Vulnerable People and the Criminal Justice System

HHJ Heather Norton was called to the Bar in 1988. She is now the Resident Judge at Canterbury Crown Court. She practised from 23 Essex Street and QEB Hollis Whiteman for 25 years as a criminal barrister. In 2012, she was appointed a circuit judge (heavyweight crime) authorised to try serious sexual crime. She has substantial experience both as an advocate and as a Judge in the management and trial of serious sexual offences and cases involving defendants or witnesses who are vulnerable due to their age, communication difficulties or their mental or physical health. She has also lectured on issues relating to Vulnerable witnesses and sexual offences and drafted best practice guidance to be followed throughout Kent for trials involving vulnerable people. Professor Penny Cooper was called to the Bar in 1990 and is a door tenant at 39 Essex Chambers. She has also been a legal academic since 2002. She became a professor in 2009, was an Associate Dean of City Law School for many years and now holds two visiting professorships at London Law Schools. She is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Criminal Policy Research and leads the Vulnerability in the Courts research project. She is the Co-founder and Chair of The Advocates' Gateway and author/co-author of numerous books, toolkits and peer-reviewed articles on vulnerable witnesses and parties. Penny designed the English witness intermediary model, created the 'ground rules approach' and co-authors witness intermediary procedural guidance in three jurisdictions. She regularly lectures in the United Kingdom and overseas.

1: Jessica Jacobson: Introduction
2: Kevin Smith and Rebecca Milne: Vulnerable Witnesses: The Investigation Stage
3: Jessica Jacobson and Linda Harlow: Witness Support
4: Miranda Bevan: Vulnerable Suspects: The Investigation Stage
5: Miranda Bevan: Unfitness to Plead
6: Penny Cooper and Felicity Gerry QC: Vulnerability and Defences
7: Emma Arbuthnot and Naomi Redhouse: Youth Courts and Young Defendants
8: Tracy Ayling QC and Karen Robinson: Disclosure
9: Angela Rafferty QC, Rosina Cottage QC, Joshua Normanton and Simon Taylor: Case Management
10: Ruth Marchant: Special Measures
11: David Wurtzel and Ruth Marchant: Intermediaries
12: Penny Cooper and Laura Farrugia: Ground Rules Hearings
13: HHJ Heather Norton: Trial Management
14: HHJ Heather Norton: Jury Directions
15: HHJ Heather Norton: Sentencing
16: Michelle Mattison, Penny Cooper and HHJ Heather Norton,: Looking Ahead