2 independent complainants identified the defendant, at two ID parades. 2 juries were sure he'd carried out 2 indecent assaults. 20 years later DNA evidence Ct of App clears him, after DNA evidence is found pointing strongly to the guilt of another man. bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/…
Well done to the @ccrcupdate for taking on and investigating this case, its 750th referral to the Court of Appeal.
And bother the lack of an edit tweet function!
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The astonishingly brave Saif-ul-malook is again representing alleged blasphemers in the Pakistan Supreme Court. They have been on death row since 2014.
One of the appellants was held, still may be, in the same cell that was used for Assia Bibi before her blasphemy conviction was quashed.
The crime for which the appellants may be hanged was allegedly to send blasphemous text messages, in English. The appellants are said to be illiterate and unable to speak English.
Suella Baverman tells @CommonsJustice she supports "extending the court day."
"Speaking of my experience as a barrister ... I would have jumped at the chance of any work, especially in my early days, regardless of the time of day at which it was being held."
Does she support increased legal aid work?
"The legal aid agency has produced a range of measures and there are lots of options in the pipeline. ... I'm not able to comment [if there will be an increase in legal aid rates]."
I disagree with @barristersecret here. Johnson does appear to intend much tougher sentences, and not just for child murderers. The current whole-life tariff for child murderers is reserved for those with an abduction or a sexual or sadistic motivation.
@BarristerSecret For some reason the plan is for killing of 4 year olds to become automatically more serious than the killing of 5 year olds.
@BarristerSecret Non-sexual murders of young children are very uncommon anyway. Some are "baby-shaking" cases where an inadequate parent may snap in a moment of anger. There is good reason why such cases should be regarded as less serious than the sexual murder of children.