Regina (Adams) v. Secretary of State for justice In re MacDermott

Abstract

Human rights — Remedies — Right to compensation — Statutory right for miscarriages of justice — Section 133 of Criminal Justice Act 1988 — Interpretation — Scope — Meaning of “miscarriage of justice” in first and second appeals — Satisfactory test — Whether proof of innocence necessary — Meaning of “a new or newly discovered fact” in first appeal — Article 14(6) of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966 — Whether appellants entitled to compensation under Section 133 of Act

Relationship of international law and municipal law — Treaties — International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966 (“ICCPR”) — Criminal Justice Act 1988 — United Kingdom’s international obligation under Article 14(6) of ICCPR — Section 133 of Act giving effect to United Kingdom’s international obligation — Statutory interpretation — Correct construction of Section 133(1) of Act — Scope — Meaning of “miscarriage of justice” in first and second appeals — Satisfactory test — Whether proof of innocence necessary — Meaning of “a new or newly discovered fact” in first appeal — Whether appellants entitled to compensation under Section 133 of Act

Treaties — Interpretation — International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966, Article 14(6) — Meaning of “miscarriage of justice” — Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, 1969 — Travaux préparatoires — Whether extrinsic material providing assistance in ascertaining meaning of “miscarriage of justice” — Autonomous meaning — Context of Article 14(6) of ICCPR in interpreting Section 133 of Criminal Justice Act 1988

Treaties — European Convention on Human Rights, 1950 — Article 6(2) — Presumption of innocence — Whether denial of compensation under Section 133 of Criminal Justice Act 1988 infringing presumption of innocence in Article 6(2) — Protocol 7 to European Convention, Article 3 — Relevance — The law of England and Northern Ireland