Thejusticegap com

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2017 WE ARE A MAGAZINE ABOUT LAW AND JUSTICE. AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO

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ABOUT US

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Who we are The site is run by Jon Robins (jon@thejusticegap.com; @JusticeGap). Jon is a journalist and has written about the law and justice for the national papers and specialist press for 15 years. Jon launched the www.thejusticegap.com on October 6th 2011.

Jon has written a number of books including The rst miscarriage of justice: the amazing & unreported case of Tony Stock (Waterside 2014); The Justice Gap: Whatever happened to legal aid? (Legal Action Group, 2009 – with Steve Hynes) and People Power: how to run a campaign and make a difference in your community (Daily Telegraph/ LawPack, 2008).

Jon is a visiting lecturer at Winchester University where he teaches second and third year journalism students. He is a visiting senior fellow in access to justice at the University of Lincoln and a patron of Hackney Community Law Centre.

Jon won the Bar Council’s legal reporter of the year award in 2015. He previously won the award in 2005.

For more info: www.jonrobins.info Jon is editor.

Brian Thornton

(brian@thejusticegap.com) is a journalist and academic. He is one of the founders of the Crime and Justice Research Centre at the University of Winchester which specialises in issues related to miscarriages of justice. Brian is a former BBC producer who worked on Newsnight. Brian is commissioning editor.

Miranda Grell

(miranda@thejusticegap.com) is development of cer at Hackney Community Law Centre. Miranda was called to the Bar in 2014 and was awarded the Law Centres Network’s 2014 Reita Clarke Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievement in recognition of ‘her award winning initiatives, dynamism and creativity, and her commitment to justice for the people of Hackney’. Miranda commissions, writes and helps with business development. She tweets at @MirandaGrell.

Caterina Franchi is a trainee solicitor at a niche immigration and human rights law rm in North London, currently on secondment at Lewis Nedas Law. She volunteers for the Liberty Advice Line. Caterina is the editor on #Unlocked15, a partnership with Right to Remain and Detention Action. The project is run by Detention Forum.

Will Bordell is commissioning editor. Will is a journalist and writes for the Justice Gap. Eleanor Sheerin is a Justice Gap reporter. Eleanor is a legal researcher and writer and will be starting the BPTC in September.

Web site development: Thanks very much to Brian for building the new site. We are also grateful to Jason French for his help on the site.

JusticeGap reporters/ commissioning editors: If you are interested in writing/ commissioning/ helping, email Jon.

The Justice Gap

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‘The ‘Justice Gap’ refers to the increasing section of the public too poor to afford a lawyer and not poor enough to qualify for legal aid. At the heart of any notion of a decent society is not only that we have rights and protections under the law but that we can enforce those rights and rely upon those protections if needed.’

Michael Mans eld QC

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‘For those concerned with the law and justice – as well as the difference between the two – www.thejusticegap.com is increasingly essential.’

David Jessel (Rough Justice, Trial & Error)

What we are about The Justice Gap is an online magazine about the law and justice aimed at the public. We launched on October 6th 2011.

We are about the law as it relates to you.

We are about journalism and shining a light on those parts of the justice system that don’t often see the light of day in the mainstream media.

We are interested in the broad sweep of the law: human rights, the criminal justice system, family, employment through to consumer issues. In other words, all aspects of the law that relate to you in your day-to-day life.

What we are not about We are not lawyers. The site is run by journalists.

This is not a lawyers’ discussion group. We run articles by lawyers and professionals involved with the law; and we run articles by people who are neither but who have views on the effectiveness or otherwise of our legal system.

We don’t engage in correspondence about individual cases. Any contributions will be run at the editor’s discretion. All comments are moderated.

We don’t claim to have either the right skills or resources to assist people with their individual legal actions. Sorry.

Any information about the law on our site is not a substitute for legal advice (as is explained in our terms and conditions) but it is to illuminate legal issues.

Proof Magazine Find out more about our magazine HERE

Guardian Legal Network The JusticeGap is part of the Guardian Legal Network which ‘brings together the best blogs and sites that cover legal affairs and developments from around the world. The network connects sites that provide highquality news, comment, analysis, blogs and multimedia’.

Halsbury legal award The JusticeGap won the legal journalism category at the inaugural Halsbury Legal Awards – read more HERE. The awards were set up as ‘a celebration of excellence in the law and great contribution to the legal sector’.

