Moore, R. v [2023] EWCA Crim 1685 (01 December 2023)

Moore, R. v [2023] EWCA Crim 1685 (01 December 2023)

The judge's unsolicited indication of sentence before the appellant was present, and absent any request from the appellant, constituted improper judicial pressure, rendering the guilty pleas unsafe. Additionally, the conviction on count 3 was unsustainable as the notification requirement had expired before the alleged offence.

Citation
[2023] EWCA Crim 1685
Parties
Prosecution: Rex; Appellant: Thomas Moore
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
01 December 2023
Procedural Posture
Criminal Appeal / Appeal Against Conviction
Outcome
convictions quashed, no retrial ordered
Legal Topics
Plea Procedure, Judicial Pressure, Sexual Harm Prevention Order, Notification Requirements, Unsafe Conviction, Goodyear Indication

Case Brief

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Parties

Rex

Prosecution

Thomas Moore

Appellant

Procedural Posture

Criminal Appeal / Appeal Against Conviction

  1. 1 Whether the appellant's guilty pleas to breaches of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order were vitiated by improper judicial pressure
  2. 2 Whether the conviction for failure to comply with notification requirements was legally sustainable

Ratio Decidendi

The judge's unsolicited indication of sentence before the appellant was present, and absent any request from the appellant, constituted improper judicial pressure, rendering the guilty pleas unsafe. Additionally, the conviction on count 3 was unsustainable as the notification requirement had expired before the alleged offence.

Court Disposition

convictions quashed, no retrial ordered

Orders

  • All convictions on each count quashed
  • No retrial to be held on any count