C.J.A.? No Way!

Nearly a year after becoming law the Criminal Justice Act is suffering problems. Specific clauses have recently been legally defeated in test cases. The eviction of a group of travellers in Sussex was overturned after the court decided that the local authority had to consider the human and welfare needs of travellers before eviction.

A man calling himself King Arthur, defeated a charge of trespassory assembly at Stonehenge. This went against his right under European law to freedom of worship.

Only 10% of arrests under the act have resulted in convictions and many police forces have chosen not to use their new powers. Worryingly the act has given the police, as opposed to magistrate, the right to set bail conditions which has resulted in people being arrested on minor charges and given excessive bail conditions including not returning to a protest site. This first eviction of squatters was attempted in Bristol by the Church Houses Association. The 24 hour notice was overruled by the court, who extended it to 7 days.