The court considered an appeal where the jury had been invited to draw an inference from the defendant’s silence at interview that the defendant ‘had not had a chance to prepare his story’ as being its equivalent. Held: The court accepted the inference as proper in the circumstances. Citations: [2003] EWCA Crim 1767 Links: Bailii … Continue reading Ramadan El-Delbi, Regina v: CACD 20 Jun 2003
A traditional gypsy family had settled because of ill health, and sought to establish a caravan site. The authority claimed they were no longer to be treated as Gypsy and having the entitlement under the Act. Held: The Act defined ‘Gypsies’ as persons of nomadic habit. It was a question of fact for each planning … Continue reading Wrexham County Borough v The National Assembly of Wales, Michael Berry, Florence Berry: CA 19 Jun 2003
The claimant sought to enforce an arbitration award made in 1983. Time might otherwise have expired, but the claimants relied on a fax which they said was an acknowledgement of the debt, and also upon a finding in a Romanian court which created an issue estoppel. Held: A typed signature on a fax was capable … Continue reading Good Challenger Navegante S A v Metalexportimport SA: CA 24 Nov 2003
The defendants protested the growing of genetically modified crops. The prosecutor appealed dismissal of charges of aggravated trespass for them having entered a crop and attached themselves to tractors. The district judge decided they had genuine fears for the surrounding area, and had not acted unlawfully. Held: Where a defence of lawful justification is put … Continue reading Director of Public Prosecutions v Bayer, Hart, Snook, and Whistance: Admn 4 Nov 2003
The court fiercely criticised the failure of the defendant’s solicitors to follow the practice directions and to use references to the Weekly Law Reports wherever possible as citations. The court had been badly hampered in its hearing by that and other failures. Judges: Lord Justice Aldous, Lord Justice Chadwick, Mr Justice Munby Citations: Times 20-Feb-2003, … Continue reading Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland v Henry Butcher and Co and others: CA 13 Feb 2003
Whilst released on licence from prison, the defendant committed further related offences. On sentencing the judge erred in calculating the amount of time to be served for the breach of the licence. Having been recalled, the time served between recall and sentence did not count against the total sentence. Section 39 and section 116 were … Continue reading Regina v Stocker: CACD 20 Jan 2003
The appellants sought to challenge their convictions for cheating the Inland Revenue. They were accused of having hidden assets and income from the revenue. The appellants objected to the use at trial of material obtained in a ‘Hansard’ interview. At such interview admissions are accepted as a basis for settling civil liabiity, but expressly excluding … Continue reading Regina v Sewa Singh Gill and Paramjit Singh Gill: CACD 31 Jul 2003
The claimant Reynolds challenged the differential treatment by age of jobseeker’s allowance. Carson complained that as a foreign resident pensioner, her benefits had not been uprated. The questions in each case were whether the benefit affected a ‘possession’ within the Convention or the discrimination was arbitrary so as to breach the applicants human rights. Held: … Continue reading Carson and Reynolds v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: CA 17 Jun 2003
The appellant had been convicted of having a pointed article with him in a public place. He said that the car he was driving had needed an instrument to operate the lock. At first he had used a knife, but then used scissors, losing the knife in the car. Held: The jury must be required … Continue reading Jolie v Regina: CACD 23 May 2003
A reverse legal burden applied to defendants accused of an offence under section 17 of the Forestry Act 1967 which, in specified circumstances, created an absolute offence of felling a tree without a felling licence. Clarke LJ said: ‘It is thus clear that, while the general principles are those set out in Edwards, each case … Continue reading Grundy and Co Excavations Ltd and Another, Regina (on the Application of) v Halton Division Magistrates Court: Admn 24 Feb 2003
PC (The High Court of Justiciary) The minuter challenged the role of the legal adviser to the district courts in Scotland, and as to his independence. Held: The legal adviser was not subject to the same system of appointments as the justices. However the system provided for a right of appeal (section 175) on questions … Continue reading Clark (Procurator Fiscal, Kirkcaldy) v Kelly: PC 11 Feb 2003
