Witness For The Prosecution

[rockyracoon]

In the UK, are the jury allowed to know if a witness has been given a deal to testify? For example, they were caught red handed with something but will give evidence in exchange for immunity and/or witness protection.

[barry1010]

The juries may not specifically told that a witness has s.71 immunity but it will probably be obvious when he is in the dock being cross-examined.

[rockyracoon]

Thanks, Barrie.

[Canary42]

I doubt it.  In a case of drug supply in which I was on the Jury, the defendant had been arrested for handling stolen goods and pleaded guilty. The cops also found drugs in his car along with the stolen goods on a stop-and-search so brought the further charge. On several occasions during the trial we (the jury) had to be escorted back out to the jury room while the Defence made a point-of-law which presumably would have revealed the "secret" and possibly prejudiced us against the defendant.

[rockyracoon]

Thanks Canary, but it's a witness I'm asking about not the defendant. I know the jury can't hear about their previous.

[Peter Pedant]

I googled is a deal with  the prosecution disclosable

and came across this Napley Wilson essay

https://zakon.co.uk/admin/resources/downloads/disclosure-responsibilities-of-a-prosecuting-authority.pdf

I would have thought a deal was relevant evidence ( I am not a lawyer) - but as you make your way thro it, 

you can see in the Horzon Post Office inquiry why  they were so aghast at Stephen ('Liar') Bradshaw;s evidence ( I disclosed what I was told to) who was investigator AND disclosure officer AND an ex policeman

[Peter Pedant]

oh there is soething called bad character evidence that you can apply to a judge to introduce

( clearly this is a question of procedure)

[rockyracoon]

Thanks Peter

[Peter Pedant]

Post office horizon - which I find compulsive viewing ( up to 3 h a day,whilst I do the ironing etc)

Rodric Williams ( week just gone) thye diftinguish between disclosure at various points of the process and a letter with a list and a pantechnicon with all the papers physically

( I was involved as an observer in a disastrous case of non-disclosure ( " this audit virtually exonerated the  accused....")  - and the  letter with the list had  been sent and was found in the dogs basket ( no really))