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Fraud (Trials without a Jury) Bill

If the hon. Gentleman will give me a little time to proceed with my speech, I suspect that he will find that we have a great deal of evidence that, in the past, the House has found the measure to be the appropriate way of making the change. I believe that the House will support the Bill and agree that it is the way forward. Judges, too, have taken that view in a whole series of cases. In the Maxwell case, Mr. Justice Buckley talked about his need to sever cases. He said:"““When using his powers of severance the trial judge recognised that it would prevent the prosecution from putting before the jury the full weight of the case””." He said that accepting the submission that the second trial should not take place"““is to accept that in a serious and complex fraud, the limitations of jury trial prevent the prosecution from presenting a case which fairly and adequately represents the fraud alleged. If that is so then jury trial is unfair and inappropriate.””" Other judges have expressed similar views.