Vulnerable witnesses in the administration of criminal justice – Speech by The Lord Judge, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales

Posted September 30th, 2011 in children, criminal justice, learning difficulties, speeches, witnesses by tracey

“Vulnerable witnesses in the administration of criminal justice – speech by The Lord Judge, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, 29/09/2011.”

Full speech

Judiciary of England and Wales, 29th September 2011

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Met’s supergrass system called into question by dismissal of Gary Eaton – The Guardian

Posted September 20th, 2011 in assisting offenders, news, police, witnesses by tracey

“Scotland Yard’s supergrass system has been called into question after a judge ruled a key criminal witness was a ‘pathological liar’ for the second time in six months.”

Full story

The Guardian, 20th September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Witness in murder trial ‘went online to mock the defendant’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 5th, 2011 in murder, news, trials, witnesses, young offenders by sally

“A key teenage witness in a murder trial went online within minutes of giving evidence to mock the defendant, a court heard.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 4th July 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Lawcast 185: Gary Slapper, Director Open University Law School – Charon QC

Posted June 28th, 2011 in cross-examination, legal aid, legal education, podcasts, witnesses by sally

“Today I am talking to Professor Gary Slapper, Director of the Law School at The Open University. We look at the relentless march towards privatisation in legal education, the Legal Aid reforms and briefly examine the criticism of Jeffrey Samuels QC in the Dowler case.”

Podcast

Charon QC, 28th June 2011

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of insitelaw newswire.

More rights for children and vulnerable adults in court – Ministry of Justice

Posted June 28th, 2011 in children, news, witnesses by sally

“New laws to help make it easier for children and vulnerable victims and witnesses to give evidence in court come into force today.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 27th June 2011

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

New rules on giving evidence aimed at protecting vulnerable – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 28th, 2011 in children, news, witnesses by sally

“New laws designed to make it easier for children and vulnerable people to give evidence in court came into force today (27 June).”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 27th June 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Levi Bellfield defence was a charade driven by hatred, victim’s family claims – The Guardian

Posted June 28th, 2011 in cross-examination, defence, news, trials, witnesses by sally

“The family of one of Levi Bellfield’s murder victims has hit out at the way his defence was handled during his trial for the killing of Milly Dowler.”

Full story

The Guardian, 27th June 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The Dowler family’s ordeal is no case for silent witnesses – The Guardian

Posted June 27th, 2011 in bad character, cross-examination, media, news, trials, witnesses by sally

“The judge in Levi Bellfield’s trial could not spare Milly Dowler’s parents the trauma of giving evidence.”

Full story

The Guardian, 27th June 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Police chiefs call for new national system of witness protection – The Independent

Posted June 27th, 2011 in informers, news, police, witnesses by sally

“Murder of couple and complaints from ‘abandoned’ informants prompt review that aims to restore trust. Paul Cahalan reports.”

Full story

The Independent, 27th June 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Milly Dowler family’s court ordeal ‘appalling’ says victims czar Louise Casey – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 24th, 2011 in cross-examination, murder, news, victims, witnesses by sally

“The treatment of Milly Dowler’s family in court has been branded ‘appalling’ by the Government’s victims’commissioner, Louise Casey.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 24th June 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Police are failing people with learning disabilities, says study – The Guardian

“People with learning disabilities continue to be failed by police forces, with many neither properly investigating disability hate crimes or treating victims as credible witnesses, according to a report by Mencap.”

Full story

The Guardian, 20th June 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Measuring up – Nuffield Foundation and NSPCC

Posted June 9th, 2011 in children, reports, witnesses by tracey

“This project, jointly funded by the Nuffield Foundation and the NSPCC assessed whether changes to the legislative framework have been successful in improving the experience of young witnesses in court. In June 2011 a follow up report was produced.”

