"Since the early caveman in his fur, took a trip to Gretna Green..."

"There's always been a photographer, to record the 'appy scene....."

Media organisations have won a High Court battle over police orders to give up film of the evictions from the traveller site at Dale Farm in Essex.

The police claimed they needed the footage from organisations like the BBC and BSkyB to pursue prosecutions.

But they really should think twice before getting involved in demanding others' film (and losing) since they have trouble hanging on to film that belongs to others too:

Police have been ordered to return private CCTV footage of a firebomb attack to a man with a violent past - despite fears it could help him find and kill the person responsible.

Merseyside Police had argued for retaining footage belonging to Joseph 'Joey' Owens, who had gangster connections, to avoid 'indirectly assisting or encouraging' him to carry out a revenge attack for the arson attack on his mother's home.

But today two High Court judges disagreed with the plea from police, and ruled the force's chief constable did not have power to retain the video from the CCTV system set up by Owens, who had shortly before the fire released a book exposing 'wannabe gangsters' and 'police informants' in Liverpool.

They don't have a very happy record when it comes to photography, do they?