Judges: Sedley LJ, Gage J Citations: [2002] EWHC 1252 (Admin), [2003] 1 Cr App R (S) 67, [2002] Crim LR 681, 166 JP 453, (2002) 166 JP 453 Links: Bailii Jurisdiction: England and Wales Cited by: Cited – Regina (C and Another) v Sheffield Youth Court; Regina (N) v Sheffield Youth Court QBD 23-Jan-2003 In … Continue reading W, Regina (on the Application of) v Thetford Youth Justices and Another: Admn 25 Jun 2002
A firm of accountants had agreed to provide their services as experts in a case on the basis that they would be paid by taking part of any damages awarded. The respondent claimed that such an agreement was champertous and unlawful. Held: The tort of champerty as such had been abolished, but the rule remained … Continue reading Regina (Factortame Ltd and Others) v Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (No 8): CA 3 Jul 2002
The appellant had been detained in a mental hospital after a conviction. Later released, he was recalled, but he was not given written reasons as required by a DoH circular. However the SS referred the recall immediately to the Tribunal. He appealed from refusal of a finding that his subsequent detention had been unlawful. Held: … Continue reading Lee-Hirons v Secretary of State for Justice: SC 27 Jul 2016
The defendant had been involved in a traffic accident. Very shortly before the expiry of the six month time limit, the prosecutor issued a careless driving summons apparently in order to preserve the possibility of a prosecution without yet having made his mind up to continue. He decided to continue only three months later. The … Continue reading Regina v Brentford Justices Ex parte Wong: QBD 1981
The Attorney General appealed against a sentence of twelve months imprisonment suspended for two years with two years supervision imposed on a woman aged 39 having had sex with a 14 year old boy. Held: The court had wrongly taken account of the sex of the victim and reduced the sentence accordingly. The Act made … Continue reading Regina v Edwards (Sharon) (Attorney General’s Reference No 67 of 2008): CACD 20 Jan 2009
The claimant challenged the lawfulness of his detention between 15 January and 4 March 2021 (‘the unlawful detention challenge’). He was arrested on 15 January 2021 on the basis that he was unlawfully at large and returned to prison to serve the remainder of the determinate sentence imposed by Southwark Crown Court on 9 February … Continue reading Kessie-Adjei, Regina (on The Application of) v Secretary of State for Justice: Admn 30 Mar 2022
The defendants, young boys, had set fire to paper and thrown the lit papers into a wheelie bin, expecting the fire to go out. In fact substantial damage was caused. The House was asked whether a conviction was proper under the section where the defendant had given no thought to a risk of damage, but … Continue reading Regina v G and R: HL 16 Oct 2003
The defendant had been convicted and made subect to a confiscation order in 1996. A final order for enforcement was made in late 2002. The defendant said the delay in the enforcement proceedings was a breach of his right to a trial within a reasonable time. Held: The reasonable time guarantee afforded by Article 6.1 … Continue reading Lloyd v Bow Street Magistrates Court: Admn 8 Oct 2003
The claimant appealed refusal of an Anti-Social Behaviour order by the magistrates. The respondent was a street prostitute in Preston. The magistrates had declined to aggregate her behaviour with that of others to find that it caused harrassment alarm or distress to a criminal standard of proof. Held: The court is being asked to decide … Continue reading The Chief Constable of Lancashire v Potter: Admn 13 Oct 2003
Transgender Male to Female not to marry as Female The parties had gone through a form of marriage, but Mrs B had previously undergone gender re-assignment surgery. Section 11(c) of the 1973 Act required a marriage to be between a male and a female. It was argued that the section was incompatible with the claimant’s … Continue reading Bellinger v Bellinger: HL 10 Apr 2003
The appellant challenged an order suspending him from practice as a solicitor for two years. He had previous findings of professional misconduct in failing to pay counsels’ fees. In the course of later disciplinary proceedings he was found to have misled the court as to the circumstances of a tribunal hearing when obtaining a stay. … Continue reading Aaron v The Law Society (the Office of the Supervision of Solicitors): QBD 13 Oct 2003
