The defendant complained that even though no closing speech had been made on his behalf, the judge had allowed prosecuting counsel to make a closing speech.
Held: There is a convention that prosecuting counsel should not make a closing address where the defence has not made one.
MacDuff J said: ‘There is a high responsibility on trial judges and trial counsel to guard against breaching this convention. Although we call it ‘a convention’, it is in fact something more, and we need to consider the authorities.’
Rose LJ doubted that the convention was still good practice.
Judges:
MacDuff J
Citations:
[2013] EWCA Crim 978
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Citing:
Cited – Rabani, Regina v CACD 21-Aug-2008
The defendant appealed against his conviction. He had not been represented at trial, and several objections were taken to the conduct of the case, and in particular that prosecuting counsel had made a closing address, and that he had not been . .
Cited by:
Cited – Cojan, Regina v CACD 25-Nov-2014
The defendant appealed against his convictions for offences of rape and robbery. Towards the end of his trial, he had sacked his legal team, and had given no colsing address. He complained that the judge had even so allowed the prosecutor to ake an . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.
Criminal Practice
Updated: 08 May 2022; Ref: scu.540504
