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England and Wales High Court (Administrative Court) Decisions |
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You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> England and Wales High Court (Administrative Court) Decisions >> Quantrell, R (on the application of) v Liverpool City Magistrates' Court [1999] EWHC Admin 41 (19 January 1999) URL: http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/1999/41.html Cite as: [1999] Crim LR 734, 163 JP 420, [1999] EWHC Admin 41, [1999] 2 Cr App R 24, (1999) 163 JP 420 |
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1. LORD
JUSTICE BUXTON: This is an application for judicial review of a decision of the
Liverpool Justices made on 15th October 1998 where having been invited to
consider committal proceedings against Mr Quantrell under section 6(2) of the
Magistrates' Courts Act 1980, and indeed commit for trial, they declined to do
so by reason of the fact that Mr Quantrell was not present on the grounds of
ill health. We have had the benefit, in this case, of reading submissions in
affidavit form from Mr Parry, who is Mr Quantrell's solicitor, and in skeleton
form from Mr Scholes who appears before us today on behalf of Mr Quantrell. We
have also had the benefit of not only having an affidavit as to what occurred
at the Court below, which is not in dispute, from the Chairman of the
Magistrates, but also a detailed explanation by Mr Criddle, who was the clerk
involved, of the advice he gave and the reasons why he considers that the
Magistrates did not have vires to deal with the matter which was then before
them. Additionally Mr Criddle has helpfully set out, and commented upon, all
the statutory provisions that appear to be relevant to this case.
2.
We therefore feel that we are well informed on the issue, but I feel
obliged to put on record the fact that Mr Scholes told us this morning that
this is regarded as a matter of some importance within the Magistrates' Courts'
service and I am conscious that I am giving this judgment without the benefit
of having heard submissions on behalf of the Magistrates. Nonetheless I feel
able to deal with the substance of the matter.
3.
As long ago as 14th May 1998 Mr Quantrell was charged with child abduction
contrary to section 2(1) of the Child Abduction Act 1984. The circumstances
were, to some extent, unusual because although we know little, or nothing, of
the substance of the allegation, and do not need to do so, we do understand
that the child whom he was said to have abducted, was his grandson aged six
years. Apparently he had taken him to Scotland, where it is that Mr Quantrell
lives. He denies the charge in the sense that although, as we understand it,
the actual act of taking the child away is not disputed, Mr Quantrell contends
that he has the defence available under those provisions of having acted with
reasonable excuse. That being the circumstances, not only is it clear that
this is a matter of some seriousness, but also it is something that is
desirable should he be tried in the appropriate Court at as early a date as
possible.
4.
He appeared on a number of occasions on bail before the Liverpool City
Magistrates and not surprisingly, in view of the nature of the case, on 6th
August the Justices declined jurisdiction and adjourned the committal
proceedings until October. It appears that Mr Quantrell living in Aberdeen,
and again apparently being in straitened financial circumstances, had some
difficulty in attending the Court. Certainly it is not a simple course for him
to come from Aberdeen to Liverpool.
5.
Further, and more seriously, he advised his solicitors, on 14th October
1998, that is to say immediately before he was due to appear before the
Magistrates with a view to committal, that his general practitioner had
diagnosed him as suffering from depression and had further instructed on
medical grounds that he might not travel from Aberdeen to Liverpool in order to
attend the Court. Mr Quantrell had already instructed his solicitors to
consent to a committal under section 6(2) of the Magistrates' Courts Act: he
and they, as I have said, being anxious to carry on with the matter.
6.
On 15th October he did not attend, though his solicitor did. Both Mr
Quantrell's solicitor and those representing the prosecution on that occasion
were happy for the section 6(2) committal to take place and for Mr Quantrell to
be committed, although he was absent. The Justices were, however, advised by
their clerk that they had no power to commit him in his absence, nor did they
have power in his absence to extend his bail to the Crown Court hearing. They
therefore declined to pursue the matter further. No doubt if they had taken
jurisdiction on that day, both parties being agreed that there should be a
section 6(2) committal, that would have been what the Magistrates would have
done, but they did not feel able to do that because Mr Quantrell was not there.
7.
This application is to challenge that decision of the Justices and to
examine the legal framework under which they were operating. It is necessary
to look, in the first instance, at the provisions of the Magistrates' Courts
Act with regard to committal proceedings. Those provisions are to be found in
sections 4 to 8 of the 1980 Act under the general heading, or entry note, of
"Committal Proceedings". I make that point before turning to the specific
provisions because it seems to me that in general terms this part of the Act,
sections 4 to 8, is intended to be read as a general code governing committal
proceedings as a whole. That is important when we turn, in the context of this
case, to section 4 which deals with what is described as the "General nature of
committal proceedings" and says in section 4(4):
8. That,
of course, was this case. Mr Quantrell could not be present by reasons of
health. He was represented by his solicitor, Mr Parry. He had consented to
the evidence being tendered in his absence.
