The appellant, a wife had pleaded guilty to shoplifting before the magistrates, but now sought to allege that she had committed the act alleged and entered her plea only as a result of threats and pressure put upon her by her husband, who was jointly charged with her.
Held: It was open to the court to examine an otherwise apparently unequivocal guilty plea where duress, coercion or persuasion of some kind were alleged. In such a case the matter should be remitted to the magistrates.
[1981] 2 All ER 872, [1981] 3 WLR 27, [1981] QB 857
England and Wales
Cited by:
Cited – Regina v Norwich Crown Court ex parte Estabrook QBD 2000
The court considered the ability of the Crown Court to investigate a suggestion that defendant’s plea was made under duress from his lawyer. . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.
Criminal Practice
Updated: 18 January 2022; Ref: scu.239724