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Wolverhampton juror jailed for contempt of court

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...ngham-20259841

Quote:

A juror who disclosed details of deliberations to a defendant in a criminal trial has been jailed.

Lorry driver Stephen Pardon, 42, was on a jury considering allegations of a multimillion-pound metal theft plot at Wolverhampton Crown Court in 2011.

He disclosed details to one defendant and "attempted to do so" to another defendant, the High Court heard.

Pardon, of Tipton, admitted contempt of court and will serve half his four-month sentence in jail.

At the London court, Hanif Mussa represented Attorney General Dominic Grieve who had brought the proceedings against Pardon.

Mr Mussa said the 13-week trial, involving two counts of conspiracy to steal, began on 19 September 2011.

He said after the jury returned a majority verdict on one of the counts, Pardon visited one of the convicted defendants at his workplace and "made a number of disclosures including the reasons for the verdict and the material that the jury had considered".

The defendant informed his legal advisers.

Pardon later went to the work premises of a second defendant convicted on the one count "to convey his concerns about the verdict", but was asked to leave the premises, Mr Mussa said.

The four-month sentence was imposed by Lord Judge, Mr Justice Mitting and Mr Justice Griffith Williams.

Lord Judge emphasised the "seriousness with which this court will view any incident which serves to undermine our system of trial by jury".

"In these circumstances an immediate custodial sentence is virtually inevitable," he said.

"Take him down" ..... :hmph:

..... and bang 'im up ..... :pipe:

Good. He was clearly in contempt of court. There is nothing here to discuss, surely.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Livia (Post 5601157)

Good. He was clearly in contempt of court. There is nothing here to discuss, surely.

Just to let potential jurors, some of whom seem to be rather naive, know that their role in court should not be taken lightly ..... :pipe:

Juror jailed for looking up rape defendant on Google

Quote:

A juror who used Google to search for a defendant in a rape case in Luton was jailed for six months yesterday for contempt of court.

Academic Dr Theodora Dallas, 34, told fellow jurors that the man on trial for sexual assault had previously been accused of rape after finding a newspaper article about him on the internet. Her Google search broke strict laws designed to prevent prejudicing or influencing a jury.

Today she begins her stretch behind bars after three High Court judges sentenced her. Lord Judge said Dallas had "deliberately disobeyed" the trial judge's instructions not to search the internet, reported the BBC.

Lord Judge said: "The damage to the administration of justice is obvious. Misuse of the internet by a juror is always a most serious irregularity and an effective custodial sentence is virtually inevitable."

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/01...ror_sentenced/