9.
We turn then to section 6. That deals with discharge or committal for
trial. Section 6(1) says that:
10.
That, broadly speaking, makes a distinction between section 6(1), committal
on consideration of the evidence and section 6(2), inquiry into the offence in
the light of the evidence tendered, but without its consideration. When we go
back to section 4 that deals with allowing evidence to be tendered before the
Justices in the absence of the accused. I take it that that applies both to
section 6(1) and to section 6(2). Therefore the tendering of the evidence, it
is said, may take place in the absence of the accused, but, according to the
Magistrates' decision in this case, the actual decision under section 6(2) may
not do so, there being no specific reference to permission or liberty for the
Magistrates to make that decision when the accused is not there.
11.
I am bound to say that I cannot agree with that construction of section
6(2). It seems to me firstly, that when the Act deals in section 4 with the
tendering of the evidence before the Justices it is doing more than simply
using that expression to refer to a discrete and separate part of the committal
proceedings. The overall structure of the Act is using that expression, in my
judgement, to refer to committal proceedings as a whole. Even if that is not
right it would be wholly artificial to think that Parliament would have
consciously made any provision in section 6(2) preventing action in the absence
of the accused by simply by omitting any such provision in section 6(2).
Particularly in a section 6(2) case the tendering of the evidence, and the
consideration of whether the accused should be committed, is part and parcel of
a single operation.
12.
It really would be quite baffling as to why Parliament should say that the
Justices might have the evidence tendered before them when they were invited to
proceed under section 6(2), but that evidence having been tendered must then
stop because they cannot make the actual decision with the accused not being
present. Of course the Magistrates are in no way obliged to proceed when the
accused is not present, even though he is represented; and there might be
circumstances in which they thought it would be unfair or undesirable that they
should so do. That is, in my judgement, a matter for them. But where, in my
respectful view, the Magistrates were wrong in this case was to think that
they were forbidden from considering whether Mr Quantrell should be committed
by the absence of any express licence or liberty on their part to do so in
section 6(2) itself.
13.
I am reinforced in that view by turning to section 122 of the Magistrates'
Courts Act. That is to be found in Part VII of the Act "MISCELLANEOUS AND
SUPPLEMENTARY", a part of the Act that is to be assumed to apply to every other
section in the Act unless it is specifically so excluded. Section 122(1) starts
by saying:
14.
That, in my judgement, applied in this case. Mr Quantrell was not absent
because he was deemed to be there in the form and shape of Mr Parry. That that
provision applies in the case of section 6(2) is reinforced by looking at
subsection (3) of section 122:
15.
The notes in Stone's Justices' Manual helpfully draw attention to a number
of provisions in the Magistrates' Courts Act that do specifically require the
Defendant to be present. Two examples are where there is a means inquiry in
respect of a defaulter and also section 93(6) when there is an inquiry into
default in paying maintenance. In both of those cases the legislator has
specifically required the defaulter to be present. There are obviously good
reasons for that because certain consequences can follow of a penal sort from a
conclusion derogatory to the defaulter being reached by the Magistrates. The
legislature is therefore particularly anxious that they should hear from the
defaulter himself and examine him themselves rather than that the man should be
able, in those circumstances, simply to send along a lawyer to apologise or
make some excuse. However, not only is there no such specific provision in
respect of section 6(2), there is also no good reason, in my judgement, why
there should be such a specific provision: as is demonstrated by a case such as
this where everybody concerned is anxious that the matter should go to the
Crown Court and there is no consideration of fairness, or uncertainty, on the
part of the Magistrates that would otherwise cause them to hold back from
taking that course.
16.
The Magistrates were also concerned about two further provisions one was
Rule 8 of the Magistrates' Courts Rules:
17.
I see no reason why the requirement that the person committed should
forthwith receive notification of a right to object should not be given to his
lawyer. There may be circumstances where the Magistrates have concerns about
the efficacy of that course, but in the normal course of events, faced with a
representative, such as Mr Parry clearly is, who is in contact with and
responsible towards his client, then there is no reason for thinking that such
notice cannot properly be given to him. Even if that were not the case,
although the rule does require this matter to be done forthwith, in my
judgement that does not mean that it must necessarily be done there and then in
Court provided that on that very day the Magistrates' Court ensures that it is
in communication in writing with the Defendant telling him of this right. Of
course again if the Magistrates' Court is uncertain about where the person is,
or is in doubt as to whether communication by writing will, in fact, reach him,
then it might well decide in its discretion it could not proceed in the man's
absence. That is a judgmental decision for the Magistrates and not something
which is forced on them by the legislation.
