S13E05 - The VC Factor

Listen to this week's show right here. In a CBA vice-chair election special, we are joined by the two candidates, Mark Fenhalls QC and Paul Keleher QC. There was no bloodshed in this head-to-head but we think you'll want to hear what both candidates have to say on the wide-ranging topics up for discussion. We cover everything from "The Deal" to the future use of direct action; from how to stop the slide back into the Bar being for the white, male, middle-class to what the future holds for the Bar in light of the reviews. We put some...

S13E04 - Immigration and Impertinence

Listen to this week's show right here. We have swapped Kirstin for Jonathan this week as we take on what must be the two biggest immigration cases of the year, MM and PLP vs Grayling - not their official titles! These cases may be weighty immigration cases but they are important far more broadly as they involve the relationship between the State, Europe and private individuals.  They also demonstrate that politics may be getting in the way of good law-making, not for the first time. Following on from that, we took a look at Re: Ian Stuart West...

S13E03 - Expert Evidence, Unreliable Evidence and Fresh Evidence

Listen to this week's show right here.We have talked about expert witnesses many times over the past 12 series but we have seldom explored exactly what an "expert witness" is, what they do, to whom they are accountable, how they are regulated and how they come to be involved in cases.   This week, we fix that by catching-up with Glen Siddall of Aequitas Forensics, Manchester.  Glen is an expert in digital forensics and he is instructed by "both sides" in criminal proceedings.  We ask him about his work and about recent changes in the world of the expert...

S13E02 - Historic Sexual Offences

Have a listen to this week's show right here. In the light of the recent verdicts and sentence in Rolph Harris' case, Kirstin goes through the Sexual Offences Act 1956, looking at what offences are contained in it and how amendments have affected the law. Given that we are on the subject of how the law changes over the years and that retrospective legislation is dangerous territory, we thought it would be worthwhile to take a peek at the decision of the High Court in Reilly (No.2) as the Government gets a bloody nose for playing dirty with JSA...