Follow up report

Nuffield Foundation, 9th June 2011

Source: www.nuffieldfoundation.org

Tighten rules to protect young witnesses, say charities – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 9th, 2011 in children, news, reports, witnesses by tracey

“Children’s charities have called for ground rules to be enforced in court to prevent the exploitation of young witnesses. A report released this week by the NSPCC and Nuffield Foundation found that inadequate procedures and a lack of training for legal professionals were having detrimental effects on both the youngsters and their evidence.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 9th June 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Ali Dizaei conviction quashed – The Guardian

Posted May 16th, 2011 in appeals, corruption, fraud, news, police, witnesses by sally

“The court of appeal has quashed the conviction of a former police chief who was found guilty by a jury of framing a man.”

Full story

The Guardian, 16th May 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Children and the law: new case may transform criminal courts’ approach – The Guardian

Posted May 13th, 2011 in children, news, witnesses by tracey

“A local authority has refused to let a six-year-old testify in court. If  it wins the case could severely curtail use of child witnesses in trials.”

Full story

The Guardian, 12th May 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

We welcome report on vulnerable witness handling – Bar Standards Board

Posted April 15th, 2011 in barristers, press releases, witnesses by sally

“We have welcomed a report by the Advocacy Training Council entitled ‘Raising the Bar: Handling of vulnerable witnesses, victims and defendants in court’.”

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 14th April 2011

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Ali Dizaei witness is arrested on suspicion of fraud – The Guardian

Posted March 21st, 2011 in appeals, corruption, fraud, news, police, witnesses by sally

“The man whose evidence led to the jailing of a police chief has been arrested on suspicion of fraud days before the crown will try to convince judges that he is still a reliable witness, the Guardian has learned.”

Full story

The Guardian, 20th March 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Crime victims’ advocate network to be established – BBC News

Posted March 21st, 2011 in criminal justice, news, victims, witnesses by sally

“Victims of crime – and witnesses to it – in England and Wales are to be given a ‘louder voice’ thanks to a £1m government initiative.”

Full story

BBC News, 21st March 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Werynski v Mediatel 4B spólka z o o – WLR Daily

Posted February 21st, 2011 in costs, EC law, jurisdiction, law reports, news, witnesses by sally

Werynski v Mediatel 4B spólka z o o (Case C-283/09); [2011] WLR (D) 50

“In respect of acts which had been adopted in the field of Title IV of the EC Treaty, since December 1 2009 the Court of Justice of the European Union has had jurisdiction to hear and determine a reference for a preliminary ruling from a court against whose decision there was a judicial remedy under national law even where the reference was lodged prior to that date. In determining whether the question referred to the Court of Justice was necessary to enable the referring court to ‘give judgment’ pursuant to article 267FEU of the FEU Treaty, ‘give judgment’ referred to the entire process of creating the judgment, including all issues relating to the responsibility for the costs of proceedings. Where the examination of a witness by a court was at issue there was a direct connection between the question referred for a preliminary ruling and the performance by the referring court of a judicial function. A requested court was not entitled pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No 1206/2001 on cooperation between the courts of the member states in the taking of evidence in civil or commercial matters (OJ 2001 L 174, p 1), to make the examination of a witness conditional on prior payment of an advance from the requesting court covering his witness expense and there was no obligation upon the requesting court to pay such an advance nor was the requesting court obliged to reimburse the expenses paid to the witness examined.”

WLR Daily, 21st February 2011

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Ex parte MGN Ltd and others – WLR Daily

Posted January 28th, 2011 in contempt of court, law reports, reporting restrictions, witnesses by sally

Ex parte MGN Ltd and others [2011] WLR (D) 17

“It was rarely appropriate to impose blanket reporting restrictions under section 4(2) of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 for the purpose of ameliorating the disadvantages of giving evidence and minimising the burdens faced by witnesses in criminal trials. The protection of witnesses was more appropriately provided for by the provisions of section 39 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 and sections 22–30 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999.”

WLR Daily, 26th January 2011

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.