The plaintiff had ridden on the back of a kind of tractor in a quarry and in defiance of his employer’s instructions, risking being thrown off and injured. Another vehicle ran into the back of the first vehicle, injuring the plaintiff. He contended that his damages should not be reduced because although it was foreseeable … Continue reading Jones v Livox Quarries: CA 25 Apr 1952
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The patient had been released on licence from prison. He later refused treatment for mental illness and was detained under the 1983 Act, though still on licence. His probation obtained the revocation of his licence, and he was recalled. He did not know of the revocation of his licence, but absconded from the hospital and … Continue reading Regina (on the Application of ‘S’) v the Secretary of Statefor the Home Department: CA 4 Apr 2003
The prisoner had been released on licence early by mistake. The court was asked whether he was to be treated as having been unlawfuly at large. Judges: Geraldine Andrews QC Citations: [2009] EWHC 2661 (Admin) Links: Bailii Statutes: Criminal Justice Act 2003, Prison Act 1952 49 Prisons Updated: 05 August 2022; Ref: scu.377561
The applicant was mentally ill, and had at various times received inpatient treatment, and also detained. After conviction for harassment offences he was imprisoned, but then again hospitalized and detained under s3 whilst released in licence. Upon his impending release from hospital, the respondent ordered him to be returned to prison. He absconded form the … Continue reading Regina (S) v Secretary of State for the Home Department: QBD 5 Nov 2002
Having committed an offence whilst on licence, the judge had sentenced the defendant to a term of imprisonment to follow completion of the original sentence. The order drawn up by the clerk recorded that it should be served concurrently. He served . .
Failure to provide programme discriminated The claimant prisoner who had a learning disability said that he had been unable to complete the offending behaviour programmes because of his disability, that he had been kept in prison for much longer than he should have been as a consequence, and that the defendant should have made appropriate … Continue reading Gill, Regina (on The Application of) v Secretary of State for Justice: Admn 26 Feb 2010
The life prisoner had been recommended for transfer to open conditions on three occasions, but the advice had not been followed by the respondent. The prisoner sought judicial review. Judges: Irwin J Citations: [2007] EWHC 2164 (Admin) Links: Bailii Statutes: Prison Act 1952 12 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Prisons Updated: 06 December 2022; Ref: scu.259849
The defendant had been convicted of murder in 1952, and hung. A court hearing an appeal after many years must apply laws from different eras to different aspects. The law of the offence (of murder) to be applied was that at the time of the offence. In this case however the summing up was so … Continue reading Regina v Derek William Bentley (Deceased): CACD 30 Jul 1998
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 United Kingdom’s ban on homosexuals within the armed forces was a breach of the applicants’ right to respect for their private and family life. Applicants had also been denied an effective remedy under the Convention. The investigations into private lives and sexual activity were intrusive, and given the excessive consequences following, were also striking … Continue reading Smith and Grady v The United Kingdom: ECHR 27 Sep 1999
A school board employed staff to manage a residential school for vulnerable children. The staff committed sexual abuse of the children. The school denied vicarious liability for the acts of the teachers. Held: ‘Vicarious liability is legal responsibility imposed on an employer, although he is himself free from blame, for a tort committed by his … Continue reading Lister and Others v Hesley Hall Ltd: HL 3 May 2001
A building owner appealed against enforcement notices which alleged that there had been a material change of use of his buildings in 1982. This notice was issued by a planning authority. As a result of the appeal an inspector determined that the buildings were in hotel use. The use of the buildings did not change … Continue reading Thrasyvoulou v Secretary of State for the Environment: HL 1990
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
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
The League challenged the respondent’s statement in the Prisons’ Handbook that children held in young offender institutions were not subject to the protection of the 1989 Act. Held: Neither the Prison Act and Rules excluded the Prison authorities from the list of those required to co-operate with local authorities in the exercise of their duties … Continue reading Regina (Howard League for Penal Reform) v Secretary of State for the Home Department: QBD 29 Nov 2002
Lord Goddard discussed again the direction to the jury as to the standard of proof: ‘I think it is very unfortunate to talk to juries about reasonable doubt, because the explanations given of what is and what is not a reasonable doubt are so very often extraordinarily difficult to follow and it is very difficult … Continue reading Regina v Hepworth and Fearnley: 1955
The appellant had been convicted under the 1952 Act of being knowingly concerned in the fraudulent importation of controlled drugs. She was sentenced to imprisonment on her plea. More than three months later, application was made to forfeit the money found on arrest. The court inferred that the whole of the money had been provided … Continue reading Commissioners of Customs and Excise v Menocal: HL 1979
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
Ban on Prisoners talking to Journalists unlawful The two prisoners, serving life sentences for murder, had had their appeals rejected. They continued to protest innocence, and sought to bring their campaigns to public attention through the press, having oral interviews with journalists without undertakings from the journalists not to publish any element of the interview. … Continue reading Regina v Secretary of State for The Home Department Ex Parte Simms: HL 8 Jul 1999
The applicant sought to challenge the 2004 Hunting Act, saying that it had been passed under the provisions of the 1949 Parliament Act which was itself an unlawful extension of the powers given by the 1911 Parliament Act to allow the House of Commons to bring into law an Act which had not been approved … Continue reading Jackson and others v Attorney General: HL 13 Oct 2005
Land-owner’s Possible Duty to Trespassers The plaintiff, a child had gone through a fence onto the railway line, and been badly injured. The Board knew of the broken fence, but argued that they owed no duty to a trespasser. Held: Whilst a land-owner owes no general duty of care to a trespasser, the creation by … Continue reading British Railways Board v Herrington: HL 16 Feb 1972
The parties agreed that damages were payable in an action for restitution, but the sum depended upon to a calculation of interest. They disputed whether such interest should be calculated on a simple or compound basis. The company sought compound . .
The two prisoners, serving life sentences for murder, had had their appeals rejected. They continued to protest innocence, and sought to bring their campaigns to public attention through the press, having oral interviews with journalists without . .