The solicitor appealed findings of misconduct. He had acted for a builder who complained about breaches of confidentiality and a failure to provide written information on costs. Held: The appeal was by way of a rehearing (Preiss), but should differ from the original tribunal only in a clear case. Here there was no justification for … Continue reading Darby v The Law Society (the Office of the Supervision of Solicitors): QBD 13 Oct 2003
The claimant had been sentenced to 18 years imprisonment. He challenged the differing treatment for parole purposes of those sentenced to more than 15 years, as infringing his human rights, insofar as the decision was retained by the Home Secretary. Held: The decision itself was clearly not irrational. As to the involvement of the Home … Continue reading Regina on the Application of Clift v Secretary of State for the Home Department: Admn 13 Jun 2003
The father applied to the court to have the media excluded from the hearing into the residence and contact claims relating to his daughter. Held: It was for the party seeking such an order to justify it. In deciding whether or not to exclude the press in the welfare or privacy interests of a party … Continue reading Child X (Residence and Contact- Rights of Media Attendance) (Rev 2): FD 14 Jul 2009
The appellant challenged the withdrawal of her benefits payments. She had applied for asylum, and been granted reduced rate income support. A decision was made refusing her claim, but that decision was, by policy, not communicated to her for several months, during which time her benefits were cancelled. Held: The result was to leave the … Continue reading Regina v Secretary of State for the Home Department ex parte Anufrijeva: HL 26 Jun 2003
The various claimants sought damages for established breaches of their human rights involving breaches of statutory duty by way of maladministration. Does the state have a duty to provide support so as to avoid a threat to the family life of the claimant? Held: A finding that a Convention right has been infringed, including a … Continue reading Anufrijeva and Another v London Borough of Southwark: CA 16 Oct 2003
The claimant sought judicial review of decisions that the claimant had committed a disciplinary offence whilst in custody at a Young Offenders Institute. Held: The claim failed.Pitchford LJ considered the ECHR jurisprudence, and said: ‘In the series of prison cases [Ganci, Gulmez, Enea and Stegarescu] the European Court recognized as personal, and therefore ‘civil’, those … Continue reading King v Secretary of State for Justice: Admn 13 Oct 2010
The Chagos Islands had been a British dependent territory since 1814. The British government repatriated the islanders in the 1960s, and the Ilois now sought damages for their wrongful displacement, misfeasance, deceit, negligence and to establish a . .
Two defendants accused of murder each sought to place blame for the victim’s death on the other. One sought to rely upon the other’s record of violence as evidence of his co-accused’s propensity to violence.
Held: The record was admissible. By . .
The claimants had been convicted of a violent rape. They appealed against an order under the 2003 Act sentencing them to detention for public protection with a minimum term of four years less time on remand. . .
(Ceylon) The appellants had been convicted of grave criminal offences under laws of the Parliament of Ceylon. The Act under which they were convicted was passed after an abortive coup, and deprived the appellants retrospectively of their right to . .
The defendant was to be charged with offences associated with terrorism. He had sought stay of the trial as an abuse of process saying that he had been tortured by English US and Pakistani authorities. The judge made an order as to what parts of the . .
If the court could only postpone confiscation proceedings in exceptional circumstances, it behoved the court before allowing such an adjournment to enquire into the justification, and to record the circumstances which made it exceptional. The . .
The applicant was serving two life sentences for Mafia related activities. He challenged nine decrees issued by the Minister of Justice under which he was held under a special prison regime for a period of four years. His case related to delays by . .
