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Zander’s reflections: 2 February 2024

02 February 2024 / Michael Zander KC
Issue: 8057 / Categories: Features , Profession , Criminal
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Michael Zander KC on why the correction of miscarriages of justice is so slow…

Looking a few days ago among my papers, I happened upon something that echoes the story captured so powerfully by ITV’s Mr Bates vs The Post Office.

In April 1992, as a member of the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice, I sent the chairman, Lord Runciman, an eight-page memo asking that it be circulated to fellow commission members. The memo was entitled ‘Re Miscarriages of Justice’. It raised half-a-dozen different issues, starting with ‘CPS HQ “sitting on” information relevant to a miscarriage of justice’ and ‘C3 of the Home Office are also prone to excessive delay’.

Home Office Guidance to Chief Officers on Police and Discipline Procedures stated that when an investigation brought to light material suggesting that a prosecution was unsafe or unfounded, ‘the chief officer should immediately draw the relevant material to the attention of the Crown Prosecution Service (Headquarters)’ (para 4.29).

If something has to be reported immediately to

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NEWS
In a very special tribute in this week's NLJ, David Burrows reflects on the retirement of Patrick Allen, co-founder of Hodge Jones & Allen, whose career epitomised the heyday of legal aid
Writing in NLJ this week, Kelvin Rutledge KC of Cornerstone Barristers and Genevieve Screeche-Powell of Field Court Chambers examine the Court of Appeal’s rejection of a discrimination challenge to Tower Hamlets’ housing database
Michael Zander KC, Emeritus Professor at LSE, tracks the turbulent passage of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill through the House of Lords in this week's issue of NLJ. Two marathon debates drew contributions from nearly 200 peers, split between support, opposition and conditional approval
Alistair Mills of Landmark Chambers reflects on the Human Rights Act 1998 a quarter-century after it came into force, in this week's issue of NLJ
In his latest Civil Way column for NLJ, Stephen Gold surveys a raft of procedural changes and quirky disputes shaping civil practice. His message is clear: civil practitioners must brace for continual tweaks, unexpected contentions and rising costs in everyday litigation
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