This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/law/2016/jun/09/jurors-suspended-jail-terms-serious-contempt-court

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Jurors given suspended jail terms for 'serious' contempt of court Jurors given suspended jail terms for 'serious' contempt of court
(35 minutes later)
Two jurors have received suspended jail sentences for contempt of court.Two jurors have received suspended jail sentences for contempt of court.
James Smith, 28, who carried out internet research into the case he was trying at Liverpool crown court in 2014, was given a nine-month term suspended for 12 months by the Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas and Mrs Justice Whipple at the high court in London. James Smith, 28, who carried out internet research into the case he was trying at Liverpool crown court in 2014, was given a nine-month term suspended for 12 months by the lord chief justice, Lord Thomas, and Mrs Justice Whipple at the high court in London.
Deborah Dean, who disclosed the contents of jury deliberations after her service at Sheffield crown court the same year, was jailed for three months, suspended for 12 months.Deborah Dean, who disclosed the contents of jury deliberations after her service at Sheffield crown court the same year, was jailed for three months, suspended for 12 months.
The proceedings were brought by the solicitor general Robert Buckland, who told the court that Smith’s disclosure to other jurors of what he had found out about a defendant resulted in the 10-week firearms and drugs trial being abandoned at a cost of nearly £80,000. The proceedings were brought by the solicitor general, Robert Buckland, who told the court that Smith’s disclosure to other jurors of what he had found out about a defendant resulted in the 10-week firearms and drugs trial being abandoned at a cost of nearly £80,000.
Dean, 47, had written three letters, which expressed derogatory views about her fellow jurors, to two defendants who had been jailed after a trial involving rape, trafficking for sexual exploitation and sexual activity with a child. Dean, 47, wrote three letters, which expressed derogatory views about her fellow jurors, to two defendants who had been jailed after a trial involving rape, trafficking for sexual exploitation and sexual activity with a child.
Buckland said later: “These are both serious examples of juror misconduct where the repeated directions of the judge were blatantly ignored. One of the cases cost the taxpayer huge amounts of money when the trial had to be abandoned. This wastage of costs was completely avoidable.Buckland said later: “These are both serious examples of juror misconduct where the repeated directions of the judge were blatantly ignored. One of the cases cost the taxpayer huge amounts of money when the trial had to be abandoned. This wastage of costs was completely avoidable.
“Contempt of court of this nature involves serious wrongdoing and I instigated these proceedings as it was clearly in the wider public interest to do so. Any action which interferes with the administration of justice is a serious breach and I hope today’s judgment sends a lesson to other jurors about their responsibilities.”“Contempt of court of this nature involves serious wrongdoing and I instigated these proceedings as it was clearly in the wider public interest to do so. Any action which interferes with the administration of justice is a serious breach and I hope today’s judgment sends a lesson to other jurors about their responsibilities.”
Smith, who was ordered to pay £900 costs, said he had been “basically nosy” and apologised for his stupidity. His life had fallen apart and he had left his job on the railways to become a taxi driver, he added. Smith, who was ordered to pay £900 costs, said he had been “basically nosy” and apologised for his stupidity. His life had fallen apart and he had left his job on the railways to become a taxi driver, he said.
The judges heard that Dean had suffered a bleed to the brain some months before the trial and was afflicted with daily epileptic seizures for which she needed medication. In her letters to Usman Ali, who was serving three years for sexual activity with a child, and to Shakeal Rehman, who was sentenced to 12 years for trafficking and rape, she said she was sorry for the outcome and had tried to fight their corner in the jury room. The judges heard that Dean had suffered a bleed to the brain some months before the trial and was afflicted with daily epileptic seizures for which she needed medication.
In her letters to Usman Ali, who was serving three years for sexual activity with a child, and Shakeal Rehman, who was sentenced to 12 years for trafficking and rape, she said she was sorry for the outcome and that she had tried to fight their corner in the jury room.
She apologised and said she was distressed and sent the letters out of misguided sympathy.She apologised and said she was distressed and sent the letters out of misguided sympathy.
Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd said that both Smith and Dean, who accepted they were in contempt, had been seriously affected by the 18-month delay in bringing the matter to court. Thomas said that Smith and Dean, who accepted they were in contempt, had been seriously affected by the 18-month delay in bringing the matter to court.
The Lord Chief Justice said that it was never an easy thing for a court to deal severely with those who were giving of their civic duty, but swift action against those who had broken the orders of the court had the effect of preserving trial by jury from interference. He said that it was never an easy thing for a court to deal severely with those who were giving of their civic duty, but swift action against those who had broken the orders of the court had the effect of preserving trial by jury from interference.
He directed that, by 1 October, there should be a comprehensive rewriting of the notices given to jurors into “plain English” so the court was not faced again with people who contended they were not aware of the law. This would have the result that no one could be in any doubt as to the obligations imposed and the penal consequences which would follow if they were broken. He said the exercise might cost a little money, but the expenditure would be very small in relation to the £80,000 of public money which was lost. He directed that there should be a comprehensive rewriting of the notices given to jurors into “plain English” by 1 October so the court was not faced again with people who contended they were not aware of the law.
This would mean that no one could be in any doubt as to the obligations imposed and the penal consequences that would follow if they were broken.
He said the exercise might cost a little money, but the expenditure would be small in relation to the £80,000 of public money which was lost.