Unit 5 – Case management and pre-trial hearings Flashcards
When will a court issue a witness summons?
1) Witness can give material evidence in proceedings and
2) It is in the interests of justce for a summons to be issued.
What are the witness obligations of the defence?
1) Serve a notice with names, addresses and DOB of witnesses they intend to call to give evidence
2) 28 days from the date when prosecution provides them with any additional information which may harm prosecutions’ case.
In a criminal trial, is D required to serve on the CPS copies of witness statements who they’re calling to give evidence at trial?
NO. Only expert witness reports who are called at trial must be served on CPS.
Where D wishes to call an expert to give evidence at trial, what must they do?
- If D’s solicitor wants to call an expert to give evidence at trial, they must serve a copy of the expert’s report on the CPS in advance of trial.
- D’s solicitor should ensure expert witness comes to trial.
Section 9 witness statements – Witnesses attending trial …
S 9 witness statement – A written statement from a witness will be admissible at trial (as opposed to the witness having to come to court to give evidence) provided that:
a) It is signed / dated
b) Contains the following declaration:
“This statement (consisting of (1) page signed by me) is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and I make it knowing that if it is tendered in evidence, I shall be liable to prosecution if I have wilfully stated in it anything which I know to be false or do not believe to be true”.
c) A copy has been served before the hearing on the other parties in the case; and
d) None of the other parties have objected within 7 days.
When should S 9 witness statements be used?
1) For evidence which is not in dispute.
– Statement can only contain matters which would have been admissible if the witness had given oral evidence at court.
Where documentary evidence takes the form of plans/photos, what do they need to be accompanied by?
1) Witness statement from the person who prepared the plan / took photographs.
When is there a plea and trial preparation hearing? (PTPH)
Cases which go to crown court (only certain ones)
Linked summary offences – Crown court / magistrates ?
- A D who is sent for trial in the Crown Court in respect of an either-way offence may also be charged with another offence that is summary-only.
- If the summary-only offence is:
- Common assault
- Taking a conveyance without consent
- Driving whilst disqualified or
- Criminal damage,
- D may tried for these offences at the Crown Court if the offence is founded on the same facts as the either-way offence, or is part of the series of offences of the same or a similar character.
- Additionally, if the magistrates send a D for trial for one or more either-way offences, they may also send the defendant for trial in relation to any summary-only offence with which they are also charged if the summary-only offence:
(a) Is punishable with imprisonment or disqualification from driving; and
(b) Appears to the court to be related to the either-way offence.
- if D, on a conviction for the either-way offence, pleads guilty to the summary-only offence, the Crown Court can sentence for the summary offence, although its sentencing powers are limited to those of the magistrates.
- If D is acquitted of the either-way offence or pleads not guilty to the summary-only offence, this offence must be remitted back to the magistrates’ court for trial.
When does a preliminary hearing in the crown court take place?
A preliminary hearing will take place for an offence triable only on indictment if:
(a) There are case management issues which the Crown Court needs to resolved;
(b) The trial is likely to exceed four weeks;
(c) It is desirable to set an early trial date
(d) The defendant is under 18; or
(e) There is likely to be a guilty plea and D could be sentenced at the preliminary hearing.
Note – A preliminary hearing must take place within 10 business days of the date on which the magistrates send the case to the Crown Court.
When should a preliminary hearing take place?
Within 10 business days of the date on which the magistrates send the case to the Crown Court.
What is the purpose of the plea and trial preparation hearing?
1) Enable D to enter their plea and;
2), If the defendant is pleading not guilty, to enable the judge to give further case management directions for the CPS and the defendant’s solicitor to comply with prior to trial.
When should the PTPH take place? (where no preliminary hearing is held)
Within 20 business days after sending.
What happens at the arraignment?
Counts on the indictment will be put to the defendant who pleads guilty or not guilty.
Possible outcomes:
1) D pleads guilty to some counts and not others – Jury at D’s trial will not be told about the counts to which a guilty plea has already been entered.
