periodic-inspection Case Commentaries

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)...

Cross-Border Jurisdiction for Domestic Abuse Courses of Behaviour under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018

Date: Jun 7, 2025

Cross-Border Jurisdiction for Domestic Abuse Courses of Behaviour under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 1. Introduction Anas Bani Almarjeh against His Majesty's Advocate ([2026] HCJAC 7) is an...

Byrne v ABO Energy: Annualised General Damages and Full Injunctions for Wind-Farm Noise – An Irish Blueprint for Balancing Nuisance Rights and Climate Policy

Date: Jun 6, 2025

Byrne v ABO Energy: Annualised General Damages and Full Injunctions for Wind-Farm Noise – An Irish Blueprint for Balancing Nuisance Rights and Climate Policy Introduction On 5 June 2025 Mr Justice...

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...

High Court Clarifies Scope of “Trial Resulting in the Decision” and Sovereignty Limits in Post-Brexit TCA Extradition: Minister for Justice v Maughan [2025] IEHC 346

Date: Jun 6, 2025

High Court Clarifies Scope of “Trial Resulting in the Decision” and Sovereignty Limits in Post-Brexit TCA Extradition: Minister for Justice v Maughan [2025] IEHC 346 Introduction On 5 June 2025 the...

Supreme Court Clarifies Status of IFSPs as “Health Services” and Mandates Greater Specificity in Disability Service Statements

Date: Jun 5, 2025

Supreme Court Clarifies Status of IFSPs as “Health Services” and Mandates Greater Specificity in Disability Service Statements Introduction Y & anor v. Health Service Executive ([2025] IESC 26) is...

M.S. v Minister for Justice – Curtailing Discovery in Pre-Leave, Moot Judicial Review Proceedings

Date: Jun 5, 2025

M.S. v Minister for Justice – Curtailing Discovery in Pre-Leave, Moot Judicial Review Proceedings 1. Introduction In M.S. v Minister for Justice ([2025] IEHC 335) Ms. Justice Siobhán Phelan delivered...

Bank Misconduct as a Bar to Restitution – Extending Consumer-Credit Protection to Victims of Forged Mortgages

Date: Jun 5, 2025

Bank Misconduct as a Bar to Restitution – Extending Consumer-Credit Protection to Victims of Forged Mortgages 1. Introduction Bank of Ireland Mortgage Bank v Murray & anor, [2025] IESC 24, is...

Donnan v. Parole Board – Costs Consequences When a Statutory Body Moots Judicial-Review Proceedings by Corrective Action

Date: Jun 5, 2025

Donnan v. Parole Board – Costs Consequences When a Statutory Body Moots Judicial-Review Proceedings by Corrective Action 1. Introduction Donnan v Parole Board ([2025] IEHC 328) is a High Court...

“From Suspicion to Proof: The High Evidentiary Threshold for Impugning Discretionary Police Bail Decisions after G.W. v. Commissioner of An Garda Síochána”

Date: Jun 5, 2025

From Suspicion to Proof: The High Evidentiary Threshold for Impugning Discretionary Police Bail Decisions after G.W. v. Commissioner of An Garda Síochána 1. Introduction G.W. v. Commissioner of An...

Tolan v Brindley Manor Federation of Nursing Homes Ltd: High Court Affirms Flexible Approach to Procedural Defects and Nuanced Causation in Fatal-Injury Litigation

Date: Jun 5, 2025

Tolan v Brindley Manor Federation of Nursing Homes Ltd: High Court Affirms Flexible Approach to Procedural Defects and Nuanced Causation in Fatal-Injury Litigation Introduction In Tolan v Brindley...

“A Mortgage in Name Alone”: The Supreme Court affirms that a loan negotiated on the security of a (void) family-home charge remains a “housing loan” and may be recovered from an unjustly-enriched non-signatory spouse – Commentary on Bank of Ireland Mortgage Bank v. Murray [2025] IESC 24

Date: Jun 5, 2025

“A Mortgage in Name Alone”: The Supreme Court affirms that a loan negotiated on the security of a (void) family-home charge remains a “housing loan” and may be recovered from an unjustly-enriched...

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...

“Calibrating Cross-Examination in Summary Proceedings” – A Commentary on Mars Capital Finance Ireland DAC v. Farrell & Anor [2025] IEHC 351

Date: Jun 5, 2025

“Calibrating Cross-Examination in Summary Proceedings” A Detailed Commentary on Mars Capital Finance Ireland DAC v. Farrell & Anor – High Court (O’Higgins J) [2025] IEHC 351 1. Introduction Court:...