Category: Latest News

A recent Court of Appeal case has ruled on the appropriateness of protective orders when a life sentence is in place. In GD’s case, the Court imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) alongside an indeterminate life sentence.  On appeal, the question was whether making the SHPO was wrong in principle. GD had committed several… Continue reading Life Sentences with Further Orders

Draft revised sentencing guidelines have been produced to reflect recent Court of Appeal judgments. The guidelines clarify sentencing guidance for cases where no sexual activity occurs or where the targeted child does not exist. The revised guidelines are subject to consultation, which will close on 13th August 2021. The main revisions apply to offences of:… Continue reading Child Sexual Offences

More prosecution casework is carried out locally by prosecutors based in regional hubs. For some cases, the position is entirely different, and a specialised team of prosecutors takes over.    Specialist Casework – Criteria The Crown Prosecution Service produces national guidance that specifies the criteria for casework that must be referred to Complex Casework Units (CCUs).… Continue reading ‘Complex Casework’ – Inside The Crown Prosecution Service

The offence of controlling and coercive behaviour has been on the statute books for a few years now but has recently hit the headlines.  Ruth Dodsworth is an ITV Wales presenter who met her ex-husband, Jonathan Wignall, in 2001. She became the primary income earner when his business started to collapse, and his alcohol intake… Continue reading Coercive and Controlling Behaviour

The Criminal Cases Review Commission began its work on 31 March 1997. It was created by the Criminal Appeal Act 1995, 25 years ago. It came into being after some appalling miscarriages of justice under the previous system of consideration by Home Office ministers. That system was clearly not working in the interests of justice… Continue reading Criminal Cases Review Commission – Improvement Needed?

Sometimes you can commit an offence without doing very much at all. Harbouring an escapee is one of those offences. The offence is committed if you harbour a person who has escaped from prison or assisting an escapee by giving that person any assistance with intent to prevent, hinder or interfere with him being taken… Continue reading Harbouring an Escapee

The government has announced that there will be new legislation designed to cut “crime and build safer communities”. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill is intended to give the police: “the powers and tools they need to protect themselves and the public”.  The measures include: Positions of Trust  Existing legislation will be widened to include sports… Continue reading Cutting Crime and Building Safer Communities?

At the moment, profoundly deaf people rarely sit as jurors. There are strict laws that prevent anyone other than the twelve jurors from entering the deliberation room. This means that a sign language interpreter cannot enter the room. The purpose of the legislation preventing a “13th person” is to prevent any outside influence in the… Continue reading Deaf Jurors

In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, the government introduced changes to the custody time limit regulations that extended the custody time limits in the Crown Court by two months to address ongoing delays in the criminal justice system worsened during the pandemic.  In September, Just for Kids Law, along with The Howard League for Penal… Continue reading Custody Time Limits & Young Defendants