Well, there has been research conducted in this area which shows that a horrifically high number of errors, reaching the thousands are made every year, with many going completely undetected. While some mistakes don’t have too much impact in practice, other failures lead to unlawful sentences being imposed.
In criminal law, we use two different standards of proof, the most well known is ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ (although these days expressed as ‘so that you are sure’), and the balance of probabilities.
Many people face very lengthy court proceedings, and it is therefore hardly unusual that on occasion a person may not be well enough to attend court. This article looks at what you should do if you are too ill to attend.
Usually the court will consider questions which explore things like, whether the alleged offence is serious enough to justify a retrial, or whether, if re-convicted, the appellant would be likely to serve a significant period or further period in custody. Factors such as the appellant’s age and health may also come into play.
Last week it was proposed by Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson that a 10-year time limit ( a Statute of Limitations) should apply to the prosecution of soldiers accused of murder during time spent in military engagement. He suggested this following reports that British soldiers may face prosecution over deaths that occurred in the 1970s and 1980s during the troubles in Northern Ireland.
Here we look at the impact and cases surrounding the possession and/or use of counterfeit money – including the sentencing – which may shock some people!
