The defendant appealed against her conviction for violent disorder saying that the judge’s interventions had been inappropriate and partisan.
Held: The appeal failed. A judge’s right to ask questions of a witness after re-examination must be limited to attempts to clarify matters raised already. He must not allow the impression to arise that he is cross-examining the witness. The judge here had crossed the line, but the other evidence was overwhelming and the conviction was not unsafe.
Judges:
Auld LJ, Forbes, David Steel JJ
Citations:
Times 22-Mar-1999, [1999] EWCA Crim 274
Links:
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Criminal Practice
Updated: 25 October 2022; Ref: scu.85612