18.
Finally the Magistrates, we understand, were subsequently concerned about
the provisions of section 129 of the Magistrates' Courts Act about further
remand: saying that the Court may, in the man's absence, remand him for a
further time, including the grant of bail. I do not see a difficulty there.
Mr Quantrell could be granted bail in his absence by reason of the fact that
his lawyer was present. Similarily section 129 does not apply only to further
remands within the Magistrates' Court but also would extend to remands to the
Crown Court. It is not necessary to go that far because the grant of bail, in
my judgement, is one matter that can be done in the man's absence, again
provided that the Court is sufficiently satisfied that any conditions that it
applies will be adequately conveyed to the Defendant and that he understands
them. It would plainly not be right that just because, and only because, Mr
Quantrell was absent through illness nothing could go forward thereafter simply
because there was a difficulty about his being bailed.
19.
For all those reasons, therefore, although I appreciate the care that Mr
Criddle has given to this matter and his concern about the procedure, and
appreciate the concern of this Bench that it should be satisfied entirely that
it is acting within the statutory provisions, I do not, in fact, agree with the
conclusions that they reached. The Magistrates were, in my judgement, free to
proceed on this matter in Mr Quantrell's absence under section 6(2). As I have
endeavoured to explain, my judgment goes no further than saying that the
Magistrates are not inhibited by the legislation from proceeding in the
accused's absence. They are not obliged so to proceed if they consider there
are good reasons why they should not do so. But on the particular case and the
question before this Court, I would grant this application.
20.
I, for my part, therefore, would order that
certiorari
go
to quash the decision of the Magistrates of 16th October and if it is necessary
(though I think it is not) to issue an Order of
Mandamus
requiring the Court to consider whether there is sufficient evidence to commit
the Applicant to trial by jury in his absence, and if so to commit him.
However, I would not make a formal Order of
Mandamus
because,
having heard the terms of this judgment, the Court will no doubt wish to enter
upon that consideration at as early a possible date as it can so that this
matter can thereafter go forward. In those terms, therefore, I would grant
this application.
21. MR
JUSTICE COLLINS: I entirely agree. Quite apart from the specific provisions to
which my Lord has referred in sections 4(4) and 6 of the Act, it seems to me
that the purpose of section 122 is to enable matters to proceed in the absence
of a Defendant provided he is represented. The 1980 Act is drafted, not
surprisingly, on the assumption that the Defendant is going to be present at
Court. That is why we find in section 122(2) the provision that a party
represented is deemed not to be absent. It seems to me that the purpose of
subsection (3) of section 122 is, as it says, to prevent that deeming provision
applying only where a relevant provision expressly, and not merely implicitly,
requires his presence. So it is that, in my judgment, Rule 8, for example, of
the Magistrates' Courts Rules and section 5(2) of the Act, upon both of which
provisions the Magistrates relied, enable the information to be given to the
representative and in giving it to the representative it is deemed to have been
given to the Defendant who is deemed not to be absent.
22.
In those circumstances, like my Lord, I take the view that it is open to
the Magistrates, in a case such as this, to decide to undertake committal
proceedings, including the stage of committing for trial in the absence of a
Defendant. I, like my Lord, emphasise that it is open to the Magistrates, but
they are not bound to do so. It is a matter for their judgment, on the facts
of any given case, whether they consider it an appropriate course to take. I
agree with the Order proposed by my Lord.
24. MR
SCHOLES: Yes, I seek legal aid taxation of the Applicant's costs and I invite
the Court to order, for the sake of convenience (as I understand your Lordships
have the power to do) that it should take place in Liverpool.
25. MR
JUSTICE COLLINS: Why are you not applying for costs out of Central Funds? Are
you not entitled to? Why should the Legal Aid Board pay rather than Central
Funds?
27. MR
JUSTICE COLLINS: I have not checked, I am bound to say, but I think you are
entitled, are you not, to your costs out of Central Funds if you successfully
take criminal proceedings before this Court. It is the costs in the Criminal
Cases Act.
29. MR
JUSTICE COLLINS: It is the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 section 16(5). It
is in Archbold at page 661, paragraph 6-6 of the 1998 book. Subsection (5) of
section 16 of the Act is:
30. LORD
JUSTICE BUXTON: That seems right, does it not, Mr Scholes? I know it does not
affect your actual client but it seems to us that this is a matter that should
come out of Central Funds rather than the Legal Aid Fund. We will make an
Order for costs out of Central Funds and you may have legal aid taxation. I
think that will take place in Liverpool as a matter of course. If that is not
a matter of course I see no reason why we cannot order that to be in Liverpool.
Thank you both very much.