We recently held a webinar discussing the concept of causation in criminal cases where ‘nexus’ and ‘ample evidence’ mask serious questions around causation and connectivity to a crime. Felicity Gerry QC and Associate Professor Beatrice Krebs consider how, post R v Jogee [2016] UKSC 8 ‘inferences’ may go too far in a murder trial and how we can rescue fundamental principles from prosecutorial over reach. This lecture examines the latest decisions and recent trials in the area of complicity and the current trajectory of the senior courts. Presented by Dr Felicity Gerry QC & Associate Professor Beatrice Krebs Felicity has appeared in complicity cases in several jurisdictions, including the UK, Hong Kong and Australia and has spoken widely around injustices in this field. In 2016 she led for the Appellant in R v Jogee [2016] UKSC 8, when the UK Supreme Court corrected an error of law in complicity. Beatrice was a key expert assisting on the Jogee appeal and has since published her edited collection: Accessorial Liability After Jogee.   To ensure you don’t miss out on future events please register for our newsletter by clicking here.

Event now complete – Click here to watch the event video Sign up open for our next Libertas Webinar – details below This webinar presents the research of Dr Rudina Jasini on the role, scope and implications of victim participation in international criminal proceedings. In this webinar, we discuss the importance of this research to all counsel, including those acting for the defence. Presented by Dr Felicity Gerry QC and Dr Rudina Jasini  Felicity is on the list of counsel at The International Criminal Court and the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague and recently led an Amicus Curiae brief in the Dominic Ongwen Appeal. Dr Jasini (Oxford and NYU) led a joint project between the Centre for Criminology at the University of Oxford and the International Criminal Court Bar Association (ICCBA), aimed at creating a platform for exchanging knowledge and co-designing resources for the education and training of legal practitioners. Register today – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/268935171337/ To ensure you don’t miss out on future events please register for our newsletter by clicking here.

Event now complete – click here to watch the event video. This webinar presents the research of Dr Gina Vale on the gender-sensitive analysis of terrorism and extremist violence with reference to local Sunni Muslim and Yazidi women in Iraq and Syria. It considers the roles of women as terrorist actors, victims of terrorist activity, and the “grey areas” where civilian women become involved in a group’s infrastructure and activities. We consider the international and domestic legal issues including citizenship stripping, prosecution policy, criminal trials and sentencing of women. Presented by Dr Felicity Gerry QC and Dr Gina Vale Felicity is well known as successfully defending in a number of terrorism and trafficking trials and appeals and for leading the intervention for JUSTICE in the Shamima Begum appeals. Dr Vale is Senior Research Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR) and an Associate Fellow at M&C Saatchi World Services Register today – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/274276356967/ To ensure you don’t miss out on future events please register for our newsletter by clicking here.

We recently held a webinar presenting the research of Dr Abenaa Owusu-Bempah on the serious concerns that arise when police, prosecutors and courts do not acknowledge or appreciate the artistic value of rap music. An analysis of over 30 recent appeals identified that most of the defendants in ‘rap evidence’ trials were black men and boys — particularly teenagers — which falls in line with the overwhelming over-representation of Black and minority ethnic boys within the prison population. We consider the disproportionate and discriminatory treatment of black people throughout the criminal justice process, and how the use of rap lyrics as evidence feeds into that. The Webinar was presented by Felicity Gerry QC and Dr Abenaa Owusu-Bempah Felicity Gerry QC is well known as successfully defending black and minority ethnic people, including youths, accused of murder alleged to be ‘gang related’, where the prosecution sought to rely on rap music tropes. Dr Owusu-Bempah is an Associate Professor of criminal law and criminal evidence. She is a Fellow of The Higher Education Academy and an Associate Fellow of the Ghana Institute of Advanced Legal Studies.   To ensure you don’t miss out on future events please register for our newsletter by clicking here.

This event has ended. To view the webinar again, head to this article where we have included the video. This webinar presents the research of expert Dr Lucy Baldwin on the shocking circumstances for pregnant women in UK prisons, particularly for non-violent offences, following the tragic case of Louise Powell. We consider the experiences of women who are pregnant and suitable for alternatives to custodial sentences and the international and domestic legal issues on punishment and human rights. Presented by Dr Felicity Gerry QC and Dr Lucy Baldwin Felicity is well known for her 4 year project on Women in Prison for Lexis Nexis and for taking sentencing appeals for mothers involved in financial crime. Dr Lucy Baldwin is a Senior lecturer in Criminology based in the Community & Criminal Justice Division of the Health and Life Sciences faculty at De Montfort University. Lucy’s research focuses on the impact of maternal imprisonment on mothers, children, and their wider families. Register today –https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/ To ensure you don’t miss out on future events please register for our newsletter by clicking here.

This webinar has now finished. Click here to view the Webinar Discussing the concept of causation in criminal cases where ‘nexus’ and ‘ample evidence’ mask serious questions around causation and connectivity to a crime.  Felicity Gerry QC and Associate Professor Beatrice Krebs consider how, post R v Jogee [2016] UKSC 8 ‘inferences’ may go too far in a murder trial and how we can rescue fundamental principles from prosecutorial over reach. This lecture examines the latest decisions and recent trials in the area of complicity and the current trajectory of the senior courts. Presented by Professor Felicity Gerry QC & Associate Professor Beatrice Krebs Felicity has appeared in complicity cases in several jurisdictions, including the UK, Hong Kong and Australia and has spoken widely around injustices in this field. In 2016 she led for the Appellant in R v Jogee [2016] UKSC 8, when the UK Supreme Court corrected an error of law in complicity. Beatrice was a key expert assisting on the Jogee appeal and has since published her edited collection: Accessorial Liability After Jogee. Register today – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/211761663837/ To ensure you don’t miss out on future events please register for our newsletter by clicking here.

We recently held a webinar considering the current state of the law on sentencing mothers, with reference to research on the experiences of children whose mothers are sentenced to imprisonment in England and Wales. Drawing on detailed empirical research with children, caregivers, and Crown Court judiciary, the research presented in this webinar provided insight into the reasons for the differentiated treatment and its implications, and asks why do we send mothers to prison at all? The Webinar was presented by Felicity Gerry QC and Dr Shona Minson Felicity Gerry QC defends mothers as accused persons, including recently appealing sentences for mothers whose children were shockingly taken into prison in the context of financial offending. Dr Shona Minson is currently a British Academy Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Centre for Criminology at the University of Oxford and author of the book Maternal Sentencing and the Rights of the Child.     To ensure you don’t miss out on future events please register for our newsletter by clicking here.

This event has ended. To view the video please click here This webinar presents the research of Dr Abenaa Owusu-Bempah on the serious concerns that arise when police, prosecutors and courts do not acknowledge or appreciate the artistic value of rap music. An analysis of over 30 recent appeals identified that most of the defendants in ‘rap evidence’ trials were black men and boys — particularly teenagers — which falls in line with the overwhelming over-representation of Black and minority ethnic boys within the prison population. We consider the disproportionate and discriminatory treatment of black people throughout the criminal justice process, and how the use of rap lyrics as evidence feeds into that. Presented by Felicity Gerry QC and Dr Abenaa Owusu-Bempah Felicity Gerry QC is well known as successfully defending black and minority ethnic people, including youths, accused of murder alleged to be ‘gang related’, where the prosecution sought to rely on rap music tropes. Dr Owusu-Bempah is an Associate Professor of criminal law and criminal evidence. She is a Fellow of The Higher Education Academy and an Associate Fellow of the Ghana Institute of Advanced Legal Studies. Register today – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/209802423697/ To ensure you don’t miss out on future events please register for our newsletter by clicking here.