Excessive use of charging powers observed in joint enterprise trials, say researchers

<p>Exclusive: Appeal charity says some defendants in England and Wales charged with murder over ‘voluntary presence’ at crime scene</p><p>Researchers who spent six months observing <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/law/joint-enterprise">joint enterprise</a> trials have found excessive use of powers, with individuals charged with murder despite only tenuous connections with the crime.</p><p>The findings from the miscarriage of justice charity Appeal add to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/law/article/2024/sep/11/mps-call-for-review-joint-enterprise-law">concerns surrounding the doctrine</a>, which allows defendants in England and Wales to be convicted of crimes they did not physically carry out if they are deemed to have encouraged or assisted the perpetrator.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/jun/26/excessive-use-of-charging-powers-observed-in-joint-enterprise-trials-say-researchers">Continue reading...</a>