A man facing eight sexual assault charges against two children has lost a bid to ban his name from publication and to have his trial moved away from St. John’s.

Chris Carter’s lawyer argued this case has attracted an unprecedented amount of pre-trial publicity, especially on social media, which may have already jeopardized the ability to get a fair trial.

It was noted a Facebook group with 1,700 members has consistently posted about it, often sharing false information while disregarding the principle of innocence until proven guilty.

Protests have also been staged outside the court for Carter’s appearances over the past year, assuming his guilt and urging judges to deny bail.

But Carter, a 35-year-old musician and former St. John’s bar owner, was released pending next year’s trial and has complied with all conditions to date.

Further, Justice Donald Burrage said the horse has very much left the barn when it comes to a ban on his name, pondering aloud: “How do you put that genie back in the bottle?”

An existing ban on the identify of the alleged victims, and Carter’s connection to them, is sufficient, the judge ruled.

Burrage also denied a request to move the trial to Grand Falls-Windsor or Corner Brook, stating social media knows no boundaries and doesn’t end at the overpass, adding it would mean picking jurors from a smaller pool.

Carter’s 10-day trial by judge and jury is set for next June.