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You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> Jersey Unreported Judgments >> AG v Bhojwani [2009] JRC 055 (27 March 2009) URL: http://www.bailii.org/je/cases/UR/2009/2009_055.html Cite as: [2009] JRC 55, [2009] JRC 055 |
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[2009]JRC055
ROYAL COURT
(Samedi Division)
27th March 2009
Before : |
J. A. Clyde-Smith, Esq., Commissioner, sitting alone. |
The Attorney General
-v-
Raj Arjandas Bhojwani
Disclosure of transcripts to defendant.
Advocate M. T. Jowitt for the Attorney General.
Advocate J. D. Kelleher for the Defendant.
JUDGMENT
THE commissioner:
1. On 18th March 2009, I gave leave under Article 77 of the Police Procedures and Criminal Evidence (Jersey) Law 2003 ("PPCE") for the defendant to have disclosed to him by his own defence lawyers the transcripts and video recordings of the evidence of two witnesses taken on commission in India. The application was opposed by the prosecution and I now set out my reasons for giving leave.
2. The defendant stands indicted on two counts of converting the proceeds of criminal conduct and one count of removing the proceeds of criminal conduct, contrary to the provisions of Article 34(1)(b) of the Proceeds of Crime (Jersey) Law 1999. His trial is due to commence on 25th May 2009.
3. Upon an application by the defence, letters of request were issued by the Bailiff under Article 4 of the Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) (Jersey) Law 2001 and pursuant thereto the evidence of two witnesses has been taken on commission in India. The defendant's Jersey lawyers attended the commission hearings in India examining the witnesses on the defendant's behalf. The defendant's bail conditions require him to remain in Jersey and therefore the possibility of his attending the commission hearings in India did not arise.
4. As a result of their attendance at the commission hearing, the defence is aware of the evidence given by the two witnesses and now have (or will have) possession of the formal transcripts and video recordings. It may seem surprising that there should be any question of it being required to hold back this information from its own client. However, its caution arises from the provisions of Article 77 of PPCE, which is in the following terms:-
5. Article 77 is taken from Section 79 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, 1984 which in turn merely restates the R v Smith (Joan) [1968] 1 WLR 66 where the Court of Appeal said:-
6. If the defendant is allowed access to the transcripts and video evidence of the two witnesses now, he will, if he gives evidence at the trial, be aware of what they said on commission before he gives his own evidence. Thus, say the prosecution, the principle established by Smith and encapsulated in Article 77 of PPCE will be breached. The defendant would, for example, be able to trim his evidence to make it consistent with that of the two witnesses. It would be much safer for an honest defendant, say the prosecution, that he not see the evidence of the other witnesses which he is using to support his case before he gives his own.
7. In the view of the prosecution, this would not impede the ability of the defence to advise the defendant as to the wisdom of calling the evidence of the two witnesses. The defence can review the evidence and advise the defendant as to its professional judgement as to whether the evidence would be helpful or unhelpful in his case.
8. In practice, the defence would be effectively prevented from taking instructions from the defendant (by phone or other electronic means) on any points that arose during the course of the commission hearing and if, perchance, the defendant's bail terms permitted him to attend at the commission hearing he would have to be barred.
9. If the prosecution's submissions are right then, say the defence, it is put into an extremely difficult position. How can it advise the defendant as to the merits of calling the evidence of the witnesses at the trial without disclosing what that evidence is? What if something had been said by the two witnesses which impacts materially on the defence case?. How can the defence advise the defendant on the implications to the defence case without disclosing to the defendant the evidence upon which its advice is based? Fundamentally, how can the defence continue to advise the defendant when it is privy to material information which it is not allowed to reveal to the defendant?
10. The issue arose in a different context in R v Davis and other appeals (1993) 2 AER 643. That case involved disclosure of documents which were subject to public interest immunity of such a sensitive nature that it was suggested that defence counsel could only attend the application on an undertaking not to disclose what took place either to the defendants or to their solicitors. Lord Taylor said this:-
11. If prior to the trial evidence of witnesses is taken on commission in Jersey before either the Viscount or the Judicial Greffier pursuant to Article 66 of the Loi (1864) réglant la procédure criminelle ("the 1864 law"), the position is put beyond doubt by Article 70 which is in the following terms:-
12. Mr Jowitt submitted that there was a strong argument that the rules of statutory interpretation would require that Article 70 of the 1864 Law be read down in such a situation because Article 77 of PPCE has impliedly amended it. He referred me to Bennion Statutory Interpretation 4th edition at page 243 as follows:-
13. I disagree that Article 70 of the 1864 Law should be "read down" so that what is a long established and clear mandatory provision is in effect removed by implication. In my view Article 77 of PPCE is concerned with the order of play at the trial proper and was not intended to apply to the obtaining of evidence on commission prior to the trial. We thus have the anomalous position that if evidence is taken on commission in Jersey the defendant is required to be present but if it is taken outside Jersey, then, if the prosecution are right, the defendant should be barred from attending.
14. It is true that obtaining evidence on commission prior to the trial has its disadvantages. The main disadvantage is that the jury or Jurats do not see and hear the witness giving evidence before them, although this is somewhat ameliorated by video recording the evidence. It does give a defendant an opportunity to trim his or her evidence to make it consistent with the witness. At the same time, as pointed out by the defence, it enables the prosecution to have knowledge in advance of what a defence witness will say. These disadvantages are outweighed, however, by the overall interests of justice in having the evidence of witnesses who either cannot attend or who are not compellable placed before the trial court.
15. In my view and respectfully adopting the words of Lord Taylor, it would wholly undermine the relationship between the defence and the defendant in this case if it cannot reveal to him what transpired at the commission hearings in India.
16. I doubt whether leave is required under Article 77 of PPCE for the defence to disclose this information to the defendant, but to avoid any doubt I granted leave.