AC3.2

Draw conclusions from information

Safe verdicts

A safe verdict is one that is reached on the basis of all the relevant facts and evidence after a fair trial. To achieve a safe verdict, two things are needed:

The evidence must be admissible, reliable and credible, as well as sufficient to justify the verdict
Court procedures must have been followed correctly during trial

Unsafe verdicts

The Court of Appeal can quash a conviction made by a jury in the Crown Court if is unsafe. Unsafe verdicts are usually called unsafe or wrongful convictions.

A verdict may be unsafe for various reasons such as:

Error of law by the judge when directing the jury
Bias by the judge in summing up
Judge has refused to allow the jury to consider a defence
Material irregularity during the trial such as jurors contacting witnesses or carrying out research outside of the courtroom
Evidence not disclosed to defence before trial

Plain text version of the Daily Mail article

Barry George cleared of Jill Dando murder after retrialAfter eight years in jail, 'overwhelmed' George found not guilty of killing former BBC Crimewatch presenter

Read this plain text Daily Mail article first: Dando case verdict safe, appeal judges told.

Then read The Guardian article about the the appeal: Barry George cleared of Jill Dando murder after retrial

Then complete your study of this case in your work book.

The Stephen Downing Case - Unsafe verdict

Stephen Downing says he didn't do it. Nobody listened. Now, after 27A graveyard gardener with learning difficulties, who has spent the past 27 years in prison for a murder he denies carrying out, yesterday became the longest-serving British prisoner to have his case referred to the Court of Appeal.

Just verdict

A fair verdict based on legal rules and evidence available

Criminal Justice Statistics quarterly: December 2019

Who was Stephen Lawrence and why was his murder so significant? | ITV NewsStephen Lawrence’s murder nearly 30 years ago still has major implications today.

Stephen Lawrence murder: A timeline of how the story unfoldedA timeline setting out the history of the Stephen Lawrence case.

OJ Simpson

news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/3/newsid_2486000/2486673.stm

Tony Martin case: backgroundEveryone knows of the fears and frustration which led Tony Martin to shoot dead a teenage burglar in his home. But, says Steve Morris, we are less familiar with the fragile mental state of the Norfolk farmer, whose murder sentence was today reduced to manslaughter.

Stephen Lawrence verdict delivers justice after 18-year waitDoreen Lawrence says police put her through years of grief and uncertainty as Gary Dobson and David Norris found guilty

Four ex-police officers could face charges over Stephen Lawrence murder probeThe IOPC police watchdog is set to pass a file of evidence to the CPS to consider whether the officers should be charged with misconduct in a public office.

What Does O.J. Simpson's Civil Trial Verdict Mean? "Liable" Does Not Mean “Guilty”Unless you've been living under a rock for your entire life, then you already know how Tuesday's season finale of American Crime Story: The People V. O.J. Simpson is going to end: Simpson was acquitted of all murder charges In 1995. So that's that,…

Tony Martin's murder conviction quashedFarmer Tony Martin's murder conviction for the shotgun killing of a teenage burglar was today reduced by the court of appeal to manslaughter.

Dea-John Reid killing: I got no justice at trial, says motherThe teen who stabbed 14-year-old Dea-John Reid was convicted of manslaughter but cleared of murder.

Miscarriages of justice

The conviction and punishment of a person for an offence they have not committed

The miscarriage of justice cases that came to light years laterMany miscarriages of justice did not come to light until long after the innocent people had been jailed

Sally Clark, mother wrongly convicted of killing her sons, found dead at home· Family says she never recovered from court case · Cause of death to be determined by coroner

He Was Executed For Killing His Wife And Daughter — Then They Found The Real Culprit“The conviction of Timothy Evans is now recognized to have been one of the most notorious, if not the most notorious, miscarriages of justice.”

Sean Hodgson, wrongfully jailed for 1979 murder, diesA man wrongfully jailed for 27 years for a murder he did not commit dies three years after being released from prison.

The Cardiff Three: the long wait for justiceThe case of the Cardiff Three was a gross miscarriage of justice which, 24 years on, remains unresolved. Can a report into the failed prosecution of eight police officers shed new light?

“Ambushed” – the story of Judith Ward (1974)Convicted in 1974 at the age of 25 of a number of bombings – of the National Defence College in Buckinghamshire, a coach on the M62 motorway and Euston Station in London – Judith Ward w…

The Birmingham 6

news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/march/14/newsid_2543000/2543613.stm

The miscarriage of justice cases that came to light years laterMany miscarriages of justice did not come to light until long after the innocent people had been jailed

Just sentencing

In order for a sentence to be considered just it needs to be neither too harsh nor too lenient. The Defendant can appeal against a sentence if it is too harsh. If the sentence is considered to be unduly lenient then the Attorney General can seek to appeal. Anyone can ask the Attorney General to review a sentence for certain types of crime.

www.ybtj.justice.gov.uk/

You be the judge

99 criminals have sentences increased under unduly lenient sentence schemeLaw Officers challenged 140 sentences in 2018

Breast surgeon's sentence for needless operations 'unduly lenient'Court of appeal extends Ian Paterson’s jail term from 15 to 20 years after solicitor general argued it was unduly lenient

Andrea Lewis death: Rhys Hobbs manslaughter term increasedA man who was jailed for killing his ex-girlfriend in a "violent and protracted" attack has his eight-year sentence increased.

Judges DOUBLE Stuart Hall's sex abuse sentence slamming star for thinking he was 'untouchable' and claiming he 'lived a lie for half of his life'Court of Appeal judges ruled Hall's 15-month prison sentence should be doubled to 30 months after finding it did not reflect the serious nature of his crimes of indecently assaulting young girls.

Britain's most prolific rapists should never be freed from jail, appeal court told‘Unduly lenient sentencing’ hearing told Reynhard Sinaga and Joseph McCann should get whole-life terms

Two of the UK’s most prolific rapists have their sentences increasedJoseph McCann and Reynhard Sinaga have had their sentences increased by 10 years following intervention by the Solicitor General.

PC Andrew Harper's widow wins bid to change lawMinisters back Lissie Harper's campaign to jail those who kill on-duty police and 999 workers for life.

Courts failed people ‘caught up’ in England riots in 2011, says ex-chief prosecutorCustodial sentences for rioters were much harsher, despite a fifth never having committed a crime before

England riots one year on: Culprits jailed for 1,800 yearsPrison sentences totalling more than 1,800 years have been handed out to rioters following the disorder which began exactly a year ago.