Law and Rights
Given the Oscar Pistorius case in South Africa and, in England, the on-going Operation Weeting, bail is well and truly in the news.
Oscar Pistorius:
The world famous paralympian Oscar Pistorius stands charged in South Africa with the murder (on 14th February) of his girl friend Reeva Steenkamp. After a 4 day hearing, a Magistrate granted Pistorius bail on a number of conditions - see CNN News 22nd February 2013 At times, the bail hearing appeared to be almost like a mini-trial of the case itself. It appears that the prosecution and defence agree that shots fired by Pistorius killed Miss Steenkamp but Pistorius says that he thought he was firing at an intruder. For those interested in the South African judicial process, see World Criminal Justice Library Network. An interesting article is The Independent 22nd February - The Pistorius case casts a lurid light on a corrupt and crime-ridden South Africa.
Operation Weeting ~ Phone hacking:
Operation Weeting is the investigation
by the Metropolitan Police into allegations of 'phone-hacking' by journalists. The investigation has been underway for just over 2 years having commenced on 26th January 2011. A considerable number of arrests have been made and suspects placed on 'Police bail' for very lengthy periods prior to the Crown Prosecution Service deciding whether to actually bring charges. Certain 'charging decisions' were taken in July 2012 - CPS. Mr Neil Wallis, formerly deputy editor of the News of the World, has just been informed that he is not to be charged after spending 21 months on Police bail. Mr Wallis described that period of time as 'hell for his family.' See CPS 22nd February 2013.
Keeping individuals on bail for very lengthy periods prior to charge appears to be an undesirable feature of the modern criminal justice process. It seems that the famous declaration of Magna Carta - to no one will we sell, to no one will we refuse or delay, right or justice - is nowadays more honoured in the breach than the observance. The late Tony Hancock would perhaps think that Magna Carta did die in vain!
An outline of the law on bail:
If a person is arrested for an imprisonable offence, what is the law relating to bail? The following is a basic outline only of the convoluted law in this area.
The power of the Police to place a suspect on conditional bail is quite a recent innovation. It arrived with the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 Part 2. See, in particular, section 27 which amended the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 s.47. Even a brief glance at PACE section 47 is more then sufficient to highlight the complexity of the law given the numerous 'cut and paste style' amendments which have taken place. This does little credit to the law. The CPS website helps to explain the situation - CPS Bail. Once a suspect - let's call him D - is charged, he will appear at the Magistrates' Court. At this stage, D will either be held in custody or he will be on bail. If on bail, he might be on either bail with conditions or on unconditional bail.
At one time, the Magistrates' Courts conducted 'committal hearings' for all cases where trial would take place in the Crown Court. For offences triable ONLY in the Crown Court (i.e. indictable only offences such as murder, rape etc), committal proceedings were replaced by a 'sending' procedure set out in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 s.51. In very serious cases, these short hearings before Magistrates often attract considerable publicity. Committal proceedings are now being phased out for all offences making their way to Crown Court - Ministry of Justice 5th November 2012. The power to replace committal proceedings for 'either-way' offences is in the Criminal Justice Act 2003 s.41 and Schedule 3 which deals with allocation of cases and sending to the Crown Court.
The law on bail is in the Bail Act 1976. Here is yet another example of complex legislation, heavily amended by the usual cut and paste method.
Basically, D starts with an entitlement to unconditional bail - Bail Act 1976 section 4. This entitlement to unconditional bail may be lost if one or more of the exceptions in Schedule 1 Part 1 of the Bail Act applies. Matters such as substantial grounds to believe that if granted bail D would fail to surrender or commit an offence or interfere with witnesses are among the grounds for refusal of bail.
When considering whether any of the exceptions to bail applies, the court must consider various specified matters set out in the Bail Act 1976 Schedule 1 Part 1 para. 9 - including:
(a) the nature and seriousness of the offence or default (and the probable method of dealing with the defendant for it),
(b) the character, antecedents, associations and community ties of the defendant,
(c) the defendant?s record as respects the fulfilment of his obligations under previous grants of bail in criminal proceedings,
(d) except in the case of a defendant whose case is adjourned for inquiries or a report, the strength of the evidence of his having committed the offence or having defaulted ....
If the court concludes that there are substantial grounds to believe that one or more of the exceptions applies then the further question is whether the concerns can be met with conditions (conditional bail) or whether a remand into custody is required.
Where a court is considering whether to grant bail, the hearing will be nothing like the Pistorius hearing in South Africa. A bail hearing is not a mini-trial. The court will consider only the risks which D might present if granted bail. In cases where D has a considerable criminal record, including perhaps a history of failure to surrender and/or committing offences when on bail then this will count against him on any bail application.
