News

New rules and guidance have been published (for both Magistrates and Crown Court cases). Everyone must adhere to these rules.

People who are neurodivergent may have a condition to which s4 Criminal Procedure (Insanity) Act 1964 and the Pritchard criteria apply. Neurodivergence may also be relevant to full and partial defences such as insanity, diminished responsibility or duress and to the mens rea of certain offences.

If you have been recalled to prison following a breach of your licence conditions, the Public Defender Service (PDS) may be able to help.

There have been changes to the Parole process over recent months.  One of the most significant changes is that you can now challenge a Parole Board decision that was made on or after 29th July 2019.

There has been a significant rise across the UK in applications pursuant to section 22 Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA).

On 1st February 2018 we announced that the Public Defender Service (PDS) had been awarded Lexcel accreditation; an award only given to those in the legal profession able to demonstrate the highest standards of practice management and client care.

The Sentencing Council recently issued a new Definitive Guideline for Child Cruelty offences, applicable to defendants aged 18 or over who are sentenced in the Crown Court on or after 1 January 2019.

In collaboration with the Senior Judiciary and the MOJ, HMCTS is investing £1bn to reform the courts and tribunal system.

Recent years have seen a shift in the Courts’ approach to the cross examination of vulnerable witnesses, moving away from adversarial questioning to a more evidence-based approach.