Laurie Dunkin Wedd

@ldw1.bsky.social

3458 Followers 1265 Following

Bought no coal or gas since 1977, no flights since 2006, no petrol since 2015, zero energy bills since 2024. You can give up fossils too! PV, EV, domestic battery. ME/CFS. #UBI Kent UK. Sometimes musical.

More than 90% of criminal cases are already dealt with – fairly – in magistrates’ courts, without a jury. Under the government’s reforms, the most serious cases will continue to be heard by a jury. Trial by jury is a long-standing and fundamental part of the criminal justice system in England and Wales, and the Government recognises the strength of feeling on this issue. Trial by jury will always be available for the most serious offences. However, as Sir Brian Leveson highlighted in his Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, “no right to jury can be derived from Magna Carta” - there is no right to a jury trial in the English and Welsh statute books, only the right to a fair trial. Article 40 of Magna Carta states that we must not “deny or delay right or justice.” The latest figures show that over 22,000 open cases in the Crown Court have been waiting a year or more. Behind the numbers are people waiting for justice – victims putting their lives on hold waiting for their case to come to trial, witnesses waiting to give evidence, and defendants, sometimes stuck on remand, seeking to clear their name. Timeliness is an essential ingredient of fairness, and the fairness of the system is undermined by delays in the Crown Court. That is why this Government asked Sir Brian Leveson to make recommendations on how to modernise the system, ensure the courts can keep up with incoming demand and reduce the existing backlog of cases, and restore stability and confidence in the criminal courts. Trial by jury is already reserved for the most serious offences - 3% of all criminal trial cases are currently heard by a jury. Less serious cases are effectively handled in the magistrates’ courts, where more than 90% of criminal cases are already dealt with – fairly – without a jury. This approach reflects the principle that a jury trial is not always appropriate or proportionate for every case. The threshold for what offences should be heard by jury has always changed over time.…
Pork, Cherry and Watercress Salad Waitrose, July 2020 Tender slices of pork pair brilliantly with a peppery, sweet salad and a tart shallot dressing. Serves 4 Prepare 20 minutes Cook 15 minutes Total 30-40 mins 1 banana shallot, sliced into thin rounds 2 tbsp wine vinegar 500g pork fillet, cut into 1-2cm slices 2 tbsp cold-pressed rapeseed oil 1 ½ tsp English mustard 180g cherries, halved 100g pack ciabatta croutons with black pepper and sea salt 100g watercress 100g feta, crumbled (half a 200g pack) Mix the shallot with the red wine vinegar in a small bowl; set aside. Season the pork. Put ½ tbsp oil in a frying pan and fry the pork slices for 2-4 minutes on each side (you may need to do this in batches) until no pink meat remains and the juices run clear. Transfer to a plate or board and allow to rest in a warm place for 2 minutes. In a large bowl, mix the mustard, shallot mixture and remaining 1½ tbsp oil until combined; season. Add the cherries, croutons, watercress and feta, then toss together. Serve straight away with the pork.