‘High Court action should be dismissed’
Wednesday 20th August 2008, 2:29PM BST.
John Langlois. (0158701)
A HIGH Court action challenging the impartiality of Channel Islands’ judiciaries should be thrown out, according to a senior advocate.
John Langlois, who is also a former conseiller, said the English High Court had no jurisdiction over the Channel Islands and should therefore dismiss the action.
The action is seeking to force Lord Chancellor Jack Straw and the Minister of Justice, Michael Wills, to intervene in the Jersey child- abuse investigation and appoint independent prosecutors and judges to handle the case.
It was lodged at the High Court last week by Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming and Jersey senator Stuart Syvret.
They have argued that Jersey’s judiciary is not capable of being adequately impartial because of the island’s close-knit environment.
Senator Syvret claimed the question of objectivity also applied to Guernsey’s legal system.
But Mr Langlois said it had been established for centuries that English courts had no jurisdiction over those in the Channel Islands.
‘I expect that the Lord Chancellor will tell the High Court that it has no jurisdiction,’ he said.
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Seems that John Langois has introduced some much needed realism to this issue.
It’s hard to see how this case has any chance of success.
Or is this a crafty back door way of getting any real UK politicians’ interest in the Channel Islands legal system?
Lose the battle but perhops win the war?
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Stephen John, oh yes you hit the nail on the head; another crafty move to soft soap, Islanders; they try every side of the book.
Thank goodnhess not all GUERNSEY folk are taken in.
They choose to come here, then let them pendal.
but the UK has used those tactics the world over, we’ll protect you if you let us control your very lives phooey, better they go and leave Guernsey to Guernsey, 1066 would be nice. All your finest building in England were built by the Normans, be satisfied GO HOME!
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All hail sensible John Langlois – the once and future king! We’ll have Perrot as Lancelot as well
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I fear Senator Syvrets worthy legal challange is inlikely to be successful but boy has he hit the nail on the head. Our legal system is riddled with dated historical flaws, masonic-like obstructions to justice and woefully outdated by modern standards.
Nothng has been done about the Bailiffs blatant conflict of interest straddling both the States and Judiciary despite the position being exposed and condemned in the European Court of Humnan Rights some years ago. How long does the Bailiff take to cut his own power base in half – hard to address isn’t it?
And Langlois, property developer and IDC Chairman (can’t see a conflict there then!!) couldn’t teach a 5 year old about conflucts of interest. He may be right about the legal position but he’s ‘omitting any comment’ on the principle and value of this issue that conflicts of interest in our Legal system needs addressing by modernists.
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