Court of Appeal, Criminal Division
“It was not good enough to ensure the attendance of a witness to leave making contact until the last working day before the trial.”
The Times, 14th December 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
Inner West London Assistant Deputy Coroner v Channel 4 Television Corporation and Another
“Courts should avoid trying to fit a coroner’s application for a witness summons into the template of civil litigation; because of the inquisitorial nature of an inquest, a more flexible approach should be taken.”
The Times, 11th December 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note that the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
“Five witnesses who refused to turn up for an election trial yesterday amid allegations they were scared of intimidation by Labour are to be warned by police to attend or risk jail.”
The Times, 5th December 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“Response to consultation”
Attorney General’s Office, 27th November 2007
Source: www.attorneygeneral.gov.uk/
“Prosecuting lawyers and barristers will be allowed to interview their witnesses before the start of a trial to assess the reliability of their evidence.”
BBC News, 27th November 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“Frail and vulnerable elderly people will be able to give evidence from their own homes via video link to courts in a drive to prosecute more crimes against old people.”
The Times, 8th November 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“An initiative in the fight against fear and confusion felt by witnesses of the court process across England and Wales, has been launched by the Court Minister Maria Eagle, today.”
Her Majesty’s Courts Service, 8th November 2007
Source: www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk
“The Crown Prosecution Service today launched a public consultation on prosecuting crimes against older people, seeking views on how it deals with crimes against them and how it supports those who are victims and witnesses.”
Crown Prosecution Service press release, 7th November 2007
Source: www.cps.gov.uk
“When considering a coroner’s application for a witness summons under CPR r 34.4, courts should be wary of trying slavishly to fit that request into the template of civil litigation. A more flexible approach should be taken to such applications due to the inquisitorial nature of a coroner’s inquest and the objectives therein of allaying, or confirming, suspicions and/or making any recommendations for the future.”
WLR Daily, 1st November 2007
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.
“Witnesses to gun crime should be given a guarantee they will not be identified in court, police chiefs say.”
BBC News, 6th September 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“Lawyers for the three former NatWest executives caught up in the Enron scandal have levelled an astonishing series of allegations against London solicitors representing the bank’s parent, RBS.”
The Times, 12th August 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“On an application by potential witnesses for anonymity a tribunal of inquiry had posed the correct test, under art 2 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, of whether a pre-existing risk of death would be materially increased if the witnesses were required to give evidence without anonymity.”
WLR Daily, 1st August 2007
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.
When tribunal witness requests anonymity
House of Lords
“On an application by potential witnesses for anonymity at a public inquiry, the appropriate test was whether a preexisting risk of death to the witness would be materially increased if he were required to give evidence without anonymity.”
The Times, 1st August 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
“Introducing greater choice on how young people give evidence in court is among proposals published today that place victims and witnesses at the heart of the Criminal Justice System.”
Ministry of Justice press release, 22nd June 2007
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
“A scheme assisting vulnerable witnesses to access the criminal justice process will be rolled out nationally, following an announcement by Minister for Justice, Gerry Sutcliffe.”
Ministry of Justice press release, 12th June 2007
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
“The head of criminal justice for the judiciary in England and Wales has called for witnesses to be filmed when they testify in court.”
BBC News, 12th May 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Police failed to protect life of prosecution witness at risk
Van Colle and Another v. Chief Constable of Hertfordshire Constabulary
Court of Appeal
“Police who failed to take appropriate action to protect a vulnerable prosecution witness, when they should have known there was a risk to his life, were in breach of their duty for which they were liable in damages.”
The Times, 10th May 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
“Five witnesses at the Billy Wright murder inquiry have won a legal battle for anonymity.”
Full story
BBC News, 26th April 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“A new psychological tool that helps witnesses ‘freeze’ the memory of crime scenes was revealed by scientists yesterday.”
Daily Telegraph, 26th April 2007
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“Police forces face a multi-million-pound bill for establishing witness protection schemes after senior judges ruled yesterday that they are legally bound to ensure the safety of witnesses. Sir Anthony Clarke, the Master of the Rolls, found that the right to life enshrined in the Human Rights Act required police forces to protect vulnerable witnesses in criminal cases.”
The Times, 25th April 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
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