John May (judge)

Sir John Douglas May,

IRA bombing offences.^[1]

May was educated at

, serving until 1989.

Maguire Seven inquiry

On 20 October 1989 following the quashing of the

Guildford Four convictions, May was appointed to chair an inquiry into both that case and the related case of the Maguire Seven.^[3]

On 12 July 1990, the

David Waddington published the interim report, Interim Report on the Maguire Case: The Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the convictions arising out of the bomb attacks in Guildford and Woolwich in 1974.^[4]^[5]

The report criticised the trial judge Lord Donaldson of Lymington. It unearthed improprieties in the handling of scientific evidence that were relevant to the other cases and declared the convictions unsound and recommended referral back to the Court of Appeal.^{[citation needed]}

The scientific work in examining the failings of the original forensic work leading to the convictions was undertaken by the "West" Committee led by Professor Thomas Summers West CBE FRS and the findings published in 1992 in Sir John May's report to the House of Commons entitled the Second Maguire report.^[6]

RARDE scientific tests

The Inquiry found that

Judith Ward and the Maguire Seven.^[3]

The terms of reference of the initial inquiry were expanded, as a result, to include

The preparation of court evidence by expert witnesses
The advance disclosure of scientific findings
The authorisation of prosecutions based on scientific evidence
Home Office assessment of scientific evidence after miscarriage claims

Royal Commission on Criminal Justice

On 14 March 1991, the inquiry became the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice covering the systemic problems uncovered earlier. The commission was chaired by Viscount Runciman of Doxford.^{[citation needed]}

Judgments

Gillingham Borough Council v Medway (Chatham) Dock Co Ltd
.

References

^ Marcel Berlins (7 October 2006). "NatWest Three puzzle". Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved 9 August 2007.
^ "Clifton College Register" Muirhead, J.A.O. p501: Bristol; J.W Arrowsmith for Old Cliftonian Society; April 1948.
^ ^a ^b Schurr, Beverley (1993). "Expert Witnesses And The Duties Of Disclosure & Impartiality: The Lessons Of The IRA Cases In England" (PDF). NetK.net.au. NSW Legal Aid Commission. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
^ Hansard Debates 12 July 1990
^ "Sir John May Interim Report 1989" (PDF).
^ "1992 Sir John May, 2nd Maguire report into Guilford and Woolwich Bombings" (PDF). Retrieved 7 April 2016.

[1] Marcel Berlins (7 October 2006). "NatWest Three puzzle". Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved 9 August 2007.

[2] "Clifton College Register" Muirhead, J.A.O. p501: Bristol; J.W Arrowsmith for Old Cliftonian Society; April 1948.

[expwit-3] Schurr, Beverley (1993). "Expert Witnesses And The Duties Of Disclosure & Impartiality: The Lessons Of The IRA Cases In England" (PDF). NetK.net.au. NSW Legal Aid Commission. Retrieved 5 July 2019.

[4] Hansard Debates 12 July 1990

[5] "Sir John May Interim Report 1989" (PDF).

[6] "1992 Sir John May, 2nd Maguire report into Guilford and Woolwich Bombings" (PDF). Retrieved 7 April 2016.

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