CPS to consider charges over naked children in photographic exhibition

By Jade Garrett and Elaine Cole
Saturday, 10 March 2001

The Crown Prosecution Service is considering whether to take action against the Saatchi Gallery over an American photographer's exhibition containing naked pictures of her children

The Crown Prosecution Service is considering whether to take action against the Saatchi Gallery over an American photographer's exhibition containing naked pictures of her children

Police told the gallery that the photographs of Tierney Gearon's children naked on the beach and urinating into the snow on a skiing holiday may contravene child protectionlegislation.

Jenny Blyth, the curator of the gallery, confirmed that police had visited the I am a Camera exhibition and interviewed her and Gearon. "The police said they were acting on what they described as 'widespread' complaints about the exhibition, which the police felt contravened the Child Protection Act," she said. She claimed the police had told her to remove the pictures by next Thursday or they would return with a warrant.

A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police said officers had made two visits to the gallery, but denied ordering that the pictures be removed. "We were concerned about the nature of some of the photos," she said. "We have not ordered their removal as we have no power to do that unless a law has been contravened, but we have sent a report to the Crown Prosecution Service for a decision on whether to prosecute."

Ms Blyth said that the gallery would continue to exhibit Gearon's pictures, which have been widely published in magazines and national newspapers. "The two pictures that the police have commented upon are harmless photographs of her children disporting themselves on holiday," she said. "They lack any prurient interest and are neither lewd, nor sexually provocative." She said that any prosecution would be a breach of an undertaking given to Parliament when the Children Act was passed.

I am a Camera, which is sponsored by The Independent on Sunday, has been at the Saatchi Gallery since the middle of January and has attracted up to 3,000 visitors at the weekends. The gallery has extended its run because of high public demand.