being caught in a Rugby Football Union drug test at the end of last year.

When the Spelman family learned the Daily Star Sunday newspaper was planning to publish the story, the minister applied to the High Court to have it suppressed.
High Court: The injunction remained in place until 4pm today to give Jonathan, who was suing through his mother and father Mark, an opportunity to ask the Court of Appeal for permission to challenge the judge's decision

High Court: The injunction remained in place until 4pm today to give Jonathan, who was suing through his mother and father Mark, an opportunity to ask the Court of Appeal for permission to challenge the judge's decision

The Spelmans were granted an interim injunction last month but yesterday they were counting the cost of £60,994 in legal bills after Mr Justice Tugendhat refused to continue the order.

He said it was ‘not necessary or proportionate’.

The tabloid newspaper had argued its story was strongly in the public interest. But Mrs Spelman’s lawyer said its ‘real purpose’ had been to launch a ‘political attack on Mrs Spelman, using her teenage son’s private information as a weapon’.

A source close to the Spelman family said Jonny had been ‘devastated’ after suffering a serious injury during a school rugby match in September, tearing the cruciate ligament in his left leg.

The injury ruled him out of trials for England’s under-18 squad, while doctors advised he would have to wear a leg brace and could be out of the game for at least nine months.

The source said: ‘He thought he may have lost the chance of pursuing his dream of a professional rugby career. He then did something very stupid and took some banned substances to try and speed up his recovery.

‘He’s a teenage boy and he is not the first to do something stupid, but he is extremely sorry about it.’

The source insisted the Spelmans had taken out the injunction to protect their son from greater pressure, claiming: ‘This was not about trying to gag the press, it was about trying to protect their son.’

In a joint statement, Mrs Spelman and her husband Mark, a senior executive at the management consultancy firm Accenture, said:

‘Our son knows that taking a banned substance can never, ever be right and he is deeply sorry for the mistakes he has made and is determined to learn from them.

‘We will do everything we can to support him as he faces the consequences of his actions. He is still very young and we hope he can be given space to do that.’

Gareth Morgan, the editor of the Daily Star Sunday, said it was ‘a great victory for press freedom’, adding: ‘The use of banned substances by an elite athlete is a matter that is in the public interest and an injunction to hush up the facts should never have been sought.

‘We remain bitterly disappointed the Spelman family went down this route and attempted to silence the press using their wealth and influence, an option unavailable to ordinary members of the public.’

Mr Justice Tugendhat warned his decision not to continue the injunction was not a ‘licence’ for the press to publish whatever they chose.

She pursued the injunction despite senior Tories warning her it was folly.

They said her legal battle would only succeed in giving the story wider publicity.

Jonny, who has played for his country in under-16 matches against Italy and Wales, is understood to have ordered a consignment of banned drugs over the internet to aid his recovery from a sporting injury.

He took the steroids for four weeks before being caught in a Rugby Football Union drug test at the end of last year.

When the Spelman family learned the Daily Star Sunday newspaper was planning to publish the story, the minister applied to the High Court to have it suppressed.

The Spelmans were granted an interim injunction last month but yesterday they were counting the cost of £60,994 in legal bills after Mr Justice Tugendhat refused to continue the order.

He said it was ‘not necessary or proportionate’.

The tabloid newspaper had argued its story was strongly in the public interest. But Mrs Spelman’s lawyer said its ‘real purpose’ had been to launch a ‘political attack on Mrs Spelman, using her teenage son’s private information as a weapon’.

A source close to the Spelman family said Jonny had been ‘devastated’ after suffering a serious injury during a school rugby match in September, tearing the cruciate ligament in his left leg.

The injury ruled him out of trials for England’s under-18 squad, while doctors advised he would have to wear a leg brace and could be out of the game for at least nine months.

The source said: ‘He thought he may have lost the chance of pursuing his dream of a professional rugby career. He then did something very stupid and took some banned substances to try and speed up his recovery.

‘He’s a teenage boy and he is not the first to do something stupid, but he is extremely sorry about it.’

The source insisted the Spelmans had taken out the injunction to protect their son from greater pressure, claiming: ‘This was not about trying to gag the press, it was about trying to protect their son.’

In a joint statement, Mrs Spelman and her husband Mark, a senior executive at the management consultancy firm Accenture, said:

‘Our son knows that taking a banned substance can never, ever be right and he is deeply sorry for the mistakes he has made and is determined to learn from them.

‘We will do everything we can to support him as he faces the consequences of his actions. He is still very young and we hope he can be given space to do that.’

Gareth Morgan, the editor of the Daily Star Sunday, said it was ‘a great victory for press freedom’, adding: ‘The use of banned substances by an elite athlete is a matter that is in the public interest and an injunction to hush up the facts should never have been sought.

‘We remain bitterly disappointed the Spelman family went down this route and attempted to silence the press using their wealth and influence, an option unavailable to ordinary members of the public.’

Mr Justice Tugendhat warned his decision not to continue the injunction was not a ‘licence’ for the press to publish whatever they chose.

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