The Law Lords have given the go-ahead for Stephen Woollin to appeal against a conviction for the murder of his three-month-old son in 1995. In dismissing Woollin's appeal, the Court of Appeal queried whether, where there is no direct evidence that a defendant intended to kill or inflict injury on the victim, it is necessary for the jury to be directed by the judge. It questioned whether the jury may only infer an intent to do serious injury if they are satisfied that serious bodily harm was virtually certain and that the defendant realised this.
In brief: Susan Ward elected as new Bacfi chair
Bacfi the Bar Association for Commerce Finance and Industry has elected Susan Ward, in-house counsel at the banking body APACS, as its chair. Ward (pictured), who takes over from Express Newspapers legal adviser Stephen Bacon, called for a lifting of all the restrictions preventing in-house lawyers from appearing in the higher courts.