A MAN who took a photo of a Worcester judge and put it on Facebook has been fined £1,000 for Contempt of Court.

Grant Lloyd took the photo while his brother was being sentenced at Worcester Crown Court and later uploaded the image to the social networking site.

The court was informed by someone who saw the photo on Facebook.

Lloyd was arrested and brought before the court.

After receiving the fine at Worcester Crown Court on Monday, Lloyd once again posted on Facebook with a status update which read: "£1,000 fine half buzzin rather pay that than jail though to be fair."

Lloyd has apologised for taking the photo of judge Nicolas Cartwright and barristers from the public gallery in court three.

He was fined by Judge Robert Juckes QC, the Recorder of Worcester, the most senior judge at Worcester Crown Court.

Contempt of court can include disobeying or ignoring a court order, taking photos or shouting out in court, refusing to answer the court’s questions if you are called as a witness and publicly commenting on a court case, for example on social media or online news articles.

Signs are placed at various locations around the city’s crown court, warning not to take photographs within the court, including the waiting areas. Since this case more signs have been put up at the court making it clear that people are prohibited from taking photographs.

Anyone found to be in contempt of court could go to prison for up to two years, get a fine, or both.

Amanda O'Mara, prosecuting, said Lloyd had apologised 'a number of times'.

The photo of the judge appeared as a status update from ‘Grant Chavy Turner-Lloyd’ from Wednesbury.

The photo was posted on July 29 and Mr Turner’s status read: “No Mata wat appens bruva hold it down n Ile get a visit sorted soon as love ya loads bruva xxxxx Bran Lloyd xxxxxx — at Worcester Crown Court.”

The person who first reported the matter said: "I gasped and said 'oh my God, that's Judge Cartwright. He'll go mad and I informed security the courtroom and judge were on Facebook."