Supreme Court strengthens suppression order on Underbelly

**tony soprano** · 15-02-08, 04:36 PM

no need for goldie just go to the pub lol

A SUPREME Court judge has strengthened the Underbelly suppression order after a Melbourne pub breached the ban by showing Channel 9's gangland drama.

The Supreme Court today heard the Rising Sun Hotel, which broadcast the premiere episode on Wednesday night via an interstate cable channel, could face contempt of court charges.

Justice Betty King altered the order after an application from the Office of Public Prosecutions.

Under the new suppression order, the transmission, publication, broadcast, or exhibition of Underbelly is banned in Victoria until after the forthcoming trial and verdict for a man accused of killing a gangland figure.

Previously the order referred only to the publication of the program on free-to-air or cable television im Victoria.

The original ban still applies to publishing the series on the internet, and the cast of characters on the show's promotional website.

Justice King said the Rising Sun Hotel needed to be investigated because it could potentially have committed contempt of court.

Prosecutor Geoff Horgan, SC, told the court the Office of Prosecutions was looking into the matter.

The pub defied the order and broadcast the debut episode to up to 25 people via a feed from Western Australia, after advertising the screening on a board outside.

Thousands of other Victorians waited until the show's first episode hit international video sharing websites, allowing them to download it on to their computers.