Molly Malones West Street Brighton. A SECRET panel of councillors held a hearing behind closed doors today that could strip a Brighton pub of its licence and throw people out of their jobs. Sussex Police asked a Brighton and Hove City Council licensing panel to hold a hearing in private – and the panel agreed. And despite the laws governing open justice, the council also withheld 200 pages of evidence, some relating to a criminal case in which the defendant has already been convicted, having pleaded guilty. In other instances, the council and police have redacted details that might prejudice an active court case although, in this case, guilt has been admitted.