Conclusive Grounds Decision – It’s a matter for experts
I’m currently defending a 21-year-old male who was tricked and trafficked to the UK with a promise of a better life. He paid his traffickers £5,000 to be transported in… Read more
How To: The Cross Examination of Vulnerable Witnesses (Part 2)
By Charlotte Surley This article is the second in a series which aims to explore some common themes in the cross examination of vulnerable witnesses by providing tips and… Read more
Launching PDS Advocacy Team Confiscation Group
March 2021 sees the launch of the PDS Advocacy Team’s Confiscation Group. The Team’s aim is to provide expert representation in POCA and other confiscation related hearings. At the PDS,… Read more
How To: The Cross Examination of Vulnerable Witnesses (Part 1)
Over the past decade, the criminal justice system in England and Wales has greatly improved its ability to accommodate the needs of vulnerable witnesses. If, as I do, you specialise… Read more
Is “Posting Annoying Tweets” a Criminal Offence? The impact of R v Scottow
The recent High Court decision stressed that the Article 10 right to freedom of speech includes the right to cause offence. Is “being mildly rude on the internet” an offence?… Read more
Mental Incapacity and Consent to Sexual Activity: a Case Study
Sexual offences against a person with a mental disorder: at what point will a “mental disorder” mean a person lacks capacity to consent to sexual activity? Where do we draw… Read more
Is “Advance Consent to Sexual Activity” a Defence?
Can consent to sexual activity be given in advance? Will “advance consent” be a defence for sexual activity with a person who is asleep or unconscious? Can a sleeping… Read more
The Sentencing Code 2020
The Sentencing Code 2020 The Sentencing Act 2020 or ‘the Sentencing Code’, as it is often referred to, came into force on 1 December 2020 and applies to all those… Read more
Video Hearings and Disabled Defendants – A Review of the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s Interim Report
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has published a paper entitled ‘Inclusive Justice: a system designed for all’. Whilst the EHRC was already conducting an inquiry into the fair treatment… Read more
Legal Advice Regarding Coronavirus Offences
The current Coronavirus pandemic has presented all of us with unprecedented challenges, especially whilst under lockdown. As a direct response, emergency legislation has been passed to ensure compliance with new… Read more