“The first criminal trial without a jury to take place in England and Wales in more than 400 years begins on Tuesday after lawyers’ legal challenges were exhausted.”
The Guardian, 10th January 2010
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Foremost among the grounds of appeal being sketched out by lawyers representing the killers of Baby Peter will be the claim that prejudicial coverage on the internet denied their clients a fair trial.”
The Independent, 11th August 2009
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“Academics have set up an online ‘Honesty Lab’ to discover where people draw the line between bending the rules and outright dishonesty. The results will be used to help judges direct juries.”
The Guardian, 19th July 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Regina v Twomey (John); Regina v Blake (Peter); Regina v Cameron (Glen); Regina v Hibberd (Barry)
Court of Appeal
“A defendant’s right to a fair trial was not prejudiced by holding a criminal trial without a jury, where the danger of jury tampering was very significant and was not sufficiently addressed by proposed protective measures.”
The Times, 25th June 2009
Source; www.timesonline.co.uk
R v T; R v B; R v C; R v H [2009] EWCA Crim 1035; [2009] WLR (D) 19
“A criminal trial without a jury did not contravene a defendant’s right to a fair trial where there was a real danger of jury tampering and proposed measures to prevent such interference did not sufficiently address the extent of the risk. On an application by the prosecution for a trial to be conducted without a jury in such circumstances the evidence should be disclosed to the fullest extent possible, but there would be cases where the evidence to demonstrate the risk of jury tampering would be so sensitive that it could only be addressed under public immunity interest principles and it would be contrary to the legislative purpose to make an order for disclosure which would, in effect, bring the prosecution to an end and enable those who had been involved in jury tampering to derail the trial.”
WLR Daily, 19th June 2009
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.
“A court official fixed the selection of jurors to allow her neighbours to sit on the panel and claim £8,000 in expenses.”
Daily Telegraph, 18th June 2009
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“Jury intimidation or ‘nobbling’ is not new; it has been going on for centuries. It was a series of attempts to intimidate jurors that led to the introduction of majority verdicts in the Criminal Justice Act 1967, so that there could be a conviction even if one or two jurors disagreed.”
The Times, 19th June 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“The Court of Appeal has ruled that a criminal trial can take place in front of a judge without a jury for the first time in England and Wales.”
BBC News, 18th June 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“Juries are to be instructed to ignore myths surrounding rape in an attempt to raise Britain’s low conviction rate for the crime. Under new directions to be given by judges in rape cases, jurors will be told not to assume the victim was ‘asking for it’ because of the way she dressed, her behaviour or her demeanour.”
The Times, 15th June 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“Jack Straw has made a written ministerial statement concerning amendments to the Coroners and Justice Bill.”
Ministry of Justice, 15th May 2009
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
“A jury foreman and the publishers of The Times were found guilty of contempt of court yesterday for reporting how the jurors in a manslaughter trial reached their verdict.”
The Times, 13th May 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“A juror sitting on a sexual assault case went out during his lunch break and committed a sex crime himself, a court heard.”
The Independent, 23rd April 2009
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“The Attorney-General began legal proceedings against The Times yesterday, alleging that the newspaper was in contempt of court for reporting how a jury had reached its verdict.”
The Times, 9th April 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“A judge has ordered a retrial in a case of causing death by dangerous driving after a juror was overheard making comments judged to be biased.”
BBC News, 27th March 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“Jurors should be screened before sitting on trials involving harrowing or gruesome evidence to cut the risk to them being traumatised, medical experts have warned.”
Daily Telegraph, 19th March 2009
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“Strengthened proposals for non-jury inquests that allow for more judicial involvement and discretion were announced today by the government.”
Ministry of Justice, 18th March 2008
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
“Despite substantial literature on the legal institution of the jury, and on the experiences of jurors, less is known about public attitudes to juries. This report sought to help address this knowledge gap, drawing together findings from the small number of surveys that have asked questions on this subject. The report indicates high levels of confidence in the jury amongst the general public.”
Full report (PDF)
Ministry of Justice, 25th February 2009
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
“The Coroners and Justice Bill, which had its second reading in the House of Commons on Monday, allows the Secretary of State for Justice to specify that an inquest should take place without a jury to prevent ‘harm to the public interest’. The Government has failed to justify such a broad discretion to remove an important safeguard against abuse of power.”
The Times, 29th January 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“Permission has been granted to launch contempt of court proceedings against a newspaper publisher and a jury foreman who told ‘secrets of the jury room’.”
BBC News, 20th January 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“Retrial date to be set after jury trying man allegedly ‘at heart’ of Britain’s biggest cash robbery fails to reach verdict.”
The Guardian, 8th January 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
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