Broken process?
Discussion
I know someone who's accused of an offence where at the moment, the most likely outcome based off legal advice, similar cases and the limited evidence against them is that they'll be found not guilty or the case will be dismissed before reaching court.
At the point that happens, they'll have had their life on hold for 2 years, their mental and physical health shredded and their finances crippled by defence costs.
Even in the apparently unlikely event of a conviction the penalties for the offence are markedly less than what they've already been put through.
This doesn't seem right or fair. There are many aspects that rankle, but particularly in this instance, it's a case that is being pushed to the CPS by virtue of being a hot topic where the police need to be seen to act, rather than it having a realistic prospect of conviction - this a politically motivated policy implemented without consideration of how it is enacted or the lives it will ruin.
Is our justice system like the NHS? sounds alright on the surface but a closer look and the cracks appear and are plentiful?
At the point that happens, they'll have had their life on hold for 2 years, their mental and physical health shredded and their finances crippled by defence costs.
Even in the apparently unlikely event of a conviction the penalties for the offence are markedly less than what they've already been put through.
This doesn't seem right or fair. There are many aspects that rankle, but particularly in this instance, it's a case that is being pushed to the CPS by virtue of being a hot topic where the police need to be seen to act, rather than it having a realistic prospect of conviction - this a politically motivated policy implemented without consideration of how it is enacted or the lives it will ruin.
Is our justice system like the NHS? sounds alright on the surface but a closer look and the cracks appear and are plentiful?
shouldbworking said:
I know someone who's accused of an offence where at the moment, the most likely outcome based off legal advice, similar cases and the limited evidence against them is that they'll be found not guilty or the case will be dismissed before reaching court.
At the point that happens, they'll have had their life on hold for 2 years, their mental and physical health shredded and their finances crippled by defence costs.
Even in the apparently unlikely event of a conviction the penalties for the offence are markedly less than what they've already been put through.
This doesn't seem right or fair. There are many aspects that rankle, but particularly in this instance, it's a case that is being pushed to the CPS by virtue of being a hot topic where the police need to be seen to act, rather than it having a realistic prospect of conviction - this a politically motivated policy implemented without consideration of how it is enacted or the lives it will ruin.
Is our justice system like the NHS? sounds alright on the surface but a closer look and the cracks appear and are plentiful?
I sympathise but the CPS is a law until itself. I have a relative who was convicted of a relatively minor offence and fined by a magistrate. The CPS were furious as they believed it warranted a custodial sentence and so they launched a vendetta against him with a series of appeals against the sentence which went via a High Court judge, a Court of Appeal judge and ultimately ended up on the desk of the Lord Chief Justice. It was both ridiculous and vindictive given the nature of the offence and the CPS was criticised by all the judges involved for pursuing it so far even though technically it was their right to do so. One even said that the public interest would be best served by the CPS channelling their resources into prosecuting serious offenders rather than pursuing a minor offender so hard. Even the police thought it was totally OTT given the nature of the offence. At the point that happens, they'll have had their life on hold for 2 years, their mental and physical health shredded and their finances crippled by defence costs.
Even in the apparently unlikely event of a conviction the penalties for the offence are markedly less than what they've already been put through.
This doesn't seem right or fair. There are many aspects that rankle, but particularly in this instance, it's a case that is being pushed to the CPS by virtue of being a hot topic where the police need to be seen to act, rather than it having a realistic prospect of conviction - this a politically motivated policy implemented without consideration of how it is enacted or the lives it will ruin.
Is our justice system like the NHS? sounds alright on the surface but a closer look and the cracks appear and are plentiful?
As to the system being broken. I don't know. Imo the police and the judges involved in the above case all acted fairly and reasonably and the CPS did not so from where I sit it seems the CPS is broken.
The legal system, crime in particular, is in dire straits due to many years of underfunding. Courts are shut, not enough judges, barristers not taking on briefs because the fees are too low, solicitors dropping out of legal aid work as the fees are the same as they were about twenty years ago, four year waits to get a trial date.
Yes, you could say there is a problem.
Yes, you could say there is a problem.
shouldbworking said:
I know someone who's accused of an offence where at the moment, the most likely outcome based off legal advice, similar cases and the limited evidence against them is that they'll be found not guilty or the case will be dismissed before reaching court.
At the point that happens, they'll have had their life on hold for 2 years, their mental and physical health shredded and their finances crippled by defence costs.
Even in the apparently unlikely event of a conviction the penalties for the offence are markedly less than what they've already been put through.
This doesn't seem right or fair. There are many aspects that rankle, but particularly in this instance, it's a case that is being pushed to the CPS by virtue of being a hot topic where the police need to be seen to act, rather than it having a realistic prospect of conviction - this a politically motivated policy implemented without consideration of how it is enacted or the lives it will ruin.
Is our justice system like the NHS? sounds alright on the surface but a closer look and the cracks appear and are plentiful?
Johnson etc deserve it.At the point that happens, they'll have had their life on hold for 2 years, their mental and physical health shredded and their finances crippled by defence costs.
Even in the apparently unlikely event of a conviction the penalties for the offence are markedly less than what they've already been put through.
This doesn't seem right or fair. There are many aspects that rankle, but particularly in this instance, it's a case that is being pushed to the CPS by virtue of being a hot topic where the police need to be seen to act, rather than it having a realistic prospect of conviction - this a politically motivated policy implemented without consideration of how it is enacted or the lives it will ruin.
Is our justice system like the NHS? sounds alright on the surface but a closer look and the cracks appear and are plentiful?
Yes like the rest of the public sector its decked. try the secret barrister books as a starter
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