Unlocking detention Unlocking Detention is a partnership with Right to Remain, Detention Action and the Justice Gap. The project is run by Detention Forum, a network of organisations working together to challenge the UK’s use of detention.

21 Comments

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PAUL CRABTREE September 27, 2016 12:06 pm

Are you able to look in to the case of a friend of mine, Robert Henry Bowman, a prisoner in Lindholme prison, Doncaster.He was sent to prison on one of the old ” indeterminate” sentences(now abolished I believe) for an indicated 2 years and has now been

in prison forb eleven years. This is the sort of time served by people sentenced to 22 years. He was sentenced for threatening to kill his ex wife and/or her new boyfriend, which he does not deny but he was trying to protect his 7 year old daughter. The ex wife was in a new relationship with a Maltese man and was in the habit of going to work and leaving the daughter and boyfriend in bed together. Mr Bowman threatened to kill him if he touched his daughter. He is desparate and does not know who to turn to for help. His ex wife is a psychiatrist working with South Yorkshire police in Rotherham and he feels where it is his word against hers he will not be listened to.

REPLY  JON ROBINS September 27, 2016 3:40 pm

I am afraid we don’t have the resources to look at individual cases. You might want to check out the rms on Criminal Appeal Lawyers Association, as well as Inside Justice and the Centre for Criminal Appeals. Hope that is of some help. Jon REPLY 

J STIBBS November 14, 2016 10:38 am

Cannot help but feel that this Web site is a just another smoke screen in a completely corrupt country. As with all the journalistic rubbish we read and watch, you omit so much detail that it seems you must in fact be protecting what appears to us a farcical and overtly criminal system of so called authority and justice. We have no rights to justice unless we also have millions of pounds to spare!.

REPLY  SEHLAH SHARIF November 24, 2016 12:37 pm

I am a student in the sixth from at Corelli College Co-operative Academy. i am studying the Extended Project Quali cation and as part of this i wonder if you could help me or be happy to be interviewed. my study is on “Rape and police brutality sentences: how just is the American justice system?” i realise that you are very busy and any help or advice would be most appreciated. thank you, in anticipation, Sehlah Sharif REPLY 

KAREN CLAUS November 25, 2016 4:39 pm

I am horri ed reading the above. My case is similar. My ex friend is a former CP. I went through a prosecution brought on the back of her CPS colleagues driving me to hang myself last year. I recently took it to Appeal after taking it out of area and successfully had 4 convictions overturned. Following CPS’ feedback and complaints policy we wrote a letter of complaint addressing the contraventions of their own code.

They have dismissed my complaint. It really is a corrupt system where CPS is a Law unto themselves! However exhaustive this is I am still pursuing all avenues. I would be interested to know how many ppl out there who do not feel we are equal in the eyes of the Law to join me in a campaign to highlight this corruption. We need to get publicity and get it to the Houses of Parliament. Please contact me via my FB group page ‘fair Justice with mental health. This does not exclude anyone who has suffered an injustice but it certainly should not drive anyone to take their life.

REPLY  JANICE March 7, 2017 11:20 am

There is no justice. My experience has broken my heart. Corruption at the RCJ is rife, but no one cares. Please don’t worry about libel. I have put it in writing to them ‘ you are corrupt’, but they cannot prove they are not so they do nothing but hide. They ignore truth, have no use for it, it doesn’t serve their purpose. If you live below a certain monetary standard you have no rights, and never will have.

Sad and betrayed. Janice REPLY 

KIMBERLY COUCH February 19, 2017 7:11 pm

I am a victim of police brutality, retaliatory & false arrest, and travesty of justice. It has been ten months and I have led complaints pleading for justice to be brought to the corrupted constables but to no avail. In dire need of getting this matter resolved, thereby, providing me the closure I am entitled. Any advisory is welcomed!

REPLY  ANTHONY BOND February 27, 2017 10:48 pm

I stumbled to read an article from Kim Harrison February 15, 2015 NEWS titled The Modern Slavery Bill is a step forward – but it’s not enough, my question is, are all criticisms mentioned were amended before the Bill becomes law and what are the main criticisms after (March 26 2015). in short, What are the loopholes of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. Thank you REPLY  CLAIRE EARNSHAW March 8, 2017 9:42 pm

Hi, I’m currently a student studying criminology and criminal justice. In a few months I will be starting my dissertation. I would like to research an area that hasn’t really been done yet. I’m enquiring whether you have any ideas, or if theres an area/topic you would like me to research for you that I could do my dissertation on.