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The defendant faced a charge of conspiracy to import Class A drugs. Detailed discussions had taken place between the prosecutor and defendant under which he had pleaded guity on a agreed basis of fact. The prosecutor then proceeded with a furthe money laundering charge. The defendant objceted that the prosecutor was now presenting as fact … Continue reading CPS (Sussex) v Mattu: CACD 17 Jul 2009
The House was asked whether a jury in criminal trials containing variously a Crown Prosecution Service solicitor, or a police officer would have the appearance of bias. In Abdroikof, the presence of the police officer on the jury was discovered only late, but there was no conflict over police evidence. In Green the victim was … Continue reading Regina v Abdroikof, Regina v Green; Regina v Williamson: HL 17 Oct 2007
The applicants were prisoners who sought judicial review of the use made by the Parole Board of its powers to review their sentences, saying that the Parole Board was not sufficiently independent of the government to guarantee their human rights. Held: The applications succeeded, and the court gave a declaration that the applicants’ rights under … Continue reading Brooke and others v The Parole Board: Admn 7 Sep 2007
Partners Liable for Dishonest Act of Solicitor A solicitor had been alleged to have acted dishonestly, having assisted in a fraudulent breach of trust by drafting certain documents. Contributions to the damages were sought from his partners. Held: The acts complained of were so close to the activities which a solicitor would normally undertake, that … Continue reading Dubai Aluminium Company Limited v Salaam and Others: HL 5 Dec 2002
Fair Coment on Political Activities The defendant newspaper had published articles wrongly accusing the claimant, the former Prime Minister of Ireland of duplicity. The paper now appealed, saying that it should have had available to it a defence of qualified privilege because of the claimant’s status as a politician. Held: The appeal failed (Lords Hope … Continue reading Reynolds v Times Newspapers Ltd and others: HL 28 Oct 1999
Appeals were brought complaining as to the apparent reversal of the burden of proof in road traffic cases and in cases under the Terrorism Acts. Was a legal or an evidential burden placed on a defendant? Held: Lord Bingham of Cornhill said: ‘The overriding concern is that a trial should be fair, and the presumption … Continue reading Sheldrake v Director of Public Prosecutions; Attorney General’s Reference No 4 of 2002: HL 14 Oct 2004
The defendant was convicted of murder. Evidence during the trial suggested a possibility of manslaughter, but neither the defence nor prosecution proposed the alternate verdict. The defendant now appealed saying that the judge had an independent duty to leave that option to the jury. Held: The appeal succeeded. The judge should have left a manslaughter … Continue reading Regina v Coutts: HL 19 Jul 2006
Golden Thread of British Justice – Proof of Intent The appellant had been convicted of the murder of his wife. She had left him and returned to live with her mother. He went to the house. He said he intended to frighten her that he would kill himself if she did not return. He wired … Continue reading Woolmington v Director of Public Prosecutions: HL 23 May 1935
The defendant had appealed his conviction for murder to the Court of Appeal. The 1968 Act required the court to consider whether the conviction was unsafe. New evidence was before the Court of Appeal, but they had rejected the appeal. Held: The Court of Appeal should reach its own view based on the unadorned words … Continue reading Regina v Pendleton: HL 13 Dec 2001
(Grand Chamber) The claimants complained of the use against them of hearsay evidence in their trials. Held: ‘the underlying principle is that the defendant in a criminal trial should have an effective opportunity to challenge the evidence against him. This principle requires not merely that the defendant should know the identity of his accusers so … Continue reading Al-Khawaja v The United Kingdom; Tahery v The United Kingdom: ECHR 15 Dec 2011
The defendant was made subject to a confiscation order. He appealed on the basis that the court had left two alternatives versions to the jury, and that it should therefore, when making such an order, take the version most favourable to the defendant. Held: There was no such obligation. The rule in Efionayi applied only … Continue reading Regina v Threapleton: CACD 19 Dec 2001
The defendant applied for leave to appeal out of time against a sentence of imprisonment for public protection. Held: Sentences must be considered as at the time they were passed and in the light of the law and guidance then prevailing. The critical test for the judge was: is there a significant risk to members … Continue reading Gilbert v Regina: CACD 1 Jun 2012
The parties came together in a limited partnership to develop property. The appeal was against a refusal to grant summary judgment on a claim that one party had been induced to enter the contract by a fraudulent misrepresentation. Held: In this case, the defendant knew of the unlawful activity, and had no arguable defence, and … Continue reading Criterion Properties Plc v Stratford UK Properties and others: CA 18 Dec 2002
