The importance of Thomas LJ’s sentencing remarks delivered in the Innospec case on 18 March in relation to the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) in particular and corporate criminality in general cannot be underestimated
Innospec represents a profound rejection of SFO corruption policy, says David Corker
The importance of Thomas LJ’s sentencing remarks delivered in the Innospec case on 18 March in relation to the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) in particular and corporate criminality in general cannot be underestimated (Regina v Innospec Limited [2010] EW Misc 7 (EWCC)). It was not judicial hyperbole when the judge described the issues he wished to address as raising issues of “constitutional principle” and the rule of law.
It is ironic that this judgment was by a judge sitting in the Crown Court. Normally such first instance judgments carry little weight and are rarely reported. That an appellate judge who is also the deputy head of criminal justice decided to sit in the Crown Court strongly suggests that it was intended that his sentencing remarks should be widely broadcast and be seen as conveying
