Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission

7/28/2019 Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission

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Scottish Criminal Cases Review CommissionFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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The Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (SCCRC) is anexecutive non-departmental

public bodyof theScottish Government, established by theCriminal Procedure (Scotland) Act

1995(as amended by theCrime and Punishment (Scotland) Act 1997).

The Commission has thestatutorypower to refer cases dealt with onindictment(ie solemn cases) to

theHigh Court of Justiciary. This was extended to include summary cases byStatutory Instrumenton

31 March 1999,[1]

immediately before the Commission took up its role in April 1999.

Though funded by theScottish Government, investigations are carried out independently of Scottish

Ministers, with the Commission being accountable to theScottish Parliamenton matters of finance

andadministration.
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Contents

[hide]

1 Governance and administration

2 Role of the SCCRC

o 2.1 Powers

o 2.2 Aims

3 Confidentiality and disclosure

4 Statistics

5 Budget and expenditure

6 Lockerbie bombing

o 6.1 Megrahi's 2003 application

o 6.2 SCCRC's decision

o 6.3 International observer's view

o 6.4 Administration of the Lockerbie review

7 See also

8 References

9 External links

Governance and administration[edit]

The Commission is headed by Chief Executive,Gerard Sinclair, and staffed by a Director of

Corporate Services, 2 Senior Legal Officers, 6 Legal Officers and 3 admin support staff. Eight Legal

Officers and one Senior Legal Officer are required to deal with the Commission's normal case load.

In order to review the case ofAbdelbaset al-Megrahi, the Commission sought approval from the

Scottish Executive Justice Department for the appointment of 2 additional Legal Officers and 1

Senior Legal Officer.

The SCCRC has a Board of Management of 9 members appointed byHer Majesty The Queenon

the recommendation of theFirst Minister of Scotland. As of 1 January 2009, its current members are:

Jean CouperCBE, Chairman

MrDavid Belfall

MrGraham Bell QC

Professor Brian Caddy

Mr Stewart Campbell

Mr Gerard McClay

Professor George Irving

Mr Gerry Bann
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eview_Commission#Administration_of_the_Lockerbie_reviewhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Criminal_Cases_Review_Commission#International_observer.27s_viewhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Criminal_Cases_Review_Commission#SCCRC.27s_decisionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Criminal_Cases_Review_Commission#Megrahi.27s_2003_applicationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Criminal_Cases_Review_Commission#Lockerbie_bombinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Criminal_Cases_Review_Commission#Budget_and_expenditurehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Criminal_Cases_Review_Commission#Statisticshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Criminal_Cases_Review_Commission#Confidentiality_and_disclosurehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Criminal_Cases_Review_Commission#Aimshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Criminal_Cases_Review_Commission#Powershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Criminal_Cases_Review_Commission#Role_of_the_SCCRChttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Criminal_Cases_Review_Commission#Governance_and_administrationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Criminal_Cases_Review_Commission


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Mr Christopher Shead[2]

By statute, at least one third of the Commission's members are required to be legally qualified (either

anadvocateor solicitor of at least 10 years' standing) and at least two thirds must have knowledge or

experience of thecriminal justice system.

The Board members and the Chief Executive are required to work together to ensure that the

Commission runs efficiently and effectively.

Role of the SCCRC[edit]

The Commission's role is to review and investigate cases where it is alleged that a miscarriage of

justicemay have occurred in relation toconviction,sentenceor both. The Commission can only

review and investigate cases where the conviction and sentence were imposed by a Scottish Court

(theHigh Court, theSheriff Courtor theDistrict Court), and when the appeal process has beenexhausted.

Powers[edit]

The SCCRC can investigate both solemn and summary cases. It will conduct a thorough,

independent and impartial review and investigation of all cases accepted for review. The Commission

has wide-ranging powers of investigation. After the review has been completed the Commission will

decide whether or not the case should be referred to the High Court. If it is decided to refer a case,

the case will be heard and determined by theHigh Court of Justiciaryas if it were a normal appeal.

Aims[edit]

The main aims of the Commission are:

To ensure that all cases are dealt with efficiently and effectively;

To deliver its services in ways appropriate to stakeholders' needs;

To promote public understanding of the Commission's role;

To enhance public confidence in the ability of the criminal justice system to cure miscarriages of

justice.