The central issue arising concerns the point in time at which rebuttal evidence under Section 101(1)(g) CJA 2003 should be put before a jury. Judges: Lord Justice Green Citations: [2020] EWCA Crim 4 Links: Bailii Statutes: Criminal Jusice Act 2003 101(10(g) Jurisdiction: England and Wales Criminal Practice Updated: 14 October 2022; Ref: scu.647067
The claimant advanced funds to the respondent for him to invest in a bank of which the claimant had insider knowledge. In fact the defendant did not invest the funds, the knowledge was incorrect. The defendant however did not return the sums advanced, saying he need not return it because the contract was for an … Continue reading Patel v Mirza: SC 20 Jul 2016
The applicants complained that as an unmarried couple they had been excluded from consideration as adopters. Held: Northern Ireland legislation had not moved in the same way as it had for other jurisdictions within the UK. The greater commitment to traditional family structures did not however justify the difference. The rules were unlawful discrimination.Lord Hoffmann … Continue reading In re P and Others, (Adoption: Unmarried couple) (Northern Ireland); In re G: HL 18 Jun 2008
The court discussed when it was appropriate for the Court of Appeal to substitute other lesser convictions, after the main conviction had been declared unsafe. Held: After studying the authorities at length, the court felt that the various convictions should be quashed, but that in some cases there was a possibility of substituting verdicts of … Continue reading Regina v Graham, Kansal, etc: CACD 25 Oct 1996
ECHR Article 5-1 Deprivation of liberty Failure to provide the rehabilitative courses to prisoners which were necessary for their release: violation Facts – By virtue of section 225 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, indeterminate sentences for the public protection were introduced. Like sentences of life imprisonment, these required the direction of the Parole Board … Continue reading James, Wells and Lee v The United Kingdom: ECHR 18 Sep 2012
Nine otherwise unrelated cases listed together to enable the court to consider and review the amendments made by the sections 13-18 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 (the 2008 Act) to Chapter 5 of Part 12 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (the 2003 Act). Citations: [2009] Crim LR 221, [2009] 2 All … Continue reading C and Others, Regina v: CACD 26 Nov 2008
The claimant sought to challenge search warrants issued by the respondents. The warrants were criticised as being too widely drawn, and in breach of the 1984 Act. Criticism was also made of the implementation of the searches, in the use of excess numbers of officers, and the taking of images of hard disks, thus acquiring … Continue reading Da Costa and Co (a Firm) and Collins v Thames Magistrates Court and H M Commissioners of Customs and Excise: QBD 25 Jan 2002
The claimant alleged that she had been discrimated against in her work for the appellant, a member of the diplomatic staff at the Saudi Embassy in London. She now appealed against a decision that the respondent had diplomatic immunity. Held: The appeal was allowed: ‘the question whether the exception in article 31(1)(c) would have applied … Continue reading Reyes v Al-Malki and Another: SC 18 Oct 2017
The appellant had been charged with and disciplined for a prison offence. He was refused legal assistance at his hearing, and it was accepted that the proceedings involved the determination of a criminal charge within the meaning of article 6 of the Convention, that the deputy controller was not an independent tribunal and that the … Continue reading Greenfield, Regina (on the Application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department: HL 16 Feb 2005
The claimant alleged complicity by the defendant, (now former) Foreign Secretary, in his mistreatment by the US while held in Libya. He also alleged involvement in his unlawful abduction and removal to Libya, from which had had fled for political persecution. The defendants now appealed from rejection of the defendants’ claim to state immunity and … Continue reading Belhaj and Another v Straw and Others: SC 17 Jan 2017
The applicant was a restricted mental patient. His conditional release had been ordered, but required a consultant psychiatrist to be found who would agree to supervise him. None such could be found, and his detention continued. After two years he contended that his continued detention infringed his human rights. Held: Campbell’s case required s73 to … Continue reading Regina (IH) v Secretary of State for the Home Department and Another: CA 15 May 2002
Each applicant having been convicted of indecent assaults involving children, now appealed an order banning them from working with children. Held: The orders were not penalties within article 7. The order was available in the absence of a conviction, and it was intended as a preventive measure rather than a punitive one. The section could … Continue reading Regina v Field (Brian John); Regina v Young (Alfred): CACD 12 Dec 2002
