England and Wales Case Commentaries

Section 20 Harm Categorisation: Category 1 Requires “Lifelong-Scale” Permanent Impact; Lesser Permanent Impairment Falls in Category 2

Date: May 1, 2026

Section 20 Harm Categorisation: Category 1 Requires “Lifelong-Scale” Permanent Impact; Lesser Permanent Impairment Falls in Category 2 1. Introduction In R v Dillon [2026] EWCA Crim 700, the Court of...

Re X (A Child) [2026] EWCA Civ 518: Strong Child Objections under Hague Article 13 May Be Outweighed by Planned Abduction and Parental Manipulation; Appellate Restraint in Evaluative Return Decisions

Date: May 1, 2026

Re X (A Child) [2026] EWCA Civ 518: Strong Child Objections under Hague Article 13 May Be Outweighed by Planned Abduction and Parental Manipulation; Appellate Restraint in Evaluative Return Decisions...

Deterrent Custody for Prison Drug-Smuggling Conspiracies Despite Brief Involvement and No Delivery

Date: May 1, 2026

Deterrent Custody for Prison Drug-Smuggling Conspiracies Despite Brief Involvement and No Delivery Introduction In R v Sallis [2026] EWCA Crim 600, the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) (Soole J,...

Historic Sexual Offending Committed as a Child: Sentencing Must Reflect Youthful Culpability Despite Adult Conviction (Applying R v Ahmed and Others)

Date: Apr 30, 2026

Historic Sexual Offending Committed as a Child: Sentencing Must Reflect Youthful Culpability Despite Adult Conviction (Applying R v Ahmed and Others) Introduction In R v Christie [2026] EWCA Crim...

Totality in Domestic Abuse: Lead Sentence Must Reflect Distinct Offending Against Children and Partners

Date: Apr 30, 2026

Totality in Domestic Abuse: Lead Sentence Must Reflect Distinct Offending Against Children and Partners 1) Introduction In R v Jennings [2026] EWCA Crim 644, the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)...

R v Brown [2026] EWCA Crim 596 — Driving Disqualification Must Be Calculated by Reference to Time to Release (Not the Extended Sentence Term)

Date: Apr 30, 2026

Driving Disqualification Must Be Calculated by Reference to Time to Release (Not the Extended Sentence Term): R v Brown [2026] EWCA Crim 596 1) Introduction In Brown, R. v [2026] EWCA Crim 596, the...

Retaining an English Domicile of Choice After Relocation: Subjective Intention, “Permanent or Indefinite” Residence, and Part III MFPA 1984 as a Powerful Anti-Stay Factor

Date: Apr 30, 2026

Retaining an English Domicile of Choice After Relocation: Subjective Intention, “Permanent or Indefinite” Residence, and Part III MFPA 1984 as a Powerful Anti-Stay Factor Case: Ferrara v Ferrara...

Threshold for Leaving Self-Defence to the Jury: No Direction Where the Evidential Basis Would Invite Speculation

Date: Apr 30, 2026

Threshold for Leaving Self-Defence to the Jury: No Direction Where the Evidential Basis Would Invite Speculation Case: R v Hussain [2026] EWCA Crim 699 Court: England and Wales Court of Appeal...

Self-Defence Directions in “Knife-Fight” Cases and When Omission of an Express Manslaughter Mens Rea Direction Will Not Render a Conviction Unsafe

Date: Apr 30, 2026

Self-Defence Directions in “Knife-Fight” Cases and When Omission of an Express Manslaughter Mens Rea Direction Will Not Render a Conviction Unsafe 1) Introduction In Hedges, R. v [2026] EWCA Crim...

Business Email Compromise Losses: Fraudsters as the Effective Cause Where a Confidentiality Clause Does Not Assume Responsibility for Payment Fraud

Date: Apr 30, 2026

Business Email Compromise Losses: Fraudsters as the Effective Cause Where a Confidentiality Clause Does Not Assume Responsibility for Payment Fraud 1) Introduction Logix Aero Ireland Ltd v Siam Aero...