Note: The Bail Act 1976 has been further amended by the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 section 90 / Schedule 11 - (the amendments came into force on 3rd December 2012)
Bail in murder cases:
The law about bail in murder cases was amended by the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 sections 114 and 115 - (in force 1st February 2010). Where a person is charged with murder, section 115 provides that bail can only be granted on the order of a judge of the Crown Court. Section 115 applies to murder only. It does not apply to attempted murder or conspiracy to murder. The power of magistrates to consider bail in murder cases, whether at first hearing or after a breach of an existing bail condition, was removed.
In murder cases, the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 added a further exception to the right to bail. It is that bail may not be granted to someone charged with murder unless the court is of the opinion that there is no significant risk that, if released on bail, that person would commit an offence that would be likely to cause physical or mental injury to another person.
Sufficient has been said in this post to bring out some of the problems as well as the complexity of the law - (not helped by convoluted, heavily amended legislation). The law's complexity is a matter for serious concern particularly at a time when representation for accused persons has become more problematic especially in the earlier stages of cases.
- Arrested And Refused To Give Names. Daily Mail Complains That They Got Unconditional Bail.
The Daily Mail (7th November) carried an article about three "rioters" who were arrested and who refused to give their names to the Police. According to the article, they had their fingerprints, DNA and photographs taken and spent 48 hours...
- "real Prospect Of A Custodial Sentence" ~ Controversy Over Remands
Battle has been joined between the Magistrates Association and the Howard League ... allow me to explain. The Bail Act 1976 determines whether or not a defendant will be granted bail (with or without conditions). Refusal of bail has to be justified...
- Police Arrest And Police Bail - Should There Be A Time Limit?
Updated Neil Wallis, writing in The Guardian 28th May, points out that it is not unusual for individuals to be on police bail for months before they are either charged or the investigation is discontinued. Wallis says that some 3000 families are...
- Police Powers - Bail
A man was held by Police for questioning in connection with the Joanna Yeates murder. Later, he was released on bail. He has not been charged and the basis for the bail has not, so far as I know, been published. I do not wish to...
- Julian Assange And Bail
As of this morning, Mr Julian Assange remains detained in prison - The Guardian 15th December. He was granted conditional bail on Tuesday 14th December but there is to be an appeal against that decision to the High Court. It always seemed...
Law and Rights
The question of Bail ~ Oscar Pistorius ~ Operation Weeting
Oscar Pistorius:
The world famous paralympian Oscar Pistorius stands charged in South Africa with the murder (on 14th February) of his girl friend Reeva Steenkamp. After a 4 day hearing, a Magistrate granted Pistorius bail on a number of conditions - see CNN News 22nd February 2013 At times, the bail hearing appeared to be almost like a mini-trial of the case itself. It appears that the prosecution and defence agree that shots fired by Pistorius killed Miss Steenkamp but Pistorius says that he thought he was firing at an intruder. For those interested in the South African judicial process, see World Criminal Justice Library Network. An interesting article is The Independent 22nd February - The Pistorius case casts a lurid light on a corrupt and crime-ridden South Africa.
Operation Weeting ~ Phone hacking:
Operation Weeting is the investigation
by the Metropolitan Police into allegations of 'phone-hacking' by journalists. The investigation has been underway for just over 2 years having commenced on 26th January 2011. A considerable number of arrests have been made and suspects placed on 'Police bail' for very lengthy periods prior to the Crown Prosecution Service deciding whether to actually bring charges. Certain 'charging decisions' were taken in July 2012 - CPS. Mr Neil Wallis, formerly deputy editor of the News of the World, has just been informed that he is not to be charged after spending 21 months on Police bail. Mr Wallis described that period of time as 'hell for his family.' See CPS 22nd February 2013.
Keeping individuals on bail for very lengthy periods prior to charge appears to be an undesirable feature of the modern criminal justice process. It seems that the famous declaration of Magna Carta - to no one will we sell, to no one will we refuse or delay, right or justice - is nowadays more honoured in the breach than the observance. The late Tony Hancock would perhaps think that Magna Carta did die in vain!
An outline of the law on bail:
If a person is arrested for an imprisonable offence, what is the law relating to bail? The following is a basic outline only of the convoluted law in this area.
The power of the Police to place a suspect on conditional bail is quite a recent innovation. It arrived with the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 Part 2. See, in particular, section 27 which amended the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 s.47. Even a brief glance at PACE section 47 is more then sufficient to highlight the complexity of the law given the numerous 'cut and paste style' amendments which have taken place. This does little credit to the law. The CPS website helps to explain the situation - CPS Bail. Once a suspect - let's call him D - is charged, he will appear at the Magistrates' Court. At this stage, D will either be held in custody or he will be on bail. If on bail, he might be on either bail with conditions or on unconditional bail.
