Major fraud and bribery cases are too often being tried in secret to the detriment of justice, watchdog group Corruption Watch has warned.

The group’s Veil of Secrecy report, launched today, found a “worryingly high proportion” of trials are being heard behind closed doors due to blanket reporting restrictions slapped on the media. This included the “majority” of foreign bribery cases.

So-called “Unexplained Wealth Orders” – brought in by the Government at the start of the year in part to tackle suspect Russians in London and others – were also proceeding in private, the report said.

Corruption Watch said it also found court lists were sometimes “so lacking in detail” that journalists were unaware of cases of “significant public interest”, including two major corruption trials that escaped national press attention. The Serious Fraud Office had also been prevented from publicising two major corporate convictions due to court restrictions, the report claims.