2) Where CPS have agreed with D not to charge on certain counts, where D pleads guilty to others – CPS offers no evidence on these counts at the arraigement.
3) CPS asks for a count to “lie on the file” – This can happen where there are several counts on indictment and the CPS evidence in respect of each is strong. If D pleads guilty to the more serious counts, the CPS may agree to fewer/lesser counts being left on the file. In this case, a not guilty verdict will not be entered and with leave of the court, the CPS may be able to re-open the case at a later date.
Where D pleads guilty at the PTPH…
- If D pleads guilty at the PTPH, the judge will either sentence immediately, or adjourn sentence for preparation of pre-sentence reports, like medical reports or reports from the Probation Service.
- Where D pleads guilty but disputes specific factual allegations made by the prosecution witness. This calls for a separate hearing (newton hearing) to determine the factual basis on which the defendant will be sentenced.
– If case is adjourned, D will either be released on bail or remanded in custody pending either the sentencing hearing or the newton hearing.
Can the judge give D an indication of sentence at the PTPH?
- A judge is permitted at the PTPH to give a defendant an advance indication of the likely sentence they would receive if they were to enter a guilty plea at that stage.
- D must specifically ask for this indication.
- If judge gives an indication and D then enters a guilty plea, the indication given by the judge WILL BE BINDING.
Where D pleads not guilty at the PTPH…
- If D pleads not guilty at the PTPH, the judge then considers if any further directions are necessary to prepare the case for trial.
- To determine this, judge requires the prosecution and defence advocates present at the PTPH to supply the following information:
(a) Summary of the issues in the case
(b) Details of the number of witnesses who will be giving oral evidence at trial and the estimated length of the trial
(c) Whether the transcript(s) of the defendant’s police station interview(s) require(s) editing;
(d) Whether a defence statement has been served and if so, whether there is any issue as to adequacy of the statement;
(e) Whether the prosecution will be serving any additional evidence;
(f) Whether there is any dispute as to the adequacy of disclosure of unused material by the prosecution;
(g) Whether any expert evidence is to be called and, if so, whether any additional directions are needed in respect of this;
(h) Whether any further directions are necessary concerning hearsay or bad character evidence;
(i) Whether special measures are required for any witnesses;
(j) Any facts which can be formally admitted;
(k) Any points of law or issues concerning the admissibility of evidence which are likely to arise at trial;
(l) Dates of availability to attend trial of the witnesses and the advocates.
How does the judge list the case for trial?
- At the PTPH, the judge will give any further case management directions that are necessary (as per the information given (a-l above) and then either fix a date for D;s trial or place the case on the ‘warned list’.
- ‘Warned list’ = list of cases awaiting trial that have not been given a fixed date for the trial to start.
– If a case is placed on warned list, Crown Court will contact D’s solicitor to let them know that the case has been listed for trial shortly before the date when the trial is due to start.
– Concluding the PTPH, D will either be released on bail, or remanded in custody pending his trial.
Can D change their plea at the PTPH?
Yes – at the judges’ discretion any time before the jury return their verdict.
What is the prosecutions’ initial duty of disclosure?
CPS required to serve on D all the evidence it wishes to rely on at trial to prove D’s guilt.
When does the CPS need to disclose unused material to D?
1) Where D enters not guilty plea and
2) If the material might ‘reasonably be considered capable of undermining the case for the prosecution or assiting the case for the accused’
Is the duty of disclosure ongoing?
Yes.
If D’s solicitor thinks disclosure is incomplete, what should they do?
1) Request disclosure of missing items when drafting defence statement; if CPS refuse:
2) Apply to court requesting specific disclosure
Note – Application to court can only be made if D has already provided a defence statement.
When can CPS withhold disclosure of unused material?
‘sensittive’ documents:
(a) Material relating to matters of national security or intelligence;
(b) Material relating to the identity of police informants or undercover police officers;
(c) Material revealing techniques and methods relied upon by police (e.g., covert surveillance techniques used); and
(d) Material relating to a child witness (e.g., material generated by a local authority social services department).
