R (Haralambous) v Crown Court at St Albans and Another

Supreme Court, [2018] UKSC 1, Lord Mance DP, Lord Kerr, Lord Hughes, Lady Black and Lord Lloyd-Jones, 8 November 2017; 24 January 2018

Investigations - Search warrants - Disclosure - Public Interest Immunity - Closed evidence procedure - Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 - Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001, section 59.

Officers of the respondent Chief Constable obtained two search warrants under section 8 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 ("PACE") in respect of the appellant's home and business premises. The appellant applied to the magistrates' court for disclosure of the information that was behind the warrant. The document that was disclosed had been heavily redacted following a public interest immunity hearing before the district judge in private. By application for judicial review the appellant challenged the lawfulness of the warrants. The Chief Constable consented to the quashing of the warrants but made an application under section 59 or the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 ("CJPA").