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You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> England and Wales Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) Decisions >> Dewhirst, R. v [2024] EWCA Crim 1683 (04 December 2024) URL: http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Crim/2024/1683.html Cite as: [2024] EWCA Crim 1683 |
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CRIMINAL DIVISION
ON APPEAL FROM THE MILITARY COURT AT CATTERICK
JUDGE LEGARD CMAO 15/02/2024
22 Mons Avenue Bulford Camp Salsbury SP4 9NN |
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B e f o r e :
LORD JUSTICE HOLROYDE
MR JUSTICE MORRIS
MRS JUSTICE FOSTER DBE
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REX |
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- v - |
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THOMAS DEWHIRST |
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Lower Ground Floor, 46 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1JE
Tel No: 020 7404 1400; Email: [email protected] (Official Shorthand Writers to the Court)
COLONEL J CARMICHAEL appeared on behalf of the Service Prosecuting Authority
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Crown Copyright ©
"The defence point out that all the allegations are said to have taken place in a military environment and in military premises [military vehicle]. It is submitted that a civilian board would be unable to fully appreciate the social nuances and conduct of junior soldiers living together in accommodation blocks on overseas deployment. The defendant maintains that some of his behaviour whilst falling short of criminal behaviour amounted to acceptable 'horseplay' at the time. It is submitted that only a military board would properly be able to contextualise that behaviour and the use of a civilian board would have an unduly prejudicial effect on the defendant's case."
"In my judgement you would not need to necessarily be a serviceperson to properly consider the context of people, service people or otherwise, living in close proximity and indulging in horseplay and banter in shared dorms and washing facilities. These features are not unique to service life and to some extent are features of school life/sports clubs/university dorms. Civilians can and do deal with such circumstances with which they have no personal experience when sitting on juries."