Search results

Which basically brings the whole law/offence of affray into disrepute as it is absolutely worthless. According to the rules on affray as applied in this case, it is alright to beat someone senseless, as long as no bystanders are alarmed that it might be their turn next. Obviously, CPS made a...

In that case they would be guilty of Affray; they were found not guilty.

Second hand information, but 100% credible. This was Family Courts (and yes, they were paid out of taxpayers money)

It's more than twenty years since I knew people who used their services (in Family Courts that was). £50 to £100 an hour wasn't too shabby back then, and I assume it's gone up in the last 20 years. Ain't peanuts! Even a measly £50 buys a few pizzas!

They could just let them fight it out between them?

Yes, put like that, it is a bit of a disgrace - and a huge waste of tax-payers money. Almost a year's work by the CPS, plus a week in court (have you any idea how much a top barrister gets per hour, never mind a week? Judges don't come cheap either!) and it's kicked out by a jury in two and a...

Exactly. And that is what the arresting officer said under oath in court. At the end of the day, though, I still think Stokes is a lucky boy. He beat up somebody pretty badly and got away with it. I wonder what the outcome would have been with a charge of ABH? A broken eye socket would be quite...

.....and according to the evidence given in court by the officer who arrested Stokes, this wasn't the case in this instance, but carry on....................

I find it odd that both defendants were cleared - there obviously was a pretty nasty fight going on, and presumably somebody must have started it! Pure speculation, but I wonder if the jury were also puzzled by the fact that two of the obvious witnesses were not called to give evidence and...

Yes, me too. They must have given statements on the night too - did they get mentioned as evidence at all? All very strange.