Paul Greaney QC in Article 7 case in the Court of Appeal

Paul Greaney QC appeared on behalf of Martin Bell in his challenge to the length of the minimum term set as part of a discretionary life sentence imposed for an offence of manslaughter.

The offence was committed in 2000 but remained undetected until the Appellant confessed his crime in 2014. The argument in the Court of Appeal focussed on the question of whether fixing a minimum term in accordance with today”s standards rather than the standards of 2000 offends Article 7 of the ECHR.

The case attracted national and local publicity both at first instance and in the Court of Appeal.

Judgment reserved.