Top Rape Defence Barrister

A Lucas direction would not have been appropriate, or helpful to the defendant. where an allegation of sexual assault turned wholly on the jury’s assessment of the respective credibility of the defendant and the complainant.

It was doubtful whether there was still a rule that prosecuting counsel could not make a closing speech where the accused was unrepresented. It was preferable to approach the issue as a matter of balance and fairness: it was incumbent on a trial judge, faced with an unrepresented accused, to assess all the circumstances of […]

Possible confusion caused by conflicting good and bad character directions to the jury was sufficient to make an appellant’s conviction for attempting to abduct a child unsafe.

Section 58 Crime and Disorder Act 1998 did not have retrospective effect; therefore licence periods could not extended under that provision for offences which occurred before 30 September 1998.