Law Weblog

If you are guilty you are guilty, if you are innocent you are guilty under proposed law

Sunday 7 October 2007 at 3:34 pm | In News | Post Comment

Ministers are insisting a new law is needed to stop criminals “getting away” with their crimes.

Senior appeal court judges, the council of circuit judges, the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) the Law Society, the Criminal Bar Association and the campaigning groups Justice and Liberty are all vehemently opposed to the new law. The opposition of these groups has been kept secret by the government.

The measures are part of the Criminal Justice and Immigration bill due for a second reading next week. If it becomes law, judges would have to uphold a conviction if they thought the defendant was guilty despite flaws in the trial or pre-trial process.

See article in The Guardian