Totality for Repeat Drug-Line Dealing: Separate “Tranches” Must Be Reflected by Uplift or Consecutivity

Date: Apr 30, 2026

Totality for Repeat Drug-Line Dealing: Separate “Tranches” Must Be Reflected by Uplift or Consecutivity 1) Introduction In Hamid, R. v [2026] EWCA Crim 651, the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)...

Section 106 “Intends to Occupy” Test and Contextual Validity of Payless Notices under the 1996 Act

Date: Apr 30, 2026

Section 106 “Intends to Occupy” Test and Contextual Validity of Payless Notices under the 1996 Act 1. Introduction RBH Building Contractors Ltd v James & Anor [2026] EWCA Civ 511 is a Court of Appeal...

Section 5 “Causer/Allower” Liability: the Act Itself Can Supply the “Significant Risk”, and the Crown Need Not Prove Which Alternative Applies

Date: Apr 29, 2026

Section 5 “Causer/Allower” Liability: the Act Itself Can Supply the “Significant Risk”, and the Crown Need Not Prove Which Alternative Applies 1) Introduction In R. v SGQ [2026] EWCA Crim 649, the...

Article 8 and Concurrent Family Proceedings: No Automatic Right to Remain Pending Child-Arrangements Litigation

Date: Apr 29, 2026

Article 8 and Concurrent Family Proceedings: No Automatic Right to Remain Pending Child-Arrangements Litigation Case: Ahmed v The Secretary of State for the Home Department Citation: [2026] EWCA Civ...

Guilty Plea Credit: Exception F1 Is Narrow Where the Defendant Already Knows the Allegation

Date: Apr 29, 2026

Guilty Plea Credit: Exception F1 Is Narrow Where the Defendant Already Knows the Allegation Case: Henry-Godwin, R. v Neutral citation: [2026] EWCA Crim 584 Court: Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)...

Principle 7/Outcome 7.5 Require a Threshold of “Sufficient Seriousness” (No Automatic Liability for Any Regulatory Breach)

Date: Apr 28, 2026

Principle 7/Outcome 7.5 Require a Threshold of “Sufficient Seriousness” (No Automatic Liability for Any Regulatory Breach) Case: Dentons UK and Middle East LLP v Solicitors Regulation Authority Ltd...

Part 36 Settlement and Henderson Abuse: Distinct Unpleaded Contract Claims May Proceed, but Known Unreserved Infringement Claims Are Barred

Date: Apr 28, 2026

Part 36 Settlement and Henderson Abuse: Distinct Unpleaded Contract Claims May Proceed, but Known Unreserved Infringement Claims Are Barred 1. Introduction In Lish v The Northern Block Ltd & Anor...

Sentencing for planned false imprisonment with “torture-like” violence and separate firearms possession: parity, guideline analogies, and totality

Date: Apr 25, 2026

Late recruitment is not mitigation where participation is full: sentencing false imprisonment with sustained humiliation, and consecutive punishment for distinct prohibited-firearm possession Case: R...

R v Oluwasina [2026] EWCA Crim 594 — Age at Sentence Cannot Uplift a Youth-Discounted Robbery Sentence; Avoid Double Counting Business Harm

Date: Apr 25, 2026

Age at Sentence Cannot Uplift a Youth-Discounted Robbery Sentence; Avoid Double Counting Business Harm 1) Introduction In R v Oluwasina [2026] EWCA Crim 594, the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)...

Youth sentencing reductions are not automatic, and extended sentences may stand despite a mistaken “qualifying offence” route where the 4‑year term condition is met

Date: Apr 25, 2026

Youth sentencing reductions are not automatic, and extended sentences may stand despite a mistaken “qualifying offence” route where the 4‑year term condition is met 1) Introduction In Ali, R. v...