The Key to the Sweet Cupboard is No Longer Left in the Keyhole

In recent years, a number of cases, particularly those involving sexual allegations, have foundered as a result of a failure to disclose digital material. This issue was the subject of a conjoined appeal before the Vice-President of the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) Lord Justice Fulford on 23 June. [1]

Kannan Siva led the Prosecution team to secure convictions after the lead defendant was extradited from Spain in late 2019, following a multipronged investigation. Kannan was instructed by Ben Samples of the South West CCU. He progressed the case as leading junior for the Prosecution and was assisted by Christine Hart of the CPS. Kannan advised on the addition of defendants, further allegations and lines of inquiry in this complicated brothel-keeping case.

On Friday 12 June I, alongside colleagues in chambers, delivered a video seminar. My main topic was on vulnerable parties but as part of my intro remarks, I included a couple of throwaway slides about ETs conducting trials, even in discrimination cases, with a judge sitting alone and, within those remarks, I set out the law about how this can be achieved.

Article 2 Inquests in Medical Cases - R (on the application of Maguire) v HM Senior Coroner for Blackpool and Fylde [2020] EWCA Civ 738

The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales delivered the judgment on 10 June 2020.

The Scheme

The Government, specifically HMRC, introduced the job retention scheme, or the ‘furlough’ scheme, in record quick time. It went live on 20 April 2020 and after one or two tweaks, its qualification period was backdated to include employees who were on the payroll from 19 March 2020.

Many of you will be aware that the Family Justice Council has released its long-awaited report making recommendations to achieve best practice in respect of Special Guardianship Orders.

If you have not seen it, the link is here:

https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/PLWG-SGO-Final-Report-1.pdf

One of the topics which has cropped up for discussion most during the pandemic has been whether or not its impact on parties’ finances might qualify as a Barder event justifying an order being set aside. This was a point raised at the most recent open meeting of the Financial Remedies User Group, of which David Chidgey and I are members.

Some of you will have read the Q & A session between Dominic Thomas and Simon Pentol QC, ‘A unique insight into defending in the age of lockdown’ following the first trial to be held in Bristol Crown Court since the lockdown was imposed. I have just concluded the third, which followed my completing the last jury trial to be heard in the country after lockdown. Then, at the end of March, things looked very different.

On 9 June, Clare Fear gave an interview on BBC Radio Gloucestershire to discuss the successes and challenges being faced currently by all court users, but specifically those at Gloucester Crown Court, during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Is it ok to drink red wine with fish? ... and other important questions

B v Yodel Delivery Network Ltd C-692/19