Caley-Knowles, R v

Caley-Knowles, R v

Where the trial judge directs the jury to convict and removes the issue of guilt entirely from the jury, the conviction is unsafe and must be quashed, regardless of the strength of the evidence.

Parties
Appellant: Edward Caley-Knowles; Appellant: Iorwerth Jones; Respondent: Crown
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
20 June 2006
Procedural Posture
Criminal Appeal / Judgment on Reference by Criminal Cases Review Commission
Outcome
convictions quashed
Legal Topics
Jury Directions, Unsafe Convictions, Judicial Misdirection, Right to Jury Trial
Criminal Law Criminal Procedure Jury Directions Unsafe Convictions Judicial Misdirection Right to Jury Trial

Case Brief

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Parties

Edward Caley-Knowles

Appellant

Iorwerth Jones

Appellant

Crown

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Criminal Appeal / Judgment on Reference by Criminal Cases Review Commission

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether a conviction is safe where the judge directed the jury to convict, removing the issue of guilt from the jury.
  2. 2 Whether such a misdirection or irregularity requires the conviction to be quashed even if the evidence of guilt is clear.

Ratio Decidendi

Where the trial judge directs the jury to convict and removes the issue of guilt entirely from the jury, the conviction is unsafe and must be quashed, regardless of the strength of the evidence.

Court Disposition

convictions quashed

Orders

  • Convictions of Edward Caley-Knowles and Iorwerth Jones quashed.
  • No retrial ordered.