Sunday 29 November 2015

Case against defendant’s mother collapsed over lack of interpreter during interview

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/local/jordan-thomas-murder-case-against-defendant-s-mother-collapsed-over-lack-of-interpreter-during-interview-1-7596022#ixzz3srfqiUVz
29 November 2015

Jordan Thomas murder: Case against defendant’s mother collapsed over lack of interpreter during interview
The case against the mother of one of the men accused of murdering Jordan Thomas collapsed due to police not having a proper interpreter present when they first interviewed her.
Tazeem Bi, the mother of Asif Yousaf, was charged with perverting the course of justice on the grounds that she was alleged to have claimed her son was at home with her on the night of the murder.
But it can now be reported that judge Mr Justice Green ruled that a key piece of prosecution evidence - a police note of an interview with Ms Bi the day after her son was arrested - was inadmissible and could not be disclosed to the jury.
He made the ruling as Ms Bi, who was born in Pakistan and speaks limited English, did not have an interpreter present during the interview with a detective constable.
Her daughter acted as a translator on that occasion.
But when Ms Bi gave a subsequent interview to police with a qualified translator present, she indicated she was not certain about the events of the evening.
Mr Justice Green said a translator was ‘essential’ to ensuring the nuances of a person’s answers were accurately recorded.
He said there were risks that allowing the evidence would create an ‘unfair’ impression, as there was a ‘real question mark’ over the accuracy of the evidence.
The ruling resulted in the prosecution deciding to drop their case against Ms Bi and she was found not guilty midway through the trial.

Wednesday 18 November 2015

"adjourned for an interpreter to attend"

http://www.wiltsglosstandard.co.uk/news/14039610.Hearing_into___1_2m_fraud_allegedly_involving_Cirencester_man_Joao_De_Sousa_adjourned_at_Gloucester_Crown_Court/
18 November 2015
[...] Joao De Sousa, of St Michael's Road, Cirencester, appeared at Gloucester Crown Court on Monday for an application to vary a restraint order, but the hearing was adjourned for an interpreter to attend. [...]

Monday 16 November 2015

Case adjourned

http://www.granthamjournal.co.uk/news/local/grantham-court-case-of-indecent-exposure-in-park-is-adjourned-1-7067441 
16 November 2015

The case of a man accused of indecent exposure in a Grantham park has been adjourned.
Karol Mogila, 27, of Albert Street, Grantham is accused of indecently exposing himself in Dysart Park on September 5.
He appeared before Grantham magistrates on Monday, but the case was adjourned in order to book a Polish interpreter for the defendant. […]

Friday 6 November 2015

Court custody: urgent improvement required

06 November 2015


Page 9
“On some occasions, difficulties with the HMCTS-managed court interpreter contract meant the court was unable to consider bail for detainees who could not speak English. When this happened, the lack of telephone interpreter services meant that custody staff, despite their best efforts, could not explain to detainees what had happened or where they were being taken.”

Page 27
“We found evidence at some courts of serious consequences for detainees arising from the lack of suitable interpretation services, especially where the HMCTS-commissioned court interpreter service had failed to send an interpreter to court, a situation which could mean the court was unable to consider bail.
‘We noted on several occasions interpreters had not attended court and detainees had been remanded in custody. This had been noted by Lay Observers… These difficulties were compounded because the custody staff had no access to a telephone interpreting service in the custody suites. Consequently, detainees refused bail could be taken to prison without understanding what had happened in court or where they were going.’
(Norfolk and Suffolk)”


Wednesday 4 November 2015

"no interpreters available"

http://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/news/crime-court/new_court_date_set_for_man_charged_in_connection_to_ilford_stabbing_1_4296896
04 November 2015

New court date set for man charged in connection to Ilford stabbing
A new date for the preliminary hearing of a man charged in connection to a stabbing in Ilford has been set because there were no interpreters available to translate for the defendant.
Marcel Criahan, of Hickling Road, Ilford, appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court via video link yesterday after he was arrested on October 17 in connection to an incident on the same street.
The 34-year-old was charged with GBH with intent the following day, and appeared at Barkingside Magistrates Court on October 19.
He is now due to appear in court on November 17.
The court appearance comes after police found Florin Onea, 49, also of Hickling Road, with a stab wound.
A murder investigation was launched after he died on Monday, last week.

Monday 2 November 2015

"deplorable failure"

http://www.familylawweek.co.uk/site.aspx?i=ed150974 
2 November 2015

"Matters were not assisted by the deplorable failure, and not for the first time, of the relevant contractor to provide interpreters for the final hearing arranged for 22 September 2014: compare Re Capita Translation and Interpreting Ltd [2015] EWFC".