We welcome report on vulnerable witness handling – Bar Standards Board

“We have welcomed a report by the Advocacy Training Council entitled ‘Raising the Bar: Handling of vulnerable witnesses, victims and defendants in court’.”

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 14th April 2011

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Ali Dizaei witness is arrested on suspicion of fraud – The Guardian

“The man whose evidence led to the jailing of a police chief has been arrested on suspicion of fraud days before the crown will try to convince judges that he is still a reliable witness, the Guardian has learned.”

Full story

The Guardian, 20th March 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Crime victims’ advocate network to be established – BBC News

“Victims of crime – and witnesses to it – in England and Wales are to be given a ‘louder voice’ thanks to a £1m government initiative.”

Full story

BBC News, 21st March 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Werynski v Mediatel 4B spólka z o o – WLR Daily

Werynski v Mediatel 4B spólka z o o (Case C-283/09); [2011] WLR (D) 50

“In respect of acts which had been adopted in the field of Title IV of the EC Treaty, since December 1 2009 the Court of Justice of the European Union has had jurisdiction to hear and determine a reference for a preliminary ruling from a court against whose decision there was a judicial remedy under national law even where the reference was lodged prior to that date. In determining whether the question referred to the Court of Justice was necessary to enable the referring court to ‘give judgment’ pursuant to article 267FEU of the FEU Treaty, ‘give judgment’ referred to the entire process of creating the judgment, including all issues relating to the responsibility for the costs of proceedings. Where the examination of a witness by a court was at issue there was a direct connection between the question referred for a preliminary ruling and the performance by the referring court of a judicial function. A requested court was not entitled pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No 1206/2001 on cooperation between the courts of the member states in the taking of evidence in civil or commercial matters (OJ 2001 L 174, p 1), to make the examination of a witness conditional on prior payment of an advance from the requesting court covering his witness expense and there was no obligation upon the requesting court to pay such an advance nor was the requesting court obliged to reimburse the expenses paid to the witness examined.”

WLR Daily, 21st February 2011

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Ex parte MGN Ltd and others – WLR Daily

Ex parte MGN Ltd and others [2011] WLR (D) 17

“It was rarely appropriate to impose blanket reporting restrictions under section 4(2) of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 for the purpose of ameliorating the disadvantages of giving evidence and minimising the burdens faced by witnesses in criminal trials. The protection of witnesses was more appropriately provided for by the provisions of section 39 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 and sections 22–30 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999.”

WLR Daily, 26th January 2011

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Stirland case coroner calls for witness reforms – BBC News

“Police should review witness protection protocols, a coroner has said in her report into the gangland killings of a Lincolnshire couple.”

Full story

BBC News, 10th August 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Bolton firebomb threat man bailed and on the run again – BBC News

“Prosecutors are under fire for not challenging the bail of a man who admitted witness intimidation only for him to go on the run for a second time.”

Full story

BBC News, 28th June 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk