R v Davis

R v Davis
CourtHouse of Lords
Full case name The Crown against Davis
Decided18 June 2008
Citation[2008] UKHL 36[1]
Cases citedsee section below
Legislation citedcommon law
European Convention on Human Rights
Case history
Prior actionsR v Davis (Central Criminal Court, unreported, 25 May 2004
R v Davis (Court of Appeal) [2006] EWCA Crim 1155, [2006] 1 WLR 3130.[2]
Subsequent actionNone
Court membership
Judges sittingLord Bingham, Lord Rodger, Lord Carswell, Lord Brown, Lord Mance
Keywords
anonymity, fairness, due process

R v Davis [2008] UKHL 36 is a decision of the United Kingdom House of Lords which considered the permissibility of allowing witnesses to give evidence anonymously. In 2002 two men were shot and killed at a party, allegedly by the defendant, Ian Davis. He was extradited from the United States and tried at the Central Criminal Court for two counts of murder in 2004. He was convicted by the jury and appealed. The decision of the House of Lords in June 2008 led to Parliament passing the Criminal Evidence (Witness Anonymity) Act 2008 a month later. This legislation was later replaced by sections 86 to 97 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009.[3]

  1. ^ R v Davis [2008] UKHL 36, [2008] HRLR 35, [2008] 3 WLR 125, [2008] 2 Cr App R 33, [2008] 3 All ER 461, [2008] Crim LR 915, [2008] 1 AC 1128 (18 June 2008), House of Lords
  2. ^ R v Davis [2006] EWCA Crim 1155, [2007] Crim LR 70, [2006] 1 WLR 3130, [2006] 2 Cr App R 32, [2006] 4 All ER 648 (19 May 2006), Court of Appeal
  3. ^ Text of the legislation - Sections 86-97 of Coroners and Justice Act 2009 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.