Guilty By Association?

Police send letters warning people could be sent to prison "for being present when a serious crime is committed."

20:40 26 October 2015

The police, citing the controversial joint-enterprise law, are sending thousands of letters to people who are suspected of being in gangs or involved in knife crime. This come on the eve of a UK Supreme Court case which will hear arguments that the police and prosecutors are abusing the law, resulting in growing numbers of miscarriage of justice.

 

The letters say that “if you are involved in crime and do not stop – you may be targeted by police and partner agencies under a piece of legislation called joint enterprise”. 

 

It adds that they risk being convicted of a crime and sent to prison “for just being present when a serious crime is committed” or “being with those persons who commit a crime and you don’t try to stop it”.

 

Britain’s most senior judges will also decide whether on the case of Ameen Jogee who was convicted of murder in Leicester in 2011 even though he was not in the room when the other accused, Mohammed Hirsi, fatally stabbed the victim, Paul Fyfe. Jogee was convicted under joint enterprise on the grounds that he encouraged Hirsi to stab Fyfe.