The media were this morning barred from covering the high-profile trial of a Russian couple charged with indecently assaulting three of their young children and using them to generate child pornography.
Reporters and members of the public had to leave the Durban regional court after magistrate Mike Lasich ruled that the trial be held in camera.
This was even before the charges had been read to the Bluff couple and they had pleaded to them.
Lasich ruled in favour of an application by defence advocate Jeff Hewitt, who argued that the courtroom doors should be closed "in the interests of good order and public morals".
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They are not expected to testify at the trial Prosecutor Vaneshree Moodley gave her tacit support to the application saying she would "leave it in the hands of the court, the State doesn't mind either way".
The couple were arrested in August 2003 after images of the couple performing indecent acts with three of their children - aged eight, four and two at the time - were found on a computer sent in for repair.
The children were removed from them on the night of their arrests and have been in foster care ever since.
They are not expected to testify at the trial.
It is believed the couple - who have never been named to protect the identity of the children - have been charged with generating child pornography, indecent assault and with crimes under the Child Care Act.
Graphic details of the photographs were given during the couple's bail application and subsequent appeals to the high court.
On Sunday Hewitt argued that the Criminal Procedure Act gave the magistrate the discretion to hold a trial in camera.
He said the photographic material would be constantly referred to during the trial "which would hit at good order and public morals".
He said media and public interest had already bordered on "hysteria".
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