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Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 25 July 2008

MP Jeremy Corbyn

KNIFE CRIME: MP BACKS NEW SECRECY BILL

MP Jeremy Corbyn – one of Britain’s most active libertarians – is backing a controversial witness protection scheme in a bid to crack down on the rise of knife crime.
The Islington North MP told a packed public meeting on Wednesday night that the Criminal Evidence (Witness Anonymity) Bill, which is currently going through parliament, would result in more people coming forward to provide crucial information on gang-related crime.
The legislation would allow evidence to be given in private to a judge if there were fears of potential intimidation.
Police have generally welcomed the bill but it has aroused concerns among the legal profession and civil rights activists, who fear it could be open to abuse.
More than 100 residents and four local Labour councillors attended the meeting, organised by the Finsbury Park Safer Neighbourhood team at the Tollington Way Baptist church.
Among them were James and Lorraine Dinnegan, the parents of teenager Martin Dinnegan, who was stabbed to death in June last year.
Fourteen-year-old Martin was murdered in Tollington Way after being chased by a group of youths over “an exchange of dirty looks”.
Mr Corbyn added: “No parent should have to suffer in the way that James and Lorraine have. But if this bill results in more people coming forward and giving evidence in major crimes and more convictions then something at least has been achieved.”
He was supported at the meeting by Detective Inspector Stewart Hill, who helped investigate Martin’s murder.
Mr Hill praised the courage of the witnesses who came forward during the trial, which resulted in two convictions with sentencing set to take place next month.
Mr Corbyn said he supported the bill – which is also backed by Islington South and Finsbury MP Emily Thornberry – because it was only in its provisional stage and due to be reviewed in parliament in October.
He said he also feared that many murder verdicts would be overturned after a recent court ruling.
In an appeals hearing, a judge quashed a murder verdict on the grounds that vital evidence has been supplied by an anonymous witness. This led to the introduction of the new bill.
Mr Corbyn added: “The police are telling us that they can’t get people to come forward and give evidence in gang-related murder trials because of fears of retribution.
“I have experience of a number of cases where this has occurred.”
But leading QC Geoffrey Robertson has called the bill the “most serious single assault on liberty in living memory”.
He said: “Defendants could be imprisoned for life solely on secret evidence they can never test by cross-examination so as to reveal, for example, a witness’s malice or personal animosity; spiteful or score-settling motives; a reputation for telling lies or devious relationships with the police. Such witnesses will now be handed a perjurer’s charter.”
And civil rights pressure group Liberty say that there are clear reasons why witness anonymity can threaten the fairness of trials.
A spokesman said: “Without knowing the identity of a hostile witness, no defence lawyer can properly access his or her background or credibility.”
Mr Hill said his heart went out to Martin Dinnegan’s parents, who have endured the nightmare of losing a son but remained focused in wanting to see an end to knife crime.
Many of the witnesses during the trial were able to give their evidence via a video link.
Mr Hill said: “It wasn’t easy for the witnesses to come forward but they did and we shall be forever grateful to them.
“I must also thank the parents of the witnesses who came forward. One of the biggest lessons from the investigation is that it is essential to have support from the community.”

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