The Assizes
| Date | 01 July 1944 |
| Published date | 01 July 1944 |
| DOI | 10.1177/002201834400800302 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
The Assizes
MISUSE OF
THE
CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT
THE following
statement
from
the
Bench
at
the
Central
Criminal Court, Old Bailey, was made
by
Mr. Justice
Cassels on April 19th
last
:
"This Court deems it necessary once more to call
the
attention
of Justices
and
their
Clerks outside
the
strict
limits of
the
jurisdiction
of
the
Central Criminal Court to
the
undesirability, except in cases
of real necessity, of committing persons for
trial
here. Recently
these Sessions
have
been overcrowded
with
cases from outside
its
jurisdiction,
and
this
has imposed
upon
juries drawn from places
within its jurisdiction an unreasonable burden.
" A careful reading of
the
Criminal
Justice
Act, 1925, s. 14
as amended
by
the
Administration of
Justice
(Miscellaneous Pro-
visions) Act, 1938, s. 6, ss. (3) shows
that
three
matters
have to be
considered, namely, expediting
the
trial, greater convenience,
and
the
saving of expense.
The
first-named is
not
necessarily of
the
greatest
importance;
convenience
and
expense should also be
taken
into
consideration.
"For
a large
number
of witnesses, including police officers,
to be called upon
to
make a long journey
to
London
and
for
the
funds of
the
committing county or borough to be charged
with
their
maintenance in
the
Metropolis for several
days
on
end
may
well raise questions of convenience
and
expenditure of even greater
importance
than
mere expedition.
"
It
must
not
be forgotten
that
we live in times when travelling
is difficult
and
accommodation is limited, when
most
people
are
busily occupied in
their
own affairs.
It
is
the
citizen's
duty
to
give evidence when called upon so
to
do
and
he
can
have
no objection
if
that
merely means an
attendance
for a few hours
at
his local
Assize town or
the
place where
the
Quarter
Sessions for his County
or Borough are held,
but
when
it
means a long railway journey
and
such accommodation as he
can
find
away
from home he is
entitled
to
be heard in protest.
Equally
is
it
the
citizen's
duty
17~
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