Premier Ewart Brown and MP Nelson Bascome are suing Bermuda's four main media outlets. Dr. Brown's lawyer, Charles Richardson, and Mr. Bascome's lawyer, Victoria Pearman, filed a writ for libel in court yesterday morning.

The move follows stories that contained information from an allegedly stolen police file about an investigation into corruption at the Bermuda Housing Corporation four years ago that named both Dr. Brown and Mr. Bascome.

After a story was published in the Mid-Ocean News, Dr. Brown gave a live TV address to the country referring to the publication as "one of the darkest days for journalism in Bermuda."

He said: "The publication of material purported to be extracted from confidential official files of a criminal investigation, establishes blatant malice in intent."

He also said at the time he was seeking advice to consider his legal options.

Neither Dr. Brown nor Mr. Bascome faced any charges in the original police investigation.

The police and the Attorney General successfully applied for an injunction to stop the media from using any more information from the police report, but that was overruled on Monday by the Chief Justice.

The police and AG are now challenging that ruling in the Court of Appeal and the hearing continues today.

Before yesterday's proceedings got underway, Mr. Richardson and Ms Pearman asked the court to adjourn the hearing on the grounds that their clients were the affected parties, that they had launched the writ for libel and that they were trying to injunct the media from further publication. The lawyers left the court after the application was refused.

The writ has been filed against the Bermuda Broadcasting Company, Bermuda Press (which publishes The Royal Gazette and the Mid-Ocean News), DeFontes Television Centre and the Bermuda Sun.