Tristan Kirk
@kirkkorner.bsky.social
4.3K followers 1.8K following 420 posts
Courts Correspondent for the London Standard www.standard.co.uk Daily coverage from the biggest court cases in London and beyond
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kirkkorner.bsky.social
MPs demand answers as to why the Chinese 'spies' case collapsed

Wish them the best, but being realistic, CPS pulls the plug on cases & often offers no explanation
Something vague about evidential test not met, maybe

These two have been treated no differently.

www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/c...
Senior MPs demand answers on collapsed 'Chinese spies' case
Tory and Labour MPs have demanded an explanation from the Director of Public Prosecutions
www.standard.co.uk
kirkkorner.bsky.social
The usher assures me 'nothing was said'

The judge definitely sat in court, then rose again.

Unless everything happened in silence, that can't be right...
kirkkorner.bsky.social
Turn up to court, judge starts to hear the case I’m interested in, staff have forgotten to unlock the doors.

Been a while since this happened…

#SecretJustice
kirkkorner.bsky.social
We have a system of justice which is secretive, known to be flawed and unfair, and week-by-week lands very vulnerable people with harsh criminal convictions

And we have a government which is content for that to keep happening

www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/t...
Teen convicted over no car insurance while battling for life in hospital
The teenager’s harsh criminal conviction came through the controversial Single Justice Procedure
www.standard.co.uk
kirkkorner.bsky.social
TV presenter Jay Blades gets an apology from a judge, as his trial on rape charges is set for 2027.

"It's not a proper justice system....", admits the judge

www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/j...
The Repair Shop's Jay Blades denies rape charges in latest court appearance
Jay Blades, 55, was charged last month with two counts of rape
www.standard.co.uk
kirkkorner.bsky.social
An offer to plead guilty to ABH charges is sent to the CPS on September 2

Six days later, it's the plea hearing in court

And the case is then adjourned for a week, because no one actively reads emails sent to that account

Efforts bringing defendant to court, lawyers & judge in court

Total waste
kirkkorner.bsky.social
Got an FOI back from the Ministry of Justice
It came with a curious addition - a couple of (irrelevant) lines from an MoJ press release

Either press officers are intervening in FOIs to insert quotes
Or the FOI team is doing it of their own volition

Neither option is good
kirkkorner.bsky.social
But a Recorder is a barrister, as well as a judge. So it could be his
kirkkorner.bsky.social
Breaking news on the Epping hotel:

A High Court judge has granted an injunction on the Bell Hotel, which will see it cleared of asylum seekers
Victory for the local council

www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/eppi...
kirkkorner.bsky.social
It was disappointing, and it does have a level of online transparency.

Happily, after an application to the judge, the document was provided. And there appears to be a recognition now from HSE that future cases will be handled differently.
kirkkorner.bsky.social
Every time one of these case emerges from the #SingleJusticeProcedure, it gives opponents of the BBC a stick to beat it with

Yet, the Corporation is resisting a key reform to the system that may fix it

It's baffling to me
kirkkorner.bsky.social
BBC at loggerheads with magistrates over Single Justice Procedure reform

Sick & grieving people have been convicted of not paying bills

Beeb says magistrates are to blame, the Magistrates Association accuses the BBC of trying to 'outsource' responsibility

www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/bbc-...
BBC slammed after blaming magistrates for fast-track justice scandal
The BBC says it would be ‘impractical’ and ‘inefficient’ to expect prosecutors to monitor the cases it brings through the Single Justice Procedure
www.standard.co.uk
kirkkorner.bsky.social
A fact: More than 3,000 people were convicted in the last month of fare dodging in London

Cases all brought to court by TfL

More could be done, sure
But let's not pretend nothing is done

Also a fact: The last government invented a court system which hides these cases from the public