The AG appealed against a sentence of three years detention imposed for a burglary of a residence not using violence, but which was targetted against elderly people. Held: The general tariff for such offences was five to six years where there had been a trial. Though it was right to reflect the general sentencing for … Continue reading Attorney-General’s Reference (No 124 of 2008), Regina v Doran: CACD 11 Nov 2008
The claimant journalist sought disclosure of papers acquired by the respondent in its conduct of enquiries into the charitable Mariam appeal. The Commission referred to an absolute exemption under section 32(2) of the 2000 Act, saying that the exemption continued until the papers were destroyed, or for 20 years under the 1958 Act. Held: The … Continue reading Kennedy v The Charity Commission: SC 26 Mar 2014
The parties disputed whether Mr Smith had been an employee of or worker with the company so as to bring associated rights into play. The contract required the worker to provide an alternate worker to cover if necessary. Held: The company’s appeal failed. Mr Smith was a worker: ‘there were features of the contract which … Continue reading Pimlico Plumbers Ltd and Another v Smith: SC 13 Jun 2018
rape of a child under 13 Judges: Lord Justice Coulson Mrs Justice Mcgowan Mr Justice Bourne Citations: [2022] EWCA Crim 805 Links: Bailii Statutes: Sexual Offences Act 20035(1) Jurisdiction: England and Wales Criminal Sentencing Updated: 01 August 2022; Ref: scu.679786
The defendant appealed aganst his conviction for conspiracy to engage in moneylaundering. At trial he pleaded guilty subject to a qualification that he had not known that the money was the proceeds of crime, though he may have suspected that it would be. Held: (Baroness Hale of Richmond dissenting) The appeal succeeded: ‘the Crown’s principal … Continue reading Saik, Regina v: HL 3 May 2006
The claimants had been detained on the request of the Iraqi criminal court in a detention facility run by the UK armed forces. They complained of their proposed transfer to an Iraqi facility in anticipation of facing trial for murder, for which if convicted they might face the death penalty. Held: The claimants were not … Continue reading Al-Saadoon and Another, Regina (on the Application of) v Secretary of State for Defence: CA 21 Jan 2009
The Secretary of state had sought to register an organisation as a terrorist organisation (PMOI). The organisation had successfully appealed to the Proscribed Organisations Appeals Commission (POAC). The secretary now renewed his application for leave to appeal. The PMO had previously been involved in violence but said that it had abandoned violence several years ago, … Continue reading Secretary of State for the Home Department v Lord Alton of Liverpool and others: CA 7 May 2008
The court was asked whether there was jurisdiction in High court to hear an appeal under section 26(4) against extradition order. Citations: [2008] EWHC 884 (Admin) Links: Bailii Statutes: Extradition Act 2003 26(4) Citing: Applied – Vilnius City, the District Court of v Barcys Admn 22-Mar-2007 The court considered whether it had jurisdiction to apply … Continue reading Gercans v The Government of Latvia: Admn 27 Feb 2008
The claimants had been detained under the 1971 Act, after completing sentences of imprisonment pending their return to their home countries under deportations recommended by the judges at trial, or chosen by the respondent. They challenged as unlawful the respondent’s, at first unpublished, policy introduced in 2006, that by default, those awaiting deportation should be … Continue reading Lumba (WL) v Secretary of State for The Home Department: SC 23 Mar 2011
False Imprisonment Damages / Immigration Detention The respondent had held the claimant in custody, but had failed to follow its own procedures. The claimant appealed against the rejection of his claim of false imprisonment. He had overstayed his immigration leave, and after convictions had served a prison sentence. When about to be released, an order … Continue reading Kambadzi (previously referred to as SK (Zimbabwe)) v Secretary of State for The Home Department: SC 25 May 2011
The defendant appealed his conviction for rape. He said the girl had consented, despite having drunk substantial quantities of alcohol. Held: The voluntary consumption of much alcohol did not remove the possibility that the girl had consented to sex. Capacity to consent might evaporate well before she became unconscious, but it was a question of … Continue reading Bree, Regina v: CACD 26 Mar 2007
The defendant appealed his conviction for murder. He complained at the admission of a statement made by the police surgeon who had attended him in the police station as evidence of bad character under the 2003 Act. The statement was as to his liability to snap if he had not taken medication. The defendant said … Continue reading Osbourne, Regina v: CACD 13 Mar 2007
The court considered how it could marry the law against the increase of penaties on appeal with the possible need to correct a judge’s error in sentencing. It summarised the provisions for sentencing for specified offences: ‘[The] regime requires the court to carry out a careful step by step evaluation of the sentencing consequences of … Continue reading Reynolds and Others, Regina v: CACD 8 Mar 2007