Thank you Kind regards REPLY  JON ROBINS March 10, 2017 7:04 am

HI Claire, Do you want to email me jon@thejusticegap.com?

Thanks, Jon REPLY 

CAROLINE ELCOMBE March 19, 2017 4:45 pm

I am trying to contact Simon Warr with regard to a friend of mine who is having a similar experience to Simons.

Could you give me his contact details please?

REPLY  PETER LYSTER April 3, 2017 10:02 am

Hello, if you need an alternative way to receive payments or donations, please get in touch, or visit our website here https://www.nochex.com/merchantservices/ REPLY  TRICIA May 9, 2017 9:14 pm

Hi. My brother was convicted of murder under joint enterprise in 2014. We have been to the royal courts of justice to ght the decision as he is convicted with no evidence, it was acknowledged that there is no evidence to suggest he was present, Simply association with the Principle! In the Judgement passed

back, the judges have based their decision to refuse the leave for appeal based on entirely fabricated grounds that were not presented at trial. We understand you don’t look at single cases, however I’d be very grateful if you could direct me to someone that can help. We have already sold every asset we had to pay for the appeal which came to nearly £35k.

Please help us in any way possible Thank you Tricia REPLY  FOLARIN OYEBOLA May 28, 2017 10:19 am

There is a key statement in your text: “the judges have based their decision to refuse the leave for appeal based on entirely fabricated grounds that were not presented at trial”. Have you got the evidence to support this assertion? Who provided this “entirely fabricated grounds” to the judges? There are avenues to “try” to get justice but it will not be easy. I am guessing from the fact that £35k was spent the provider of the “fabricated grounds” is a professional. From my experience it makes the task more dif cult but it can be done. Remember Hillsborough took 18 yrs, Mandela 27yrs Birmingham 6 (15 yrs). Give your brother hope by ghting for him and if you can answer the questions above look for me on twitter REPLY 

FOLARIN OYEBOLA May 28, 2017 10:05 am

The Court of Appeal Criminal Division (CACD) judged my conviction to be safe in the [2012] EWCA Crim 460 judgment. The CCRC state that there is an inaccurate trial fact in paragraph 21 line 7 of the said judgment and the said CCRC also state that there is an inaccurate verbatim provided by the CPS in paragraph 22 line 3 of the said judgment. Mr Justice Ouseley of the Administrative court state the identi ed errors are “minor”. Master Egan QC (Registrar of the CACD) REFUSED to amend the errors of the said judgment. So it means not all judgment of the CACD is factually accurate if judges of the RCJ are not prepared to correct errors in there judgments. The CCRC refused to refer

the said conviction back to the CACD reasons being: the jury heard the truthful evidence REPLY  BARBARA WILLIAMS June 20, 2017 3:12 pm

Given that you cannot take on individual cases, have you any interest in unexplained avoidable deaths whilst in the care of NHS? REPLY  PHILLIP GROVES July 29, 2017 4:08 pm

Hello. I am seeking to overturn a caution from several years ago. I have recently acquired my papers pertaining to the night I spent in a cell prior to my caution and have several questions in my custody report that may make my caution invalid. I have tried the normal route with police complaints and have hit a brick wall with bodies determined to withhold certain information. I have been sent on several wild goose chasers in the earlier days to get the police to look into things, but they are very protective of their personal justice system. Can you point me in the right direction that will not drain what little I have left in my bank account please.

REPLY  NAME* STEPHANIE TROTTER OBE August 25, 2017 10:48 pm

I’d be interested in writing an article about the justice gap with regard to the way both industry and government deals with carbon monoxide poisoning or rather doesn’t and the lack of victim support and changes to reduce deaths and injuries.

REPLY  GEZZ September 1, 2017 12:13 pm

Hi There, I was hoping that you might be able to help. I’m working on a TV series and I’m trying to nd out who the copyright holder is for the black and white photo of Raphael Rowe that you have in the article on – http://thejusticegap.com/2014/01/ra phael-rowe-everday-somethingreminds-prison/?

Many thanks REPLY  HEATHER HARVEY October 6, 2017 4:21 pm

I would be interested to know if you have any information over the last few

years of any increase or decrease in private prosecutions? Is there any breakdown of who is bringing them?

Men or women and for what reasons?

And what proportion are taken over and either continued or discontinued

by CPS and again any trends in which sorts of cases they take over? Finally, how common is it and under what circumstances would a person who has brought a private prosecution which the CPS have taken over and run with then have his/her costs reimbursed to whatever extent?

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