The magistrates court had received a request to depose witnesses to provide evidence for the Dutch Court. The Commissioners opposed an order made by a judge of the Crown Court that no depositions should be taken without the consent of the Crown Court.
Held: Though these proceedings were now nugatory, since the foreign proceedings had been concluded, the Court nevertheless declared that the Crow Court had acted without jurisdiction. The Magistrates Court and the Commissioner had been acting as an agent of the Secretary of State for the Home department. The Crown Court judge was concerned at achieving fairness in his own court only.
References: Times 06-Dec-2002
Judges: Laws LJ, Field J
Jurisdiction: England and Wales
Last Update: 22 September 2020; Ref: scu.178349
