The Mangrove Nine and the history of English juries
Criminal lawyers watching Steve McQueen’s Mangrove on the BBC last year may have raised an eyebrow or two during the scenes at the Old Bailey. Lawyers are used to seeing...
After Elgizouli: what does the judgment mean for mutual legal assistance?
In Elgizouli v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2020] UKSC 10, a seven-Justice Supreme Court held that the provision of material by way of mutual legal assistance to...
Making the most of pupillage
Readers of this blog range from law students to seasoned silks and judges. Somewhere in the middle are those in the midst of the pupillage process, whether preparing to start...
The luck of the law – when is criminal conduct a matter of concern to the international community?
Certain crimes transcend the territorial confines of any State and become a matter of concern to the world as a whole. In those cases, where a domestic prosecution is not...
Cash forfeiture – punishment without crime?
The financial year 2018/19 saw a record £51 million collected through cash forfeiture under chapter 3 of Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (‘POCA’). Those who consider...
What are the limits of mutual trust in extradition relations?
The following essay was the winning entry to the John RWD Jones QC Essay Competition 2019, run by the Defence Extradition Lawyers Forum. A degree of trust is built into...
Hong Kong: a lesson in extradition relations
One of the leading global news stories in recent weeks has been the protests in Hong Kong over the proposed extradition bill, which would allow for extradition to mainland China...
Are we there yet? Criminal liability in the era of driverless cars
Since the Motor Car Act 1903, the safety of our roads has been regulated largely through the criminal law. Drivers will incur criminal liability if they drive in an unsafe...
European Production and Preservation Orders
On 17 April 2018, the European Commission issued a proposal for the introduction of ‘European Production and Preservation Orders for electronic evidence in criminal matters’. The aim is to make...
No smoke without fire: revisiting the Crown exemption rule
When is the Crown bound by a statute that does not expressly refer to it? This was the question that arose for consideration by the Supreme Court in R (on...