First Trial Without Jury Begins

The unprecedented trial of four alleged armed robbers without a jury has begun. The Court of Appeal ruled last year that the case should be heard by a judge alone because of the danger of jury tampering. It is the first major criminal trial in England and Wales to be held without a jury, and is taking place at the Royal Courts of Justice

John Twomey, Peter Blake, Barry Hibberd and Glen Cameron are accused of taking part in a £1.75 million hold-up at a Heathrow warehouse in February 2004.
John Aspinall QC represents John Twomey

To read the BBC report follow the link below
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8454102.stm

To read the Times online report follow the link below
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/article6984904.ece

To read The Guardian report follow the link below
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jan/12/court-legal-history-juryless-trial

To read John Aspinall QC's Note re the History of Part 7 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 concerning an order that a criminal trial on indictment be conducted or continued without a jury follow the link below
Note re the History of Part 7 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 Concerning an Order that a Criminal Trial on Indictment be Conducted or Continued Without A Jury [Adobe PDF]

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Tooks Chambers

Tooks Chambers is a large, modern and efficient set of barristers united in their commitment to access to justice and representation without fear or favour. Founded on 1st May 1984 at the height of the Miners' Strike, much of Tooks' early work was defending miners wrongly accused of riot and affray. Members' expertise now extends across criminal and civil specialist areas of law but with an emphasis on protecting the individual against the interests of the state.

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