‘A defendant’s right to appeal following a magistrates or crown court conviction is widely recognised across the entire criminal justice system. What is much less well-known is what options are available should a defendant’s appeal be unsuccessful. There will always be cases where a defendant or counsel are sincerely of the view that there has been a miscarriage of justice in a particular matter, whether it be the conviction itself is unsafe, or the sentence passed is manifestly excessive. This view may be taken immediately after a failed appeal, or years down the line where new evidence has come to light, shining a different perspective over the case as a whole. But what can they do about it? The jury returned their verdict, the single judge and full Court of Appeal turned them down, what route do they have to have their case looked at again?’
KCH Garden Sq, November 2020
Source: kchgardensquare.co.uk
