Key points

Led by Professor David Ormerod CBE, QC (Hon) and David Perry QC, Blackstone's Criminal Practice brings together an expert team of authors with a commitment to deliver a work which offers the right coverage for criminal practice and authoritative statements of the law in a practical and accessible format. With accompanying supplements which contain essential primary materials and commentary updates throughout the year as well as the PACE Codes and Other Guidelines together with the Criminal Procedure Rules 2020, and the Criminal Practice Directions 2023. Please note that due to the frequency of updates the authoritative text of the sentencing guidelines are no longer included in the Supplement and can now be found on the Sentencing Council’s website https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/

Your single point of reference for the criminal courts

Renowned for its ease of use with a clear, common-sense structure, Blackstone's Criminal Practice makes the information you need instantly accessible

Practical guidance on procedure and sentencing ensures the work is your essential companion through every stage of every trial

New to this edition:

Legislative developments including the Public Order Act 2023, the National Security Act 2023, and the Illegal Migration Act 2023, as well as the Criminal Practice Directions 2023

Coverage of key cases in Part A (Criminal Law) includes IIn re Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Northern Ireland) Bill in the Supreme Court and on protest and proportionality; Andrews v Chief Constable of Suffolk on attempts; Datson on mistake; and Bowskill on kidnapping

Updates on offences in Part B (Offences) and Part C (Road Traffic Offences) include Callaghan on consumer fraud; Traditional Financial Services Ltd v Bilta (UK) Ltd on corporate control; DPP v Bailey on aggravated trespass; Lam and Miller on confiscation orders; BXR, AFU, BTE, AAC and BRP on the Modern Slavery Act 2015; Mohamed on the Immigration Act 1971; and Holder on dangerous driving

The latest updates on Part D (Procedure) include DE v Chief Constable of West Midlands Police on arrest; Musharraf on reporting restrictions; R (Hussain) v Leeds Crown Court on bail conditions imposed in the Crown Court; AUH on local authorities' powers to prosecute; Saunders v Bristol Magistrates' Court on adjourning summary trials; NJ on guilty pleas of unrepresented defendants and Nguyen on custodial sentences in such cases; APJ on jury notes; and BH v Norwich Youth Court on youth court trials

Cases covered in Part E (Sentencing) include Dixon on dangerous offenders; Ahmed on sentencing adults for childhood offences; ZA on youth sentencing; DPP v Charlesworth and Kish on SHPOs; Cook on sentencing for non-fatal strangulation; Harty on restraining orders; Bowser on deprivation orders; Coates on community orders; Soto on sentencing under a new maximum penalty; Ali (Arie) on prison conditions and sentence; Simpson v Secretary of State on parole; Cowell on suspended custodial sentences

Updated case coverage in Part F (Evidence) includes Pike on evidence of previous false complaints; Gold on CCTV evidence at trial; Andrews, Olive, Portman, Heslop on bad character; Kadir on the use of WhatsApp to receive evidence; Dirie on confessions; Ulas on identification from CCTV

Author Information

Edited by David Ormerod CBE, QC (Hon), Barrister, Bencher of Middle Temple, Professor of Criminal Justice, University College London, and David Perry QC, Barrister, 6KBW College Hill

Blackstone's Criminal Practice is written by a distinguished team of contributors, representing the accumulated experience of the academic world, the Bench, the Bar, and the solicitors' profession. The team is headed by Professor David Ormerod CBE, QC (Hon) and David Perry QC.

Contributors

Paramjit Ahluwalia, Barrister, Lamb Building Chambers
Duncan Atkinson QC, Barrister, 6KBW College Hill
Alex Bailin QC, Barrister, Matrix Chambers, Recorder of the Crown Court, Deputy High Court Judge (Administrative Court)
Diane Birch OBE, Professor Emerita, University of Nottingham
Steven Bird, Managing Director, Birds Solicitors
HHJ Jonathan Cooper, Aylesbury Crown Court; Honorary Professor, Nottingham Law School, Nottingham Trent University
Nick Dent, Managing Associate, Mishcon de Reya LLP
Anand Doobay, Solicitor; Partner, Boutique Law LLP
HHJ Martin Edmunds QC, Isleworth Crown Court
HHJ Steven Everett , The Honorary Recorder of Chester, Chester Crown Court
Rudi Fortson QC, Barrister, 25 Bedford Row, London; Visiting Professor of Law at Queen Mary University of London
Daniel Godden, Partner, Berkeley Square Solicitors
Katherine Hardcastle Barrister, 6KBW College Hill
William Hays, Barrister, 6KBW College Hill
Michael Hirst, Emeritus Professor of Criminal Justice, Leicester De Montfort Law School
Laura C. H. Hoyano, Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Oxford; Emeritus Senior Research Fellow in Law, Wadham College; Fellow of Middle Temple; Barrister, Red Lion Chambers
Peter Hungerford-Welch, Barrister; Professor of Law, City Law School, City, City, University of London
Paul Jarvis, Barrister, 6KBW College Hill and Junior Prosecuting Counsel at the Central Criminal Court
Jessica Jones, Barrister, Matrix Chambers
Adrian Keane, Barrister, Emeritus Professor of Law, The City Law School, City, University of London
Sally Kyd, Professor of Law, Leicester Law School, University of Leicester
Karl Laird, Barrister, 6KBW College Hill; Lecturer in Law, St Edmund Hall, Oxford
Michael Lerego QC, Visiting Lecturer, The University of Law
Richard McMahon QC, The Bailiff of Guernsey
District Judge Alexander Mills, Basildon, Chelmsford and Southend County and Family Courts, Recorder of the Crown and Family Courts
Valsamis Mitsilegas, Dean of the School of Law and Social Justice and Professor of European and Global Law, University of Liverpool
Tim Moloney QC, Barrister, Doughty Street Chambers
Amanda Pinto QC, Barrister, 33 Chancery Lane
HH Peter Rook QC, Vice-Chair of the Parole Board of England and Wales; Formerly Senior Circuit Judge sitting at the Central Criminal Court
Richard D. Taylor, Barrister, Emeritus Professor of English Law, School of Justice, University of Central Lancashire
Martin Wasik CBE, Barrister, Recorder of the Crown Court, Emeritus Professor of Criminal Justice, Keele University

Founding Editor

HH Peter Murphy

Advisory Editorial Board

The RT Hon Sir Brian Leveson
The Hon Sir Henry Globe
The Hon Mrs Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb
LJJ Andrew Edis
HHJ Michael Bowes KC
HHJ Sally Cahill KC
HHJ Martin Edmunds KC
HHJ Andrew Hatton
HHJ Michael Hopmeier
HHJ Patricia Lees
HHJ Steven Everett
HHJ Jonathan Cooper
HHJ Alison Levitt KC
HHJ Richard Marks KC
HHJ Heather Norton
HHJ Jeffrey Pegden KC
HHJ Rajeev Shetty
HHJ Deborah Taylor
HHJ Rebecca Trowler
Eleanor Laws KC
Tom Little KC
Tim Owen KC
Robert Smith KC
Adrian Waterman KC
HH Eric Stockdale
Richard Swallow