Tag: Crown Court

The Youth Justice Legal Centre (YJLC) has published a lawyer's guide to the use of intermediaries for child defendants.

The Youth Justice Legal Centre (YJLC) has published a lawyer's guide to the use of intermediaries for child defendants.

The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) has expressed concern about the amendments to the Criminal Practice Direction in relation to intermediaries. It has requested practitioners to share their experience of defendants who have been badly disadvantaged by the Court’s failure to appoint an intermediary.

The Prison Reform Trust and Institute for Criminal Policy Research (ICPR) have published their study into Joint Enterprise. The report says there is an ‘urgent need’ for much greater clarity and transparency in the prosecution of ‘joint enterprise’ cases.

The Judicial College has published The Crown Court Compendium (May 2016), providing guidance on directing the jury in Crown Court trials and when sentencing. It contains specific guidance on the sentencing of children.

The Youth Justice Board has published a statement outlining its position on children appearing in court via video link.

On 7th April 2016, Mr Justice Globe of Leeds Crown Court passed sentences on two girls, F and D, convicted of the murder of Angela Wrightson. In his decision, Justice Globe also had to consider whether to grant anonymity to F and D following an application by the media to lift reporting restrictions preventing identification of the girls.

The amended Criminal Practice Directions 2015 (in force on 4 April 2016) contains a revised practice direction on the appointment and use of intermediaries during criminal trials. The new practice direction has attracted criticism because it suggests intermediaries for defendants will be 'rare'.