R v Jacqueline Falcon

R v Jacqueline Falcon

The applicant's conviction is unsafe because failures by Post Office Limited to investigate and disclose material evidence about the Horizon system's defects prevented a fair trial, constituting a category 1 abuse of process, notwithstanding the applicant's guilty plea.

Parties
Applicant: Jacqueline Falcon; Respondent: Crown Prosecution Service
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
26 March 2024
Procedural Posture
Criminal Appeal / Judgment on Application for Extension of Time, Leave to Appeal, and Appeal Against Conviction
Outcome
conviction quashed
Legal Topics
Abuse of Process, Disclosure Obligations, Unsafe Conviction, Horizon System Defects
Criminal Law Abuse of Process Disclosure Obligations Unsafe Conviction Horizon System Defects

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Parties

Jacqueline Falcon

Applicant

Crown Prosecution Service

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Criminal Appeal / Judgment on Application for Extension of Time, Leave to Appeal, and Appeal Against Conviction

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether the prosecution of the applicant was an abuse of process due to failures of disclosure relating to the Horizon system
  2. 2 Whether the applicant's conviction is unsafe in light of undisclosed material evidence about Horizon system defects

Ratio Decidendi

The applicant's conviction is unsafe because failures by Post Office Limited to investigate and disclose material evidence about the Horizon system's defects prevented a fair trial, constituting a category 1 abuse of process, notwithstanding the applicant's guilty plea.

Court Disposition

conviction quashed

Orders

  • extension of time granted
  • leave to appeal granted