Each applicant had been subject to confiscation in criminal proceedings relating to drugs offences. They complained that the legislation had reversed the burden of proof.
Held: ‘it was not incompatible with the notion of a fair hearing in criminal proceedings to place the onus on each applicant to give a credible account of his current financial situation. In each case, having been proved to have been involved in extensive and lucrative drug dealing over a period of years, it was not unreasonable to expect the applicants to explain what had happened to all the money shown by the prosecution to have been in their possession, any more than it was unreasonable at the first stage of the procedure to expect them to show the legitimacy of the source of such money or assets. Such matters fell within the applicants’ particular knowledge and the burden on each of them would not have been difficult to meet if their accounts of their financial affairs had been true.’
Judges:
Lech Garlicki, P
Citations:
(2009) 48 EHRR 30, [2008] Lloyd’s Rep FC 574, [2009] Crim LR 200, 19955/05, [2008] ECHR 877
Links:
Statutes:
European Convention on Human Rights 6, Drug Trafficking Act 1994, Proceeds of Crime Act 2002
Jurisdiction:
Human Rights
Citing:
Cited – Barwick, Regina v CACD 13-Oct-2000
The defendant had defrauded women of in excess of pounds 500,000. He admitted dishonesty. The court ordered confiscation under the 1988 Act, with the benefit assessed as that figure, adjusted to pounds 600,000 to allow for the return he should have . .
Cited – Regina v Benjafield, Regina v Leal, Regina v Rezvi, Regina v Milford HL 24-Jan-2002
Statutory provisions which reversed the burden of proof in cases involving drug smuggling and other repeat offenders, allowing confiscation orders to be made were not necessarily in contravention of the article 6 right. However the question of . .
Cited by:
Cited – Waya, Regina v SC 14-Nov-2012
The defendant appealed against confiscation orders made under the 2002 Act. He had bought a flat with a substantial deposit from his own resources, and the balance from a lender. That lender was repaid after he took a replacement loan. He was later . .
Cited – Ahmad, Regina v SC 18-Jun-2014
The court considered the proper approach for the court to adopt, and the proper orders for the court to make, in confiscation proceedings where a number of criminals (some of whom may not be before the court) had between them acquired property or . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.
Human Rights, Criminal Sentencing
Updated: 26 March 2022; Ref: scu.276590