Listeners’ Postbag: The Fordingbridge Rapes, Jeremy Bamber, and Palestine Action

The last three episodes of Double Jeopardy covering the media ban on convicted murderer Jeremy Bamber, the Fordingbridge rape sentences and the murder of Henry Nowak have generated big audiences and plenty of comments and questions from listeners. And so in this week’s episode Ken Macdonald KC and Tim Owen KC respond to a range of listeners’ questions including – why bother to debate the rights and wrongs of the decision by the prison authorities to ban Bamber from all contact with the media given the numerous unsuccessful attempts he has made to overturn his convictions? Is it really necessary for a journalist to be able to have a face to face meeting with a prisoner when researching his/her claim to be a victim of a miscarriage of justice? Should politicians stay out of sentencing decisions altogether or was it acceptable for Keir Starmer to express his personal view on the sentences meted out to the child rapists in the Fordingbridge case? Should a child convicted of an “adult crime” such as rape be treated as an adult in sentencing terms as the mother of one of the girl victims has publicly urged? (Since recording the episode we learned that the hearing of the Attorney General’s reference of the rape sentences to the Court of Appeal has been adjourned to 1-2 July.) Ken and Tim also discuss the Report of the Justice Select Committee (which is highly critical of the Courts and Tribunals Bill on the basis its proposed reforms are being advanced without sufficient evidence, planning or formal response to Sir Brian Leveson’s Independent Review of the Criminal Courts) (Parliamentcommittees.parliament.uk/publications/53510/documents/298926/default). They anticipate the revival of the Assisted Dying Bill now that the MP who came second in the Private Members’ Bill ballot, Lauren Edwards, has announced she will promote it in the next Parliamentary session. And finally, the duo reflect on the judgment of the Court of Appeal upholding the Home Secretary’s decision to proscribe Palestine Action (JudiciaryHome Secretary -v- Huda Ammori - Courts and Tribunals Judiciary) -- Covering the critical intersections of politics and law in the UK with expert commentary on high-profile legal cases, political controversies, prisons and sentencing, human rights law, current political events and the shifting landscape of justice and democracy. With in-depth discussions and influential guests, Double Jeopardy is the podcast that uncovers the forces shaping Britain's legal and political future. What happens when politics and law collide? How do politics shape the law - and when does the law push back? What happens when judicial independence is tested, human rights come under attack, or freedom of expression is challenged? And who really holds power in Britain's legal and political system? Get answers to questions like these weekly on Wednesdays. Double Jeopardy is presented by Ken Macdonald KC, former Director of Public Prosecutions, and Tim Owen KC, as they break down the legal and political issues in Britain. From high-profile legal cases to the evolving state of British democracy, Double Jeopardy offers expert legal commentary on the most pressing topics in UK law, politics, and human rights. Ken Macdonald KC served as Director of Public Prosecutions from 2003 2008, shaping modern prosecutorial policy and advocating for the rule of law. He is a former Warden of Wadham College, Oxford, a crossbench member of the House of Lords, and a leading writer, commentator and broadcaster on politics and the rule of law. Tim Owen KC has been involved in many of the most significant public, criminal and human rights law cases over the past four decades. Both bring unparalleled experience from the frontline of Britain's legal and political landscape. If you like The Rest Is Politics, Talking Politics, Law Pod UK and Today in Focus, you'll love Double Jeopardy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices