England and Wales Case Commentaries

The Common-Sense Approach to Sur Place Activities and State Surveillance: MH (Bangladesh) v SSHD Precedent

Date: Jun 10, 2025

The Common-Sense Approach to Sur Place Activities and State Surveillance: MH (Bangladesh) v SSHD Precedent Introduction MH (Bangladesh) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2025] EWCA Civ...

Wishart v R ([2025] EWCA Crim 704): Fresh Evidence and Guilty-Plea Appeals Under Section 23 CAA 1968

Date: Jun 9, 2025

Wishart v R ([2025] EWCA Crim 704): Fresh Evidence and Guilty-Plea Appeals Under Section 23 CAA 1968 Introduction In Wishart v R, the England and Wales Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) dismissed...

Principal Amount of Secured Debt Excluded from Moratorium Debts under the Debt Respite Scheme Regulations

Date: Jun 9, 2025

Principal Amount of Secured Debt Excluded from Moratorium Debts under the Debt Respite Scheme Regulations Introduction Forbes v Interbay Funding Ltd ([2025] EWCA Civ 690) is a landmark decision of...

Clarifying the Burden of Proof for Return Viability and Safe Third Country Principle in Asylum Law: AAZA (Yemen) v SSHD

Date: Jun 9, 2025

Clarifying the Burden of Proof for Return Viability and Safe Third Country Principle in Asylum Law: AAZA (Yemen) v SSHD Introduction AAZA (a Yemeni national born in 2000, long resident in China but...

Barrett (2025): Elevating Victim Vulnerability and Severe Psychological Injury to Category 2B Harm in Sexual Offence Sentencing

Date: Jun 7, 2025

Barrett (2025): Elevating Victim Vulnerability and Severe Psychological Injury to Category 2B Harm in Sexual Offence Sentencing Introduction In Barrett, R. v ([2025] EWCA Crim 840) the Court of...

Contextual “Weapon-Accumulation” Bad Character Is Admissible to Rebut Self‑Defence; Circumstantial Joint‑Enterprise Evidence Meets the “Case to Answer” Threshold

Date: Jun 7, 2025

Contextual “Weapon-Accumulation” Bad Character Is Admissible to Rebut Self‑Defence; Circumstantial Joint‑Enterprise Evidence Meets the “Case to Answer” Threshold Introduction This commentary examines...

R v Raja & Idrak – The “Immaterial Misdirection” Principle and Post-Offence Sentencing Guidelines Endorsed

Date: Jun 7, 2025

R v Raja & Idrak – The “Immaterial Misdirection” Principle and Post-Offence Sentencing Guidelines Endorsed Introduction The Court of Appeal’s decision in Raja & Anor, R. v ([2025] EWCA Crim 948)...

Povall v R – “Not Every Interjection is Intervention”: The Refined Threshold for Quashing Convictions on the Ground of Judicial Questioning

Date: Jun 6, 2025

“Not Every Interjection is Intervention” – Povall, R. v ([2025] EWCA Crim 802) and the Refined Threshold for Quashing Convictions Owing to Judicial Questioning 1. Introduction In Povall, R. v ([2025]...

Cain v R: Elevating Multiple Category-A Factors Above Mitigation in Fatal Dangerous-Driving Sentences

Date: Jun 6, 2025

Cain v R: Elevating Multiple Category-A Factors Above Mitigation in Fatal Dangerous-Driving Sentences Introduction On 5 June 2025 the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) delivered its judgment in...

“The Roach Ceiling” – Clarifying the Limits on Upward Departure from Sentencing Council Guideline Ranges

Date: Jun 6, 2025

“The Roach Ceiling” – Clarifying the Limits on Upward Departure from Sentencing Council Guideline Ranges 1. Introduction In Roach, R. v ([2025] EWCA Crim 786) the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)...