Four defendants appealed convictions in money laundering cases. The first defendant operated a money exchange through which substantial volumes of cash were moved, but claimed that he believed the money to have been honestly acquired. Held: Saik now meant that the requirement was for actual suspicion, not mere reasonable cause for suspicion. However in this … Continue reading Suchedina v Regina; similar: CACD 27 Oct 2006
The defendant appealed the imposition of a sexual offences prevention order under section 66, saying that it did not comply with sections 224 to 227 of the CJA 2003. If the judge had thought there was a serious risk of harm and extended sentence would have been imposd. Held: Sexual prevention orders were not subject … Continue reading Richards, Regina v: CACD 27 Oct 2006
The claimant was an employee of the company manufacturing alcohol measuring devices. He sought judicial review of decisions by magistrates to require him to attend court to give evidence which would require him to breach obligations of confidence he had undertaken. Held: Judicial review proceedings were available if necessary to quash witness summonses issued under … Continue reading Cunliffe, Regina (on the Application of) v West London Magistrates’ Court: Admn 6 Jul 2006
The applicant resisted his extradition to Italy, saying that the provisions of Part 2 of the 2003 Act were engaged because the case started life before Italy ratified the Framework Decision and so adopted the EAW system. La Torre had been found guilty of extradition crimes in Italy and sentenced, but this first instance process … Continue reading La Torre v Her Majesty’s Advocate: HCJ 14 Jul 2006
The defendant said that the judge in setting his sentence had failed correctly to identify the time he had spent in custody awaiting trial, and which would act as time served. Held: The defendants were entitled to a direction. If the time for varying the order under s155 of the 2000 Act had passed, an … Continue reading Norman and Others, Regina v: CACD 20 Jul 2006
The defendant resisted extradition to Austria saying that the warrant was defective. The claimant said that generalised charges were sufficient. Held: ‘The language of section 2(4)(c) is not obscure and, in my judgment, it should be given its plain and ordinary meaning. The sub-section requires the warrant to obtain particulars of the circumstances in which … Continue reading Von Der Pahlen v Government of Austria: Admn 27 Jun 2006
The applicant was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1992 for a brutal murder. He had pleaded diminished responsibility. There were now no papers from the trial. Medical evidence now suggested that at the time of the trial he would have suffered a personality disorder and depression. Held: If this evidence were called at a trial … Continue reading Hendy, Regina v: CACD 12 Apr 2006
The claimant had dual Irish and US nationality. He therefore also was a citizen of the EU. He complained that the British rules against payment of job seekers’ allowance were discriminatory. The matter had already been to the ECJ. Held: The residence test as applied was not in contravention of EU law. ‘[T]he proper interpretation … Continue reading Collins v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: CA 4 Apr 2006
The plaintiff sued for brain damage suffered at birth by use of forceps at the alleged professional negligence of his doctor. The Court of Appeal had reversed the judge’s finding in his favour. Held: In this case most of the evidence at issue was that of expert witnesses, and the court might therefore be more … Continue reading Whitehouse v Jordan: HL 17 Dec 1980
Judges: Jacj J Citations: [2005] EWHC 2624 (QB) Links: Bailii Statutes: Criminal Justice Act 2003 Sch 22 p3 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Prisons Updated: 04 July 2022; Ref: scu.236701
The court objected to the insistence on leaving the burden throughout a prosecution on the defendant on the ground that ‘the discharge of an evidential burden proves nothing – it merely raises an issue’. The House emphasised the special nature of the provisions, saying there was little doubt that the occasions upon which a statute … Continue reading Regina v Hunt (Richard): HL 1987
The claimant had sought to bring proceedings against the respondent, but as a mental patient subject to the 1983 Act, had been obliged by the section first to obtain consent. The parties disputed whether the failure was a procedural or substantial failing and whether it made the proceedings a nullity. Held: The claimant’s appeal failed. … Continue reading Seal v Chief Constable of South Wales Police: HL 4 Jul 2007
The defendants had had confiscation orders made against them. They had appealed on the basis that the orders were made more than six months after sentence. The prosecutor now appealed saying that the fact that the order were not timely did not invalidate them. Held: The appeal was allowed. The confiscation orders made by the … Continue reading Regina v Soneji and Bullen: HL 21 Jul 2005
