The defendant said that since the evidence in chief of child prosecution witnesses had been recorded and made available to jurors, facility ought also to be provided for the recording of the cross examination of the same witness so that the jurors might have that evidence re-inforced also. Held: No general rule was required for … Continue reading Regina v Mullen: CACD 19 Mar 2004
Appeal from convictions for serious sexual assaults – judge’s refusal to allow admission of evidence of complainant’s sexual history. Citations: [2006] EWCA Crim 1168 Links: Bailii Statutes: Youth and Criminal Justice Act 1999 41(3) Jurisdiction: England and Wales Crime Updated: 06 October 2022; Ref: scu.242219
The defendant, with no previous convictions appealed against conviction for sexual assaults on vulnerable women at the care home at which he worked. He said that the evidence was so weak that it should not have been left for the jury. Special procedures under the 1999 Act had been used for the complainants to give … Continue reading Regina v Watts: CACD 23 Jul 2010
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
Evidence from 3rd Party Torture Inadmissible The applicants had been detained following the issue of certificates issued by the respondent that they posed a terrorist threat. They challenged the decisions of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission saying that evidence underlying the decisions had probably been obtained by torture committed by foreign powers, and should not … Continue reading A and others v Secretary of State for the Home Department (No 2): HL 8 Dec 2005
Loss of Confidentiality Protection – public domain A retired secret service employee sought to publish his memoirs from Australia. The British government sought to restrain publication there, and the defendants sought to report those proceedings, which would involve publication of the allegations made. The AG sought to restrain those publications. Held: A duty of confidence … Continue reading Attorney-General v Guardian Newspapers Ltd (No 2) (‘Spycatcher’): HL 13 Oct 1988
The defendant was accused of a rape before 2000. No complaint was made until after 2004. The defendant wished to ask the complainant about her sexual history. It was argued that the former provision had been repealed, and tat the new provisons were not back dated, and that therefore there was no restriction. Held: Though … Continue reading Cartwright, Regina v: CACD 7 Nov 2007
The several defendants complained at the use at their trials of evidence given anonymously. The perceived need for anonymity arose because, from intimidation, the witnesses would not be willing to give their evidence without it. Held: The anonymity ruling did not prevent proper investigation with the witnesses in open court of the essential elements of … Continue reading Regina v Davis (Iain); Regina v Ellis, Regina v Gregory, Regina v Simms, Regina v Martin: CACD 19 May 2006
The defendant was convicted of indecent assault. He appealed, saying that the complainant at 3 and a half years old was too young to give reliable evidence. Held: The appeal succeeded. There were defects in the recording of the circumstances surrounding the recorded interview, and her evidence could not properly be tested. There had been … Continue reading Regina v Powell: CACD 13 Jan 2006
The applicant had been sentenced to detention during Her Majesty’s Pleasure. He sought a judicial review of the Lord Chief Justice’s recommendation to the Home Secretary for the minimum term he was to serve. Held: In exercising this function, the LCJ was acting in a judicial capacity, and therefore his recommendation was not subject to … Continue reading Regina (on the Application of Dudson) v Secretary of State for the Home Department and the Lord Chief Justice: Admn 21 Nov 2003
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
The determination of a life sentence by the Home Secretary without recourse to a court was unlawful. There had been a violation of article 5(4) because the applicant who had been detained at Her Majesty’s pleasure was unable, after the expiry of his punitive period, to bring the case of his continued detention before a … Continue reading Hussain v The United Kingdom: ECHR 21 Feb 1996
Two foreign nationals with leave to remain in this country committed serious crimes. The Secretary of State ordered their deportation. Held: Where the deportation of a foreigner following a conviction here, would conflict with his human rights, the court had to assess whether the, first, the objective could be achieved by some alternative, less interfering, … Continue reading Samaroo and Sezek v Secretary of State for the Home Department: CA 17 Jul 2001
The defendant appealed his conviction for rape saying that the judge had wrongly excluded cross examination of the complainanant, in which he had wanted to establish previous false complaints by her. Held: The appeal failed. The defendant had no evidential basis for the proposed cross examination. The purpose of the rule was not for the … Continue reading Regina v Abdeirahman: CACD 12 May 2005
The defendant appealed his conviction for rape, saying that the complainant’s evidence had wrongfully been allowed to be given over a remote video link. Provisions to allow such means of giving evidence had been intended to be phased in only as training allowed. No notice had been given to apply to the court which had … Continue reading R, Regina v: CACD 4 Apr 2008