R v Legg [2025] EWCA Crim 820 – The Court of Appeal Clarifies the Threshold for Appellate Interference with a Trial Judge’s Assessment of Psychological Harm under the Sexual Offences Guidelines

Date: Jun 6, 2025

R v Legg [2025] EWCA Crim 820 Deference to Sentencer’s Findings of Psychological Harm and the Limits of the Unduly Lenient Sentence Reference 1. Introduction In R v Legg the Court of Appeal (Criminal...

Mandatory Minimum Firearm Sentences Must Run Consecutively to Drug Offences – Commentary on R v Wills [2025] EWCA Crim 811

Date: Jun 6, 2025

Mandatory Minimum Firearm Sentences Must Run Consecutively to Drug Offences A Detailed Commentary on R v Wills [2025] EWCA Crim 811 1. Introduction In Wills, R v ([2025] EWCA Crim 811) the Court of...

Confirming the Prosecution’s Right of Appeal from Pre-Arraignment Dismissals in the Court Martial – Commentary on R v BSH [2025] EWCA Crim 706

Date: Jun 5, 2025

Confirming the Prosecution’s Right of Appeal from Pre-Arraignment Dismissals in the Court Martial A Comprehensive Commentary on R v BSH ([2025] EWCA Crim 706) 1. Introduction In R v BSH the Court of...

Defining “Place of Residence” for Bankruptcy Jurisdiction: Requirement of a Meaningful Connection (KSCP v Prince Hussam)

Date: May 31, 2025

Defining “Place of Residence” for Bankruptcy Jurisdiction: Requirement of a Meaningful Connection Introduction This commentary examines the Court of Appeal’s decision in Mobile Telecommunications...

No Discharge Proviso Required: Adequate Protection of Property Rights under Section 155 Water Industry Act

Date: May 24, 2025

No Discharge Proviso Required: Adequate Protection of Property Rights under Section 155 Water Industry Act Introduction This case concerns an appeal by the Manchester Ship Canal Company Ltd (“MSC”)...

“Adjudication Awards Do Not Extinguish Subsequent Creditor Claims in Insolvency Voting”

Date: May 24, 2025

“Adjudication Awards Do Not Extinguish Subsequent Creditor Claims in Insolvency Voting” Introduction Bhundia v Dhar (Re Five Delta Ltd – Insolvency Act 1986) [2025] EWHC 1227 (Ch) is a Court of...

Establishing the Autonomy of CAT Follow-On Claims: Transferred Proceedings Trigger CAT Limitation Rules

Date: May 24, 2025

Establishing the Autonomy of CAT Follow-On Claims: Transferred Proceedings Trigger CAT Limitation Rules Introduction This case, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care & Ors v Lundbeck Ltd &...

Tailored Trial Adaptations for Neurodiverse Defendants: Fitness to Plead and Diminished Responsibility Clarified in De Zoysa v R

Date: May 24, 2025

Tailored Trial Adaptations for Neurodiverse Defendants: Fitness to Plead and Diminished Responsibility Clarified in De Zoysa v R Introduction De Zoysa v R ([2025] EWCA Crim 668) is a landmark Court...

“May Not” Is Not Enough: Burden of Disproving Self‑Defence for Secondary Parties and the Decisive Role of Route‑to‑Verdict Directions — Cunningham & Ors v R [2025] EWCA Crim 662

Date: May 24, 2025

“May Not” Is Not Enough: Burden of Disproving Self‑Defence for Secondary Parties and the Decisive Role of Route‑to‑Verdict Directions — Cunningham & Ors v R [2025] EWCA Crim 662 Note on reporting...

“Humphreys” Guideline: Immediate Custody for Coercive-Control Offences Involving Strangulation & Prior Domestic Violence

Date: May 24, 2025

“Humphreys” Guideline: Immediate Custody for Coercive-Control Offences Involving Strangulation & Prior Domestic Violence 1. Introduction R v Humphreys ([2025] EWCA Crim 743) is the latest...