JENGbA launches Bill campaign

A campaign has been launched to allow hundreds of
prisoners convicted under the joint enterprise law
to have their appeals heard

The protest group JENGbA – Joint Enterprise Not Guilty by Association – published a draft Bill which would make it easier for prisoners to get their cases heard by the Court of Appeal.

It was drafted by trainee solicitor Charlotte Henry, whose own brother is serving life for murder after being convicted under the joint enterprise law.

Around 100 people attended a launch rally at the House of Commons last month. On March 25, campaigners will march on Parliament to hand in the Bill.

Joint enterprise allows people who were part of a group to be convicted of a serious offence, such as murder, carried out by someone else in the group if they foresaw the possibility that it could happen.

In a test case in 2016, R v Jogee, the Supreme Court ruled that judges had been interpreting the law wrongly for 30 years. However, people convicted during that period have no automatic right to get their appeals heard.

JENGbA’s Bill would give prisoners the automatic right to appeal where their conviction was based on an interpretation of the law now declared erroneous.

(For an explanation of the circumstances of, and the decision in, the case of R v Jogee please follow THIS LINK to the justice.org.uk website.)