News
Call for Legally-Enforceable Rights for Victims
The victims commissioner, Helen Newlove, has urged the government to guarantee victims legally enforceable rights within the criminal justice system. Despite repeated promises by political parties to improve their status, she said in a speech in Westminster that many victims are left feeling like “bystanders”.
Lady Newlove ... said that there should be a right to be informed about court dates and decisions, a right to make a personal statement at trial and a right to be consulted on conditions of the offender’s release or discharge.
Terrorism Sentencing Consultation
The Sentencing Council has launched a consultation on proposed sentencing guidelines for terrorism offences. The consultation process will run from 12 October to 22 November.
Mandatory Minimum Sentence for Possession of a Corrosive Substance
Details regarding the proposed new offence of possession of a corrosive substance in public have emerged. A second offence would carry a mandatory minimum sentence of six months' imprisonment.
‘Two-year-old girl gives evidence in UK abuse case’
A two-year-old girl is believed to have become the youngest person to give evidence in a UK criminal case.
The toddler was interviewed by a specialist child abuse police officer, assisted by a Ministry of Justice-registered intermediary who advised on the best way to question the child.
Wellbeing at the Bar
The Bar Council has launched a new online resource for mental health and wellbeing at the Bar.
Square Mile Judicial Centre Announced
Plans to replace the City of London Magistrates' Court with a new state of the art combined court centre have been announced. The court would focus on paper-heavy and technically-sophisticated cases, such as fraud, economic crime and cyber-crime.
The proposed new building would replace all of the existing City of London's courts (except the Old Bailey).
Cases
R v The Crown [2017] EWCA Crim 1487
Convictions unsafe because transcripts from some of the ABE interviews in the case had accidentally been left in the jury’s retirement room.
Education
Cyber Security - Online Course
Free online course looking at online security - although not specifically targeted at the criminal justice system, the concepts will be transferable.
With cyber security often in the news today, the course will also frame your online safety in the context of the wider world, introducing you to different types of malware, including viruses and trojans, as well as concepts such as network security, cryptography, identity theft and risk management.
Other
‘The scientists persuading terrorists to spill their secrets’
A lengthy but fascinating insight into police interrogation and interview techniques.
Obscurity
Fence - A Person Who Buys Stolen Goods
The use of “fence” as criminal slang to mean a person who buys stolen goods dates back to the 17th century (“Habberfield … was considered the safest fence about town,” 1812). This use also rests on “fence” in the old “means of defense” meaning. A “fence,” by buying “hot” goods from a thief, provides a defense for the criminal by relieving the miscreant of the burden of holding the evidence (and quite possibly being caught with it) until a buyer can be found.