Secret Imprisonment Of WM And Conduct Of His Honour Judge Cardinal

EDM number 1141 in 2012-13, proposed by John Hemming on 04/03/2013.
Categorised under the topics of Administration of justice, Courts and Legal profession.

That this House notes that an individual identified only as WM was imprisoned for five months for contempt by His Honour Judge Cardinal in case No. 11952926 of the Court of Protection for (inter alia) taking her father to see a solicitor in Birmingham and giving him a wooden cross; further notes that the rules in force at that date were similar in effect to the current civil procedure rule 81.28 which states that when someone is imprisoned for contempt in a secret court that the court should state (a) the name of that person, (b) in general terms the nature of the contempt of court in respect of which the order of committal is being made and (c) the length of the period for which (she) is being committed; further notes that this was not done and hence the decision is plainly unlawful; expresses concern that the acts of taking someone to a solicitor and providing a cross should result in imprisonment; further notes that even in Iran they do not jail people for taking legal advice; further notes that the same judge has a track record of threatening people with imprisonment or the removal of their children for talking to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Yardley; and calls on the Justice Select Committee to review the activities of the secret courts, looking at individual cases where the court has ordered committal whether or not suspended and the matter of judges threatening people to prevent them from talking to their Member of Parliament or to solicitors.

This motion has been signed by a total of 3 MPs.