Confidentiality and disclosure[edit]

The Commission operates under strict statutory non-disclosure provisions, and cannot disclose any

information about individual cases. The Commission can disclose the fact that a case has been

referred to the High Court but will not release any information regarding cases in which no referral

has been made or in respect of cases under review.

Statistics[edit]

As at 31 March 2007 the SCCRC had received a total of 887 cases since April 1999, when it was

established. The Commission completed its review of 841 of these cases and referred 67 of them to
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the High Court. Of the referrals, 39 have been determined: 25 appeals were granted; 11 appeals

rejected; and, 3 abandoned. Chief Executive, Gerard Sinclair, says that normally the court rules

about half the referrals to be a miscarriage of justice each year, which would equate in 2003 to

roughly 0.005% of the total number of Scottish criminal convictions. But, says Sinclair: "Even if it

were just one wrongful conviction a year, that would still be one too many."

Budget and expenditure[edit]

The Scottish Government agreed an SCCRC budget of 1.2m for 200809.

Lockerbie bombing[edit]

Megrahi's 2003 application[edit]

Former SCCRC member,William Taylor QC, who acted as Senior Counsel forMegrahiat thePan

Am Flight 103 bombing trialand at his appeal in 2002, resigned as a Commissioner on 23

September 2003. This was the same day as the SCCRC received an application from solicitors

acting on Megrahi's behalf, requesting that it review his conviction. Megrahi's appeal against his 27-

year minimum jail sentence was scheduled to be heard inEdinburghbefore a panel of five Judges on

11 July 2006.[3]

This July hearing was, however, postponed to allow the question of the venue for the

appeal (Edinburgh orCamp Zeist, Netherlands) to be resolved.[4]

On 1 November 2006 Megrahi was

reported to have dropped his demand for the appeal against sentence and any further appeal

against conviction that the SCCRC might award to be held at Camp Zeist.[5]

SCCRC's decision[edit]

In January 2007, the SCCRC announced that it would issue its decision on Megrahi's case by the

end of June 2007.[6]

On 17 June 2007The Observerconfirmed that the SCCRC's decision was

imminent and reported:

"Abdelbaset al-Megrahi never wavered in his denial of causing the Lockerbie disaster: now

Scottish legal experts say they believe him."[7]

On 28 June 2007 the SCCRC announced[8]

its decision to refer the case to theCourt of Criminal

Appealfor Megrahi's second appeal against conviction, having concluded:

"that there is no reasonable basis in the trial court's judgment for its conclusion that the

purchase of the items [clothes that were found in the wreckage of the plane] from Mary's

House [in Malta] took place on 7 December 1988."

It is anticipated that preparation for the appeal before a panel of three Judges in Edinburgh

could take as long as a year.

International observer's view[edit]
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5/5

ProfessorHans Kchler, who was appointed by UN Secretary General,Kofi Annan, to

observe thePan Am Flight 103 bombing trialatCamp Zeist, Netherlandswas reported to

be baffled by the SCCRC's four-year delay in reaching a conclusion. Kchler said:

"In my experience as observer of the Lockerbie trial, theRoman lawsystem is superior tothecommon lawsystem (practised in Scotland), particularly in matters ofcriminal law. It is

indeed revealing that it takes the SCCRC so many years (that are apparently needed, inter

alia, for secret negotiations between the governments of the involved countries) to announce

its decision on whether there should be a retrial in the Lockerbie case or not."[9][10]

Following the SCCRC's decision on 28 June 2007 to refer the case back for a second

appeal, Kchler expressed surprise at the focus of the Commission's review and its

apparent bias in favour of the judicial establishment:

"In giving exoneration to the police, prosecutors and forensic staff, I think they show their

lack of independence. No officials to be blamed: simply a Maltese shopkeeper. "[11]

On 4 July 2007 Kchler wrote to Scottish First Minister,Alex Salmond, to Foreign

Secretary,David Miliband, to Home Secretary,Jacqui Smith, and to FCO Minister

of State with responsibility for Africa, Asia and the UN,Mark Malloch

Browndescribing the SCCRC's decision as "long overdue" and calling for a full

and independent public inquiry into the Lockerbie case.[12]

Administration of the Lockerbie review[edit]

On page 16 of the 20072008 annual report and accounts of the SCCRC,

published on 4 June 2008, chief executive Gerald Sinclair has written a summary

of the SCCRC's administration of the Lockerbie review.[13]
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Documents

Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission