Last week the Hillsborough trial involving ex-police officer David Duckenfield ended without reaching a conclusion; a number of papers reported that there was a ‘hung jury’ – so, what does that mean? In an ideal world, a jury will reach a clear conclusion by either convicting or acquitting the defendant. In a case with 12…
The Crown Prosecution Service has issued new guidance to prosecutors as to which offences may be committed regarding “child-like” sex dolls after more than 200 seizures by Customs Officers in the last two years. The potential offences are: 1) Importing obscene articles. 2) Publishing an article for gain or not, or having an article for…
The unimaginable has happened: you’ve been convicted of a crime you didn’t commit. The lawyers at your trial have told you that there is no hope of an appeal. You can’t afford more legal advice so you decide to look for a cheaper alternative. Surely there must be someone who can help? Perhaps that friend…
The murder of James Bulger in 1993 shocked everyone. That the killers who committed such a violent crime were only ten years of age was astounding. Many people, rightly, felt they should be punished to the full extent of the law. But some people think that the punishment should go further. As a result, Jon…
Last week the Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson suggested a 10-year time limit ( a Statute of Limitations) on the prosecution of soldiers accused of murder during military engagement. This proposal was in response to reports that British soldiers may face prosecution over deaths during the Northern Ireland troubles in the 1970s and 80s. So, what…
The Home Secretary will this week hold an urgent meeting with police chiefs to discuss the recent rise in knife crime. This follows another week of senseless killings and the publication of figures that show the number of people aged 16 and under being stabbed rose by 93% between 2016 and 2018. Channel 4 found,…
In straitened financial circumstances, it can be tempting to consider purchasing counterfeit money. While the price of such ‘currency’ fluctuates widely, it is often as low as 25% of the face value, making it a tempting proposition. State currency producers spend millions each year on devising and improving security safeguards, and that counterfeit currency can…
The short answer is: maybe. Section 45 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 provides a defence to specific criminal charges where it is shown that they were committed under a compulsion due to slavery or exploitation (for over-18s) or as a direct consequence of slavery or exploitation (for under-18s). The latter test, for children, is…
The Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019 has completed its parliamentary journey and will, in the main, come in to effect over the next few months. The Home Secretary Sajid Javid claims that the Act: ‘…ensures sentencing for certain terrorism offences can properly reflect the severity of the crimes, as well as preventing re-offending and…
The Parole Board is an independent body that carries out risk assessments on prisoners serving certain sentences to determine whether they can be safely released into the community. When a person is considered to be fit for release it means that their risk has been reduced to a level where it is low enough to…
