Ali & Anor v Revenue & Customs Prosecutions Office

Ali & Anor v Revenue & Customs Prosecutions Office

The prosecution's conduct and the exclusion of the Dubai Report did not render the convictions unsafe, as the evidence excluded had no probative value regarding the appellants' knowledge of the criminal source of funds. The sentences were reduced to reflect delay caused by the retrial, not attributable to the appellants.

Parties
First Appellant: Liaquat Ali; Second Appellant: Akhtar Hussain; Respondent: Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
09 July 2008
Procedural Posture
Criminal Appeal / Appeal Against Conviction and Sentence After Retrial
Outcome
Appeals against conviction dismissed; appeals against sentence allowed in part
Legal Topics
Money Laundering, Conspiracy, Fair Trial, Admissibility of Evidence, Sentencing
Criminal Law Money Laundering Conspiracy Fair Trial Admissibility of Evidence Sentencing

Case Brief

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Parties

Liaquat Ali

First Appellant

Akhtar Hussain

Second Appellant

Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Criminal Appeal / Appeal Against Conviction and Sentence After Retrial

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether the prosecution's conduct deprived the appellants of a fair trial
  2. 2 Whether the trial judge erred in excluding hearsay evidence (Dubai Report) based on undisclosed material
  3. 3 Whether the convictions were unsafe due to prosecution reliance on the route of funds

Ratio Decidendi

The prosecution's conduct and the exclusion of the Dubai Report did not render the convictions unsafe, as the evidence excluded had no probative value regarding the appellants' knowledge of the criminal source of funds. The sentences were reduced to reflect delay caused by the retrial, not attributable to the appellants.

Court Disposition

Appeals against conviction dismissed; appeals against sentence allowed in part

Orders

  • Sentences reduced from twelve years to ten years for both appellants to reflect delay
  • Applications for permission to appeal on certain grounds granted but appeals dismissed on those grounds