The Bishop of Stepney, the Rt Revd Dr Joanne Grenfell, has been invited to sit on a panel investigating convictions under joint enterprise laws, commissioned by the newly-formed All-Parliamentary Group on Miscarriages of Justice.
The invitation to Bishop Joanne follows her advocacy on behalf of Jason Moore, who in 2013 was convicted for the murder of Robert Darby, who died in 2005 as the victim of a fatal stabbing. Jason received an 18 year prison sentence. Ever since, Jason, his family, and the family of Robert Darby, have maintained his innocence.
Bishop Joanne was approached by both Jason’s and Robert’s families, who live across North and East London, last year. Since then, Bishop Joanne has supported efforts to raise attention to Jason’s case, including by writing to the Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood MP urging her to intervene and review his case.
The Commission will hear evidence from expert witnesses, including campaigners, lawyers, academics, civil society organisations, about the application of joint enterprise laws. Joint enterprise is where a secondary offender can be prosecuted as if they were a main offender. After 18 months of evidence gathering, the Commission will present its findings to the Government.
Of joining the Westminster Commission on Joint Enterprise, the Bishop of Stepney said:
“Every bishop belongs to, loves, and serves a local area. Part of that involves speaking up on issues that matter to local people and that they raise with us. There’s also a role for bishops to speak about what we hold dear in our common public life – and matters of the criminal justice system are deeply important to all of us.”
“We rely on it to make sure criminals are caught and we are kept safe. But we also must trust that it can look at its own work and ensure it is fair – and where it is not, there need to be opportunities for review and the potential for cases to be re-examined.”
“Joint enterprise is clearly problematic in terms of issues of wrongful conviction. I’m also aware that it has a disproportionately racially discriminatory aspect to it, because many more Black young men are convicted under this than white – and that bothers me as a matter of racial injustice.”
“The broader concern is about how potential miscarriages of justice are reviewed. This is something I’ve learned about through Jason’s case. Where review is neither timely not easily available, both the justice system and public trust are undermined.”
More can be read about the Westminster Commission on Joint Enterprise here.