This has been the question reverberating around Twitter all day. It’s the first question I asked myself when I saw the story, and was a question that appeared several hundred times in my mentions from people understandably confused by the Met’s curious statement, released this morning: “For the events the Met is investigating, we asked…
Read moreDo the verdicts in the trial of the Colston 4 signal something wrong with our jury system? 10 things you should know
1. What happened in this case? On 7 June 2020, in the course of a Black Lives Matter protest in Bristol, a monument of 17th-century slave trader Edward Colston was pulled down and thrown into the harbourside. Consequently, four of those involved, Milo Ponsford, Sage Willoughby, Rhian Graham and Jake Skuse were charged with criminal damage….
Read moreHarper’s Law: A grim tale of political exploitation and incoherent lawmaking
“You’d want to see him put to death! You’d want it to be cruel and unusual, which is why it’s probably a good idea that fathers of murder victims don’t have legal rights in these situations – now we’re going back to school!” Toby Ziegler, The West Wing, Season 4 Episode 6 Four weeks after their…
Read moreWhy I will not be working extended unpaid hours to dig the government out of its own mess
I have written for the Daily Mirror on the government’s plans to force criminal lawyers to work longer hours, for free, to tackle the backlog caused by chronic underfunding. The piece can be read here.
Read moreWhy did the Court of Appeal refuse to change the sentences of the killers of Pc Harper?
Following the Court of Appeal handing down judgment yesterday in the appeals against sentence by the killers of Pc Andrew Harper, and the Attorney General’s application to refer the sentences as unduly lenient, I posted the below thread, looking at what the judgment means.
Read moreFake Law: An evening with Joshua Rozenberg QC, Joanna Hardy and The Secret Barrister
Tonight I had the privilege of appearing on a panel with Joshua Rozenberg QC and Joanna Hardy, at a live event for the Human Rights Lawyers’ Association. My words were voiced by the wonderful Joanne Kane. Should you wish to watch the discussion, it is available here:
Read moreThe Big Interview with Chambers Student
I was kindly invited to take part in The Big Interview with Chambers Student, and took the opportunity to sound off in the usual gibbering fashion. If gibbering is your thing, the interview can be found here.
Read moreThe government would rather have dangerous criminals released onto the streets than pay for a working justice system
A thread I wrote yesterday following a decision by a Crown Court judge in Woolwich. It may sound like a technical legal issue, but the practical effects for public safety could be devastating. The original tweet that sparked the thread is here: https://twitter.com/crimelinelaw/status/1290563065684074496?s=21 My thread is here:
Read moreGuest post by The Tartan Con: The government’s approach to our prisons is an admission of failure
I am pleased to host this guest post by The Tartan Con, a leading prison reform blogger. _____________________________ The Ministry of Justice issued a press release on the 28th of June announcing the news that they were to build 4 more prisons over the next six years. (To read this wonderful piece of self-promotion click…
Read moreGuest post by Dr Laura Janes and Andrew Neilson: The government’s treatment of prisoners in our locked-down prisons is cruel and untenable
I am pleased to host this guest blogpost by Dr Laura Janes and Andrew Neilson. Dr Laura Lanes is the legal director at the Howard League for Penal Reform and oversees its specialist legal service for children and young adults. Andrew Neilson is the director of campaigns at the Howard League for Penal Reform. ——————————————————…
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