At one time, the Magistrates' Courts conducted 'committal hearings' for all cases where trial would take place in the Crown Court. For offences triable ONLY in the Crown Court (i.e. indictable only offences such as murder, rape etc), committal proceedings were replaced by a 'sending' procedure set out in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 s.51. In very serious cases, these short hearings before Magistrates often attract considerable publicity. Committal proceedings are now being phased out for all offences making their way to Crown Court - Ministry of Justice 5th November 2012. The power to replace committal proceedings for 'either-way' offences is in the Criminal Justice Act 2003 s.41 and Schedule 3 which deals with allocation of cases and sending to the Crown Court.
The law on bail is in the Bail Act 1976. Here is yet another example of complex legislation, heavily amended by the usual cut and paste method.
Basically, D starts with an entitlement to unconditional bail - Bail Act 1976 section 4. This entitlement to unconditional bail may be lost if one or more of the exceptions in Schedule 1 Part 1 of the Bail Act applies. Matters such as substantial grounds to believe that if granted bail D would fail to surrender or commit an offence or interfere with witnesses are among the grounds for refusal of bail.
When considering whether any of the exceptions to bail applies, the court must consider various specified matters set out in the Bail Act 1976 Schedule 1 Part 1 para. 9 - including:
(a) the nature and seriousness of the offence or default (and the probable method of dealing with the defendant for it),
(b) the character, antecedents, associations and community ties of the defendant,
(c) the defendant?s record as respects the fulfilment of his obligations under previous grants of bail in criminal proceedings,
(d) except in the case of a defendant whose case is adjourned for inquiries or a report, the strength of the evidence of his having committed the offence or having defaulted ....
If the court concludes that there are substantial grounds to believe that one or more of the exceptions applies then the further question is whether the concerns can be met with conditions (conditional bail) or whether a remand into custody is required.
Where a court is considering whether to grant bail, the hearing will be nothing like the Pistorius hearing in South Africa. A bail hearing is not a mini-trial. The court will consider only the risks which D might present if granted bail. In cases where D has a considerable criminal record, including perhaps a history of failure to surrender and/or committing offences when on bail then this will count against him on any bail application.
Note: The Bail Act 1976 has been further amended by the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 section 90 / Schedule 11 - (the amendments came into force on 3rd December 2012)
Bail in murder cases:
The law about bail in murder cases was amended by the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 sections 114 and 115 - (in force 1st February 2010). Where a person is charged with murder, section 115 provides that bail can only be granted on the order of a judge of the Crown Court. Section 115 applies to murder only. It does not apply to attempted murder or conspiracy to murder. The power of magistrates to consider bail in murder cases, whether at first hearing or after a breach of an existing bail condition, was removed.
In murder cases, the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 added a further exception to the right to bail. It is that bail may not be granted to someone charged with murder unless the court is of the opinion that there is no significant risk that, if released on bail, that person would commit an offence that would be likely to cause physical or mental injury to another person.
Sufficient has been said in this post to bring out some of the problems as well as the complexity of the law - (not helped by convoluted, heavily amended legislation). The law's complexity is a matter for serious concern particularly at a time when representation for accused persons has become more problematic especially in the earlier stages of cases.
- Arrested And Refused To Give Names. Daily Mail Complains That They Got Unconditional Bail.
The Daily Mail (7th November) carried an article about three "rioters" who were arrested and who refused to give their names to the Police. According to the article, they had their fingerprints, DNA and photographs taken and spent 48 hours...
- "real Prospect Of A Custodial Sentence" ~ Controversy Over Remands
Battle has been joined between the Magistrates Association and the Howard League ... allow me to explain. The Bail Act 1976 determines whether or not a defendant will be granted bail (with or without conditions). Refusal of bail has to be justified...
- Police Arrest And Police Bail - Should There Be A Time Limit?
Updated Neil Wallis, writing in The Guardian 28th May, points out that it is not unusual for individuals to be on police bail for months before they are either charged or the investigation is discontinued. Wallis says that some 3000 families are...
- Police Powers - Bail
A man was held by Police for questioning in connection with the Joanna Yeates murder. Later, he was released on bail. He has not been charged and the basis for the bail has not, so far as I know, been published. I do not wish to...
- Julian Assange And Bail
As of this morning, Mr Julian Assange remains detained in prison - The Guardian 15th December. He was granted conditional bail on Tuesday 14th December but there is to be an appeal against that decision to the High Court. It always seemed...