MURRAY v. THE UNITED KINGDOM
Doc ref: 22384/93 • ECHR ID: 001-1980
Document date: October 10, 1994
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AS TO THE ADMISSIBILITY OF
Application No. 22384/93
by Kevin MURRAY
against the United Kingdom
The European Commission of Human Rights sitting in private on
10 October 1994, the following members being present:
MM. C.A. NØRGAARD, President
S. TRECHSEL
A. WEITZEL
F. ERMACORA
E. BUSUTTIL
G. JÖRUNDSSON
A.S. GÖZÜBÜYÜK
J.-C. SOYER
H.G. SCHERMERS
H. DANELIUS
Mrs. G.H. THUNE
MM. F. MARTINEZ
C.L. ROZAKIS
Mrs. J. LIDDY
MM. L. LOUCAIDES
J.-C. GEUS
M.P. PELLONPÄÄ
G.B. REFFI
M.A. NOWICKI
I. CABRAL BARRETO
B. CONFORTI
N. BRATZA
I. BÉKÉS
J. MUCHA
E. KONSTANTINOV
D. SVÁBY
G. RESS
Mr. H.C. KRÜGER, Secretary to the Commission
Having regard to Article 25 of the Convention for the Protection
of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms;
Having regard to the application introduced on 27 April 1993 by
K.S.M. against the United Kingdom and registered on 15 July 1993 under
file No. 22384/93;
Having regard to:
- reports provided for in Rule 47 of the Rules of Procedure of the
Commission;
- the observations submitted by the respondent Government on 2
March 1994
Having deliberated;
Decides as follows:
THE FACTS
The applicant is a British citizen born in 1970 and presently
detained in the Maze Prison, Northern Ireland. He is represented by
Messrs. John Fahy & Company, a firm of solicitors practising in
Strabane, County Tyrone.
The facts as submitted by the parties, and which may be deduced
from documents lodged with the application, may be summarised as
follows.
On 13 March 1989, at 07.30, W.A., a part-time soldier in the
Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR), was injured after being shot four times
by two gunmen wearing balaclava helmets over their faces.
Shortly after that same day, the police went to the applicant's
house and asked him to account for his movements since the previous
evening. The applicant stated that he had spent the previous night at
a friend's house and that he had returned to his own house at 09.00
hours that day. When questioned about certain items of clothing, in
particular a pair of jeans which had mud on them, the applicant
explained that he had worn them when out hunting.
At 11.28 hours, the applicant was arrested under section 12 of
the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1984 in
connection with the shooting of W.A..
The applicant was taken to Castlereagh Police Office, where on
arrival he requested to see a solicitor. At 13.30 hours, a Detective
Superintendent authorised a delay in access to a solicitor for 48
hours, pursuant to section 15 of the Northern Ireland (Emergency
Provisions) Act 1987.
The applicant was cautioned, pursuant to Article 3 of the
Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1988, that a failure to
mention any fact that he later relied on in his defence in court might
be treated as supporting the case against him. He was also cautioned,
pursuant to Article 5 of the Order, in respect of adverse inferences
which might be drawn from any failure to account for items of clothing
in his possession on which were marks or substances attributable to
participation in the commission of an offence, and also in respect of
fibres found in his hair from a balaclava helmet allegedly used by one
of the gunmen. The applicant remained silent.
The applicant saw his solicitor on 15 March 1989 at 11.26 hours.
He was advised to remain silent.
On 18 March 1989, the applicant was charged with attempted murder
and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. He was
subsequently charged with the wounding of W.A. and possession of a
firearm for no lawful object.
On 23 March 1989, the applicant's application to be released on
bail was refused by the judge on the grounds of the serious nature of
the charges and the serious risk of the applicant not turning up for
trial.
Between 13 and 22 March 1989, 38 items were delivered by the
police for examination by the Northern Ireland Forensic Science
Laboratory ("NIFSL"). On 5 April and 14 June 1989, further exhibits
were delivered to the NIFSL.
The forensic report on cartridge residue was issued on 18 May
1989, the report on tyre mark comparisons on 31 October 1989, and the
report on fibre elements on 29 November 1989.
On 8 August 1989, the police file was received at the office of
the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The decision to prosecute was taken late November/early December
and the file was forwarded to the case preparation section for
committal proceedings to be arranged.
The direction to prosecute was signed but held back pending the
Attorney General's decision whether to consent to prosecution against
the applicant's co-accused, L., for the offence of allowing property
to be used for terrorism (ie. the Vauxhall car of L.' s father which
L. had borrowed on 13 March 1990 and which the police alleged to have
been the car used by the two gunmen).
The Attorney General gave consent for L.'s prosecution on 11
January 1990. On 24 January 1990, the direction to prosecute the
applicant and L. was sent to the Chief Constable.
The committal for trial was fixed for 21 February 1990 but was
adjourned when L., who was on bail, absconded. The committal papers had
to be edited for the applicant to be charged alone.
On 28 March 1990, the applicant was committed for trial. The bill
of indictment was received at the Crown Court office on 2 May 1990. He
was arraigned on 13 June 1990 and because of the serious nature of the
charges his case was scheduled for hearing before a High court judge.
The applicant's case was listed for hearing initially on 20
November 1990 but subject twice to short postponements when the trial
before overran.
The applicant was tried before a judge sitting without a jury
from 26 to 28 November 1990.
At his trial, the applicant on the advice of his legal advisers
did not give evidence.
The prosecution case was founded on circumstantial evidence of
a forensic nature linking the applicant with the Vauxhall car allegedly
used by the gunmen (a thumb print of the applicant on the interior rear
view mirror), and including residue of discharge from a firearm on a
pair of jeans owned by the applicant and fibres in his hair consistent
with those from a balaclava helmet allegedly used by one of the gunmen.
The applicant's father gave evidence that he and his son had been
shooting at rabbits several days before the shooting of the UDR
soldier. P. gave evidence that the night before the shooting the
applicant had sat and talked with him in the Vauxhall car which L. had
borrowed from his father. Another witness, I., stated that he had seen
the applicant driving the Vauxhall car that evening in the company of
L. It was also asserted in the applicant's defence that the fibres in
his hair could have come from similar material in his anorak rather
than the balaclava.
On 18 January 1991, the applicant was found guilty of the