The defendant challenged the obligatory requirement that evidence given by a person under 17 in sex or violent offence cases must normally be given by video link. Held: The purpose of the section was to improve the quality of the evidence presented to a court. There was no absolute right for a defendant to be … Continue reading D (A Minor), Regina (on the Application of) v Camberwell Green Youth Court: HL 27 Jan 2005
Balancing Rights of Prisoner and Society The appellant had been convicted of the murder of three police officers in 1966. His tariff of thirty years had now long expired. He complained that material put before the Parole Board reviewing has case had not been disclosed to him. Held: The appeal failed (by a majority). The … Continue reading Roberts v Parole Board: HL 7 Jul 2005
The defendant appealed against his conviction after the judge had admitted evidence, judging it proper to admit the evidence in the light of the section which was not yet in force. The complainant was an elderly lady suffering from Alzheimer’s, the allegation was of rape, and it was sought to admit her video evidence. Held: … Continue reading Regina v D (Video testimony): CACD 3 May 2002
An appeal was to be heard by the committee in which it was expected that a declaration of incompatibility would be considered in respect of legislation restricting the raising by a defendant on a charge of rape of the complainant’s sexual history. Though the Crown would conduct the appeal, the Home Secretary, whose Act was … Continue reading Regina v A (Joinder of Appropriate Minister): HL 21 Mar 2001
Each defendant said they had not received a fair trial in that the court had admitted written evidence of a witness he had not been allowed to challenge. The witnesses had been victims, two of whom had died before trial. It was suggested that the court must implement the ECHR decision in Al-Khawaja. Held: The … Continue reading Horncastle and Others, Regina v: SC 9 Dec 2009
The claimant challenged to the power of the Secretary of State to set a tariff where the sentence was imposed pursuant to section 53(1). The setting of the tariff was found to be a sentencing exercise which failed to comply with Article 6(1) of the European Convention in that the decision maker was the Secretary … Continue reading V v The United Kingdom; T v The United Kingdom: ECHR 16 Dec 1999
Same Sex Partner Entitled to tenancy Succession The protected tenant had died. His same-sex partner sought a statutory inheritance of the tenancy. Held: His appeal succeeded. The Fitzpatrick case referred to the position before the 1998 Act: ‘Discriminatory law undermines the rule of law because it is the antithesis of fairness. It brings the law … Continue reading Ghaidan v Godin-Mendoza: HL 21 Jun 2004
No Anonymity for Witnessses in Criminal Trial K was convicted of armed robbery on the basis of statements of anonymous witnesses. He was unable to question those witnesses at any stage. Being unaware of the identity of the witnesses deprived K of the very particulars which would have enabled him to demonstrate the witnesses unreliability. … Continue reading Kostovski v The Netherlands: ECHR 20 Nov 1989
The defendant had been tried for the murder of two men by shooting them at a party. He was identified as the murderer by three witnesses who had been permitted to give evidence anonymously, from behind screens, because they had refused, out of fear, to testify should their identities be disclosed. He now said that … Continue reading Regina v Davis: HL 18 Jun 2008
Rejection of Submission of No Case to Answer The defendant had faced a charge of affray. The court having rejected his submission of having no case to answer, he had made an exculpatory statement from the dock. He appealed against his conviction. Held: Lord Lane LCJ said: ‘How then should the judge approach a submission … Continue reading Regina v Galbraith: CCA 1981
Evidence allowed – Care Application after Abuse Children had made allegations of serious sexual abuse against their step-father. He was acquitted at trial, but the local authority went ahead with care proceedings. The parents appealed against a finding that a likely risk to the children had still been been found. Held: A care order could … Continue reading In re H and R (Minors) (Child Sexual Abuse: Standard of Proof): HL 14 Dec 1995
The crown sought leave to appeal against a terminating ruling. The defendant was accused of rape and sexual assault against his sister, profoundly deaf and with learning difficulties. The judge had found the victim to not be competent to give evidence. The defendant objected that the court did nothave jurisdiction to hear the appeal, the … Continue reading Regina v F: CACD 14 Mar 2013
A teacher had been tried and acquitted of sexual assaults on girls at his school. The court made an order restricting reporting to disallow identification of anyone involved. The paper now appealed from refusal after the trial to lift the . .
The prosecutor appealed a decision that its child witness was incompetent to give evidence in criminal proceedings. The defendant said that the prosecution had failed to meet the requirement to give notice immediately after the ruling.
Held: . .
