16 August 2007
R v Cole; R v Keets [2007] EWCA Crim 1924, [2007] All ER (D) 472 (Jul)
Article 6 ( the right to a fair trial) of the European Convention on Human Rights does not impose an absolute embargo on the admission of hearsay evidence adduced by the prosecution.
The governing criterion for adducing such evidence is whether or not the admission of the evidence is compatible with a fair trial. This is so even if the hearsay evidence is the decisive or sole evidence against the accused.
