A defendant’s right to a fair trial was not prejudiced by holding a criminal trial without a jury, where the danger of jury tampering was very significant and was not sufficiently addressed by proposed protective measures. Read the full story

An earlier blog (10.06.08) contrasted ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’, where 42 is the answer to the meaning of life, the universe and everything, with the Government, for whom 42 is more a problem than an answer. Read the full story

Soon the new English Premiership season will be under way. The vast majority of players will have come from abroad to play for mainly foreign owned clubs. The national team has looked abroad not only for its manager but also for most of his assistants. Sometimes it seems that the major English contribution to the whole circus is to pay through the nose at the turnstiles. Read the full story

A new bare-headed look will prevail from October 1 when judges hearing civil and family cases in England and Wales consign their 300-year-old horsehair headgear to history. From the autumn, most judges will adopt a simple continental-style black gown. The new robe has coloured bands to indicate seniority, Read the full story