Crown Court Judge: “it seems no one at the CPS can do their job properly”

Court Report: 15/10/2020 @ Snaresbrook Crown Court

I’m in Courtroom 9 before Her Honour Judge Canavan for the sentencing of a case subject to reporting restrictions.

The judge asks Ms Jaja of Blackfriars Chambers, prosecuting for the crown, why the court cannot find an Enhanced Draft Restraining Order on the courts electronic digital case system. 

We’re told HHJ Canavan had ordered the CPS to upload this by 24^th September 2020 at a previous hearing and had adjourned sentencing to today to allow parties to make representations on the matter.  An allowance that the judge tells us the Court of Appeal takes very seriously.

Explaining that “she could have not been clearer” about the draft order being uploaded the judge repeatedly asks “whose responsibility is that?”.  The prosecution, unable to provide an explanation of the failure to produce such a report, is told the court requires the Branch Crown Prosecutor to provide a report within 7 days as “it seems no one at the CPS can do their job properly”

Despite a suggestion from defence barrister Mr Justin Rivett to allow a short adjournment to allow a draft order to be written HHJ Canavan says that such an order has serious consequences if breached and so should “not be cobbled together on the morning”.

Explaining to the defendant that the delay to their sentencing was not their fault the judge exclaims “this time someone at the CPS has to do their job”. 

The sentencing is once again adjourned and justice delayed.