Law Weblog
Rapid law making – recent example
Monday 21 July 2008 at 9:26 am | In News | 1 CommentA recent example of Parliament’s ability to pass law quickly occurred today by the passing of the Criminal Evidence (Witness Anonymity) Act 2008. The Act passed all parliamentary stages and was ready for Royal Assent in 4 weeks.
Coat of Arms
The new law was needed because the House of Lords had ruled that in some circumstances courts could not allow witnesses to give evidence anonymously, R v Davis [2008] HL. A £6m trial at the Old Bailey was halted, and if the law had not been clarified hundreds of other very serious crimes would not be tried because the identity of witnesses would have to be revealed to the defence.
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“The new law was needed because …”
Was it needed?
When the police and CPS acted in an unlawful manner in Grant v R [2005] EWCA Crim 1089 there wasn’t any attempt to change the law.
Is a new law needed for cases such as Grant, above? Grant did walk away from an 18 year sentence; I don’t know how much the trial cost, though. Maybe it was six million?
Never forget the Cooke’s ratio in Dr Bonham’s case – the poll tax rioters didn’t.
Comment by anon — Monday 21 July 2008 10:53 am #