Court allows first juryless criminal trial

London Guardian
Thursday, June 18, 2009

The court of appeal today ruled that a criminal trial can be heard without a jury for the first time.

Three judges in London, headed by the lord chief justice, Lord Judge, gave the go-ahead because of a “very significant” danger of jury tampering. Lord Judge said the case concerned “very serious criminal activity” arising from a robbery at a warehouse at Heathrow airport in 2004.

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Reporting restrictions ban the identification of four defendants. Their trial will take place “in due course”.

Today’s decision by Lord Judge, sitting with Lord Justice Goldring and Mr Justice McCombe, means the new trial will be the first crown court case in England and Wales to be heard by a judge alone since new legislation came into force in 2003.

Full story here.

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