News
'Red diesel trial collapse shows systemic disclosure failings'
A judge has warned of "systemic failures" in disclosing evidence after a £500,000 red diesel VAT fraud trial collapsed. It follows a series of high-profile rape cases which have collapsed due to crucial evidence not being disclosed.
Judge Robert Trevor-Jones said the fraud case showed "lamentable negligence" and was indicative of a more widespread problem.
Parole Board Reform
Justice Secretary David Gauke ordered a review of Parole Board processes in January, with the purpose of increasing its transparency, restoring public confidence, and improving the treatment of victims. The findings of the urgent review have been published alongside a comprehensive package of reforms that include:
- Initial legislation to immediately remove the ‘blanket ban’ on transparency and a change in the rules to allow the Parole Board to explain its decisions to victims, media and the public
- Proposals to, for the first time, allow Parole Board decisions to be challenged through a judge-led process that could in some circumstances be open to the public
- Immediate changes to expand the Victim Contact Scheme to include more people and to improve the way the department communicates with victims
Judicial Guidance on Bar Strike
The Senior Presiding Judge has issued guidance to the judiciary on how to deal with cases affected by the criminal bar's refusal to take on work under the new AGFS.
6,500 Jobs Lost to Digital Justice
About 6,500 courthouse and backroom jobs in England and Wales are being lost and more courts closed under the government’s drive to modernise the justice system through online pleas and remote video hearings.
The job loss figure underlines the radical nature of the transformation envisaged by HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). The justice secretary, David Gauke, recently appointed Tim Parker, a former boss of Kwik-Fit and the AA, as chair of its board. Parker was once nicknamed the Prince of Darkness by trade unions for reportedly driving to a factory in a Porsche to announce mass job losses.
Other
Methods of Conveying Information to Jurors: An Evidence Review
The purpose of this review is to identify methods by which juror recall and understanding of evidence and directions might be enhanced, and to evaluate both the empirical evidence (i.e. the academic literature) relating to these methods’ effectiveness and the extent to which they have been adopted in other jurisdictions.
Eight methods of improving memory and/or comprehension are identified and discussed: trial transcripts, juror note-taking, audio-visual and digital presentation methods, juror questions, pre-instruction, plain language directions, written directions and structured decision aids (routes to verdict). Aside from juror note-taking, none of these methods are routinely used in Scotland at present.
Government Research on Unrepresented Defendants in the Crown Court
An FOI request forced the Government to release this study into unrepresented defendants in the Crown Court.
Key findings:
- Unrepresented defendants were seen as having a varied but limited understanding of the court process by the majority of interviewees and were considered less able to participate effectively in the process.
- A consistent theme emerging was the perception that unrepresented defendants’ cases had longer hearings and case progression was slower.
Obscurity
Unders 12s and Dangerous Performances
Training a child under 12 to participate in a 'dangerous performance' is contrary to section 24 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.