Category: juries

Coronavirus: Jury trials, message from the Lord Chief Justice – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted March 18th, 2020 in coronavirus, courts, health, health & safety, juries, news, trials by sally

‘The impact of the public health emergency on the operation of the courts has been under constant review. In all jurisdictions steps are being taken to enable as many hearings as possible to be conducted with some or all of the participants attending by telephone, video-link or online. Many court hearings will be able to continue as normal with appropriate precautions being taken. We must make every effort to maintain a functioning court system in support of the administration of justice and rule of law.’

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Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 17th March 2020

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Coronavirus: Stop jury trials, says Bar Council – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 17th, 2020 in barristers, coronavirus, criminal justice, juries, news by sally

‘Jury trials should be stopped immediately, the Bar Council said today, likening court cases to playing Russian roulette with participants’ health.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 17th March 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Extinction Rebellion trial jury express regret at convicting activists – The Guardian

Posted December 19th, 2019 in climate change, demonstrations, juries, news, railways by sally

‘A jury has expressed its regret at convicting three Extinction Rebellion protesters who glued themselves to a Docklands Light Railway train at Canary Wharf.’

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The Guardian, 18th December 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

The Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919 – 100 Years On – Pump Court Chambers

Posted December 4th, 2019 in juries, legal profession, news, sex discrimination, women by sally

‘This year marks the centenary of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919. This ground breaking Act of Parliament, which became law on 23 December 1919, allowed women to become Solicitors, Barristers, Magistrates and Jurors for the first time. The Act begins with the defining words “a person shall not be disqualified by sex or marriage from the exercise of any public function”. A sentiment which we take for granted nowadays but the first female jurors in England were sworn in on 29th July 1920. In the last 100 years, the legal profession has made progress in the pursuit of equality: the UK’s first female Prime Minister began her career studying for the Bar and our beloved first female President of the Supreme Court, Lady Hale has made her mark and taken every opportunity to develop equality within our legal system.’

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Pump Court Chambers, 29th November 2019

Source: www.pumpcourtchambers.com

Jury highlight Morton Hall multiple staff failures as inquest concludes on death of immigration detainee Carlington Spencer – Garden Court Chambers

Posted November 20th, 2019 in death in custody, detention, immigration, inquests, juries, news by sally

‘The inquest into the death of Carlington Spencer, known to his family as ‘Jammy’, concluded on Friday 8 November. Carlington was an immigration detainee at Morton Hall Immigration Removal Centre.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 14th November 2019

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Trial collapses after woman ‘followed the crowd’ and accidentally joined the jury – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 16th, 2019 in Crown Court, juries, mistake, news, oaths by tracey

‘A crown court case collapsed after a woman “simply followed the crowd” and accidentally joined the jury.’

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Daily Telegraph, 15th September 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

CA: Judge wrong to discharge jury over barrister’s closing speech – Legal Futures

Posted August 2nd, 2019 in barristers, juries, jury directions, legal aid, news, wasted costs orders by tracey

‘A judge was wrong to discharge the jury in a criminal trial after “inappropriate” remarks by the defence barrister in his closing speech, the Lord Chief Justice has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 2nd August 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Jurors use internet chat rooms to get tips on how to avoid serving, senior judge warns – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 23rd, 2019 in internet, judges, juries, news by sally

‘Potential jurors are using internet chat rooms to find “tips and techniques” on how to avoid their public duty, a senior judge has warned.’

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd July 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Jury returns damning conclusion at inquest of Andrew Brown at HMP Nottingham – Garden Court Chambers

Posted July 4th, 2019 in health & safety, inquests, juries, mental health, news, prisons, standards, suicide by sally

‘The inquest into the death of Andrew Brown has concluded on 26 June with the jury finding that a series of damning failings by HMP Nottingham contributed to his death.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 27th June 2019

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

South Wales Police misconduct officer Rebecca Bryant sacked – BBC News

Posted June 20th, 2019 in deceit, disciplinary procedures, juries, murder, news, police, professional conduct, retrials, trials by tracey

‘A police officer has been sacked after lying about knowing a juror in a murder trial, leading to three convictions being quashed and a retrial.’

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BBC News, 20th June 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Valedictory lecture by President of the Queen’s Bench Division – Criminal Trials: The Human Experience – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted June 17th, 2019 in criminal justice, judges, juries, speeches by tracey

‘Valedictory lecture by President of the Queen’s Bench Division – Criminal Trials: The Human Experience.’

Full speeech

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 14th June 2019

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Judge excused jury duty after case mix-up – BBC News

Posted April 17th, 2019 in judges, juries, news by tracey

‘A senior judge has revealed he was excused from jury service, because he was due to preside over the case in question.’

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BBC News, 16th April 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Aidan James: No verdict over man who ‘went to fight IS’ – BBC News

Posted April 15th, 2019 in juries, news, proscribed organisations, terrorism by michael

‘The jury has been discharged in the trial of a British man who allegedly travelled to Syria to fight against the Islamic State group.’

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BBC News, 15th April 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Jury dismissed in Barclays fraud trial – BBC News

Posted April 9th, 2019 in banking, conspiracy, fraud, juries, misrepresentation, news by sally

‘The jury in the fraud trial against four former Barclays bankers – including the former chief executive, John Varley – has been dismissed.’

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BBC News, 8th April 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Birmingham pub bombings: Victims ‘unlawfully killed’ – BBC News

Posted April 4th, 2019 in coroners, explosives, inquests, Ireland, juries, murder, news, terrorism, unlawful killing by sally

‘The coroner at the inquests into the deaths of 21 people in the Birmingham pub bombings has instructed the jury to return a verdict of unlawful killing.’

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BBC News, 3rd April 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Murder conviction quashed after detective hid relationship with juror – The Guardian

Posted March 20th, 2019 in disclosure, juries, murder, news, police, retrials by sally

‘Three killers had their murder convictions quashed because a police officer involved in the case failed to disclose she knew one of the jurors in their trial, it has been revealed.’

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The Guardian, 19th March 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Is social media harming our criminal justice system? – Attorney General’s Office

Posted March 5th, 2019 in anonymity, consultations, contempt of court, criminal justice, internet, juries, press releases, reporting restrictions by tracey

‘Publication of the government’s response to its Call for Evidence on the impact of social media on the administration of justice.’

Full press release

Attorney General’s Office, 5th March 2019

Source: www.gov.uk/ago

Hillsborough disaster: David Duckenfield’s trial due to begin – BBC News

Posted January 14th, 2019 in bias, health & safety, homicide, juries, misfeasance in public office, negligence, news, police, prosecutions, sport, unlawful killing by tracey

‘The manslaughter trial of the police officer in command during the Hillsborough disaster will begin later.’

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BBC News, 14th January 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Two Tesco directors cleared of fraud as judge labels case ‘weak’ – The Guardian

Posted December 7th, 2018 in fraud, judges, juries, news, Serious Fraud Office by tracey

‘Two former Tesco executives accused of masterminding a fraud that triggered the biggest financial crisis in the supermarket chain’s 100-year history have been cleared after the judge threw out the case stating the prosecution case was “so weak” it should not be before a jury.’

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The Guardian, 6th December 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Scrapping juries in rape trials risks rise in miscarriages of justice – The Guardian

Posted November 23rd, 2018 in budgets, criminal justice, juries, miscarriage of justice, news, rape, sexual offences, statistics by sally

‘There is no evidence juries are failing their duty. Abolishing them could increase pressure on judges to boost conviction rates.’

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The Guardian, 22nd November 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com