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eventVerified

The Old Bailey libel trial collapses and the Crown turns the file on Wilde as the targeted person

In April 1895 the libel case collapsed and indecency prosecutions followed at the Old Bailey. In the causal graph this event strengthens Protection of Minority Rights, a driver that strengthens Having a say in government — an improving welfare path.

Sources: [1][2]

Read the full account

In April 1895 the libel case collapsed and indecency prosecutions followed at the Old Bailey. This Fact stores the state’s turn against him as a minority-rights event (later path), not as his negative deed.

Context

Oscar Wilde’s documented role is bounded by other offices and collaborators named in the sources below.

After the libel collapsed, the Crown prosecuted under Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885 s.11 (Labouchere). He did not write that section. Later rights memory uses this file. The writ he swore remains a separate worsening row.

Why it matters

26 April and 22 May are the Crown file, not 18 March.

Who was responsible

Contribution type and responsibility level for each recorded actor — not sole-author shorthand.

  • Oscar Wilde

    Person

    Direct responsibility

    responsibility level 0.25 · verified

What changed

Fact → Driver → Indicator. Relationship strength orders the paths; it is not the observed indicator movement.

    1. FactThe Old Bailey libel trial collapses and the Crown turns the file on Wilde as the targeted person
    2. strengthensDriverProtection of Minority Rights
    3. strengthensIndicators (2)Having a say in government
    Improving path

    impact weight 0.5 · Effect from 5 April 1895 · verified

    • Having a say in government

      via Protection of Minority Rights

      Better

      Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.23 (weight 0.5 × strength 0.45)

      Observed

      29.8% of population aged 16-65 years · 8.13 below the normal line (2023)

      Worse than normal

      Two readings: 30.2% of population aged 16-65 years (2021) and 29.8% of population aged 16-65 years (2023).

      20212023

      Above normal = better

    • Rule of Law Gap from the Highest Governance Score

      via Protection of Minority Rights

      Better

      Weakens · Relationship strength 0.23 (weight 0.5 × strength 0.45)

      Observed

      43.9 Score · 43.9 above the normal line (2024)

      Worse than normal

      26 readings, 1996–2024: rose from 43 Score to 43.9 Score.

      Normal is zero · any amount = worse

Evidence

The sources behind this fact and its verification state.

Verified2 sources on file
  1. 1.Old Bailey OnlineOld Bailey Proceedings Online · High credibility · verified
  2. 2.Famous Trials — The Trials of Oscar WildeUniversity of Missouri–Kansas City / Famous Trials · High credibility · verified
What the sources establish

Old Bailey Online’s project and Famous Trials independently document the April–May 1895 Crown cases.

Established: 1895 Crown prosecutions after the libel collapse. Not established: that 1895 repealed Labouchere (it did not).

Causal path

How this event connects to drivers and indicators in the graph.

  1. ActorOscar Wilde
  2. contributed toFactThe Old Bailey libel trial collapses and the Crown turns the file on Wilde as the targeted person
  3. strengthensDriverProtection of Minority Rights
  4. strengthensIndicatorHaving a say in government

Cite this page

Factrail. (2026). The Old Bailey libel trial collapses and the Crown turns the file on Wilde as the targeted person. Factrail. https://factrail.ai/facts/wil-libel-trial-state-1895

https://factrail.ai/facts/wil-libel-trial-state-1895

Accessed 16 October 2026.

By the Factrail desk · Method: how we source and score · Last reviewed

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