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18 November 2022 / David Walbank KC
Issue: 8003 / Categories: Features , Procedure & practice , Criminal , Clinical negligence
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Crime brief: 18 November 2022

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A recent case has underlined that equality before the law is one of the bedrocks of our justice system, no matter who is bringing the claim: David Walbank KC reports
  • Equality before the law.
  • Clinical negligence claim by prisoner convicted of attempted murder.
  • Statutory defence of fundamental dishonesty.

In the last ‘Crime brief’, we looked at one of two recent cases illustrating the principle that ‘all are equal before the law’ (‘Crime brief’, NLJ, 4 November 2022, p13).

The former king of Spain, Juan Carlos I, had been sued by his ex-mistress for harassment, the allegation being that he had arranged for agents of the Spanish intelligence service to carry out a campaign of intimidation and harassment by, among other things, placing her under surveillance, intercepting and monitoring her communications, burgling her home and deliberately leaving veiled threats with not-so-subtle references to the death of Princess Diana and the conspiracy theories which abound about the part played by MI6 and the CIA.

Juan Carlos’ various attempts to pray in aid the doctrine

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Jurit LLP—Caroline Williams

Jurit LLP—Caroline Williams

Private wealth and tax team welcomes cross-border specialist as consultant

Freeths—Michelle Kirkland Elias

Freeths—Michelle Kirkland Elias

International hospitality and leisure specialist joins corporate team as partner

Flint Bishop—Deborah Niven

Flint Bishop—Deborah Niven

Firm appoints head of intellectual property to drive northern growth

NEWS
Talk of a reserved ‘Welsh seat’ on the Supreme Court is misplaced. In NLJ this week, Professor Graham Zellick KC explains that the Constitutional Reform Act treats ‘England and Wales’ as one jurisdiction, with no statutory Welsh slot
The government’s plan to curb jury trials has sparked ‘jury furore’. Writing in NLJ this week, David Locke, partner at Hill Dickinson, says the rationale is ‘grossly inadequate’
A year after the $1.5bn Bybit heist, crypto fraud is booming—but so is recovery. Writing in NLJ this week, Neil Holloway, founder and CEO of M2 Recovery, warns that scams hit at least $14bn in 2025, fuelled by ‘pig butchering’ cons and AI deepfakes
After Woodcock confirmed no general duty to warn, debate turns to the criminal law. Writing in NLJ this week, Charles Davey of The Barrister Group urges revival of misprision or a modern equivalent
Family courts are tightening control of expert evidence. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Chris Pamplin says there is ‘no automatic right’ to call experts; attendance must be ‘necessary in the interests of justice’ under FPR Pt 25
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