Appeal against conviction for cruelty and GBH to a child was unsuccessful despite (i) inadmissible evidence going to the jury, (ii) the trial judge wrongly presiding because he had previously found against the appellant in care proceedings on issues relevant to trial and (iii) defence counsel being forced to make a closing speech at a time he considered inconvenient. The overwhelming evidence against the appellant rendered the conviction safe.

CA (Waller LJ, Hooper J, Judge Rant QC)

12/03/1998