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| First no-jury crime trial begins | First no-jury crime trial begins |
| (11 minutes later) | |
| Four men have appeared in court in the first crown court criminal trial to be held without a jury in England and Wales for more than 350 years. | Four men have appeared in court in the first crown court criminal trial to be held without a jury in England and Wales for more than 350 years. |
| The case concerns four men accused of a £1.75m armed robbery at a cash depot at Heathrow Airport, west London, in 2004. | The case concerns four men accused of a £1.75m armed robbery at a cash depot at Heathrow Airport, west London, in 2004. |
| Last June, Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge made legal history by allowing the trial to be heard by a judge alone as he feared jury "tampering". | Last June, Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge made legal history by allowing the trial to be heard by a judge alone as he feared jury "tampering". |
| One of the accused men's barristers said: "We are breaking history." | One of the accused men's barristers said: "We are breaking history." |
| John Twomey, 61, of New Milton, Hampshire, Barry Hibberd, 43, of Shepherd's Bush, west London, Peter Blake, 57, of Notting Hill, west London, and Glen Cameron, 50, also from New Milton, all deny several charges including robbery and firearm possession. | John Twomey, 61, of New Milton, Hampshire, Barry Hibberd, 43, of Shepherd's Bush, west London, Peter Blake, 57, of Notting Hill, west London, and Glen Cameron, 50, also from New Milton, all deny several charges including robbery and firearm possession. |
| We are doing this [protesting] so that a democracy doesn't turn into a dictatorship Brian O'CallaghanFriend of John Twomey href="/2/hi/uk_news/8454102.stm">Debating non-jury criminal trial | |
| It is the fourth trial connected to the robbery. | It is the fourth trial connected to the robbery. |
| As the trial began Sam Stein QC, representing Hibberd, remarked: "We are breaking history. This is the first time that a court has started a jury-less trial." | As the trial began Sam Stein QC, representing Hibberd, remarked: "We are breaking history. This is the first time that a court has started a jury-less trial." |
| BBC legal affairs analyst Clive Coleman said trial by jury was a hallowed principle stretching back to the Magna Carta in 1215. | BBC legal affairs analyst Clive Coleman said trial by jury was a hallowed principle stretching back to the Magna Carta in 1215. |
| But he said if - as Lord Judge found in this case - there was a real and present danger of jury tampering which could not reasonably be protected against, trial by jury was limited by recent legislation. | But he said if - as Lord Judge found in this case - there was a real and present danger of jury tampering which could not reasonably be protected against, trial by jury was limited by recent legislation. |
| In June, Lord Judge said the cost of the measures such as the services of police officers needed to protect jurors from potential influence was too high. | In June, Lord Judge said the cost of the measures such as the services of police officers needed to protect jurors from potential influence was too high. |
| He also said that such measures might not properly insulate the jury. | He also said that such measures might not properly insulate the jury. |
| The trial will be the first crown court case in England and Wales to be heard by a judge alone using powers under Sections 44 and 46 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, which came into force in July 2007. | The trial will be the first crown court case in England and Wales to be heard by a judge alone using powers under Sections 44 and 46 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, which came into force in July 2007. |
| Trials without a jury are a more regular feature of justice elsewhere in the UK. | Trials without a jury are a more regular feature of justice elsewhere in the UK. |
| Diplock courts have been used in Northern Ireland since 1973 in an effort to combat jury intimidation by paramilitary groups. | Diplock courts have been used in Northern Ireland since 1973 in an effort to combat jury intimidation by paramilitary groups. |
| But in June 2009, Justice Minister Paul Goggins said the system would only be retained for two more years. | But in June 2009, Justice Minister Paul Goggins said the system would only be retained for two more years. |
| And some criminal cases in Scotland are heard by a sheriff in the sheriff court or by a bench of one or more lay justices in justice of the peace courts. | And some criminal cases in Scotland are heard by a sheriff in the sheriff court or by a bench of one or more lay justices in justice of the peace courts. |
| As the trial began at the Royal Courts of Justice, a group of friends and supporters of the defendants protested outside. | As the trial began at the Royal Courts of Justice, a group of friends and supporters of the defendants protested outside. |
| Brian O'Callaghan, a family friend of John Twomey, said: "We are doing this so that a democracy doesn't turn into a dictatorship." | Brian O'Callaghan, a family friend of John Twomey, said: "We are doing this so that a democracy doesn't turn into a dictatorship." |