The claimant suffered back pain for which she required neurosurgery. The operation was associated with a 1-2% risk of the cauda equina syndrome, of which she was not warned. She went ahead with the surgery, and suffered that complication. The evidence established that cauda equina syndrome was a random and inherent risk of the surgery, … Continue reading Chester v Afshar: HL 14 Oct 2004
Restraint and Disclosure orders had been made on without notice applications at the request of South Africa. The applicant appealed a refusal of their discharge. Held: Such orders did not apply to the applicant’s assets in Scotland. The orders were quashed and new orders substituted restricting their ambit to England and Wales. Judges: Lord Justice … Continue reading King v The Serious Fraud Office: CACD 18 Mar 2008
No anonymity for investigation suspect The claimant had been investigated on an allegation of historic sexual abuse. He had never been charged, but the investigation had continued with others being convicted in a high profile case. He appealed from refusal of orders restricting publication of his name and involvement in the inquiry. Held: (Kerr and … Continue reading PNM v Times Newspapers Ltd and Others: SC 19 Jul 2017
The defendant on a charge of rape had been tried and acquitted of the rape of different women on three previous occasions in three separate trials. The prosecution wished to call those three complainants to give similar fact evidence in support of the new charge. Held: Similar fact evidence was not inadmissible only because it … Continue reading Regina v Z (Prior acquittal): HL 22 Jun 2000
The defendant appealed his conviction. A witness statement had been read, but he had wanted to cross examine her. The court was satisfied that her refusal to give evidence in person was through fear. Held: In making the decision, the judge had incorrectly said that her evidence was uncontested. The errors began with discussions in … Continue reading Lobban, Regina v: CACD 7 May 2004
The claimant was convicted, imprisoned, and then his conviction was overturned. He sought compensation. He had pleaded guilty after being told by counsel to expect an adverse direction from the magistrate, following a meeting in private between counsel and the judge. His case had been overturned because he had been warned to expect a sentence … Continue reading In re McFarland: HL 29 Apr 2004
(Australia) The Crown could not recover damages for the loss of the services of a police constable as the result of injuries caused by the negligence of a third person. A chief constable was an office held under the Crown, and the usual relationship of master and servant did not apply.Viscount Simonds said: ”And he … Continue reading Attorney-General for New South Wales v Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd: PC 14 Mar 1955
The defendant, a vagrant, fell asleep in an empty house. His lighted cigarette fell onto his mattress, and a fire started. Rather than put it out, he moved to another room. He was accused of arson. Held: He was guilty. A defendant would be guilty even though he did not know he had started the … Continue reading Regina v Miller: HL 17 Mar 1982
Challenge to a series of interim sexual risk orders (‘ISROs’) made pursuant to section 122E of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 Judges: Mr Justice Fordham Citations: [2022] EWHC 1176 (Admin) Links: Bailii Jurisdiction: England and Wales Criminal Practice Updated: 08 June 2022; Ref: scu.677846
The defendants applied for the defence statements of co-defendants to be disclosed. A co-defendant was to give evidence for the Crown, and they sought to have it excluded as unreliable. Held: The 1996 Act created a duty of secondary disclosure, where a defence statement might be of assistance to the co-defendants. Actual disclosure remained for … Continue reading Regina v Cairns; Regina v Zaldi, Regina v Chaudary: CACD 22 Nov 2002
Law upon res judicata – action estoppel and issue estoppel and the underlying policy interest whereby there is finality in litigation and litigants are not vexed twice on the same matter.(May LJ) ‘the authorities taken as a whole tend to encourage elaborate technical submissions which many percipient non-lawyers would scarcely understand. Cause of action estoppel … Continue reading Specialist Group International Ltd v Deakin and Another: CA 23 May 2001
The Appellant had introduced a system of fining lorry drivers returning to the UK with illegal immigrants hiding away in their trucks. The rules had been found to be in breach of European law and an interference with their human rights. The penalties were substantial, though there existed a system of appeals. Held: The principle … Continue reading Secretary of State for the Home Department v International Transport Roth Gmbh and others: CA 22 Feb 2002
Parties challenged the compliance of proceedings with the convention where there had been considerable delay. Held: The reasonable detention provision (article 5(3)) and the reasonable time requirement (article 6(1)) conferred free-standing rights, which could be broken notwithstanding absence of effect on the fairness of the trial. The threshold for delay was high, but once established … Continue reading Dyer v Watson and Burrows: PC 29 Jan 2002