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Crime brief: 10 March 2023

10 March 2023 / David Walbank KC
Issue: 8016 / Categories: Features , Procedure & practice , Criminal , Public
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David Walbank KC reports on the increasingly thorny issue of criminal damage inflicted through public protest
  • Criminal damage during public protest.
  • Proportionality under the European Convention on Human Rights.
  • Withdrawing the issue from the jury.

The policing of public protest grows increasingly complex. A seemingly endless list of causes about which their adherents demand that the world signals its agreement, combined with the increasing impact of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in criminal cases—particularly the principle of proportionality—has resulted in a glut of decisions in which the appellate courts have had to grapple with the competing interests of protestors and of the public at large.

Recent cases have related to the blocking of a highway leading to an international arms fair, the occupation of land earmarked for the HS2 high-speed rail link, a rally in Central London against the actions of the state of Israel, Extinction Rebellion’s demands for global action against climate change, an airport protest highlighting the polluting effects of air

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Serious injury teambolstered by high-profile partner hire

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Firm strengthens employment team with partner hire

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

Lawyers’ liability practice strengthened with partner appointment in London

NEWS
Tech companies will be legally required to prevent material that encourages or assists serious self-harm appearing on their platforms, under Online Safety Act 2023 regulations due to come into force in the autumn
Commercial leasehold, the defence of insanity and ‘consent’ in the criminal law are among the next tranche of projects for the Law Commission
The Bar has a culture of ‘impunity’ and ‘collusive bystanding’ in which making a complaint is deemed career-ending due to a ‘cohort of untouchables’ at the top, Baroness Harriet Harman KC has found
Lawyers have broadly welcomed plans to electronically tag up to 22,000 more offenders, scrap most prison terms below a year and make prisoners ‘earn’ early release
David Lammy, Ellie Reeves and Baroness Levitt have taken up office at the Ministry of Justice, following the cabinet reshuffle
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