Four men accused of involvement in a £1.75 million hold-up at a Heathrow warehouse in February 2004 will be tried by a judge alone after the Court of Appeal ruled there was a danger of jury tampering.
On the one hand it is good that these men will face what will hopefully now be an effective trial, without the possibility of jury tampering. But on the other hand, and I think more importantly, it is terrible that we have had to modify our justice system in the face of thuggery rather than find ways to circumvent such dangers without giving up the fundamental principle of trial by jury.
Most obviously, the jury could have been sequestered in a hotel or "safe house". After all, this is not a complex fraud case that would go on for many months. Even if it was to take a long time, I'd still think that sequestration was merited. Jury service is an important civic duty, for which sacrifices are more than merited.
By Alex Deane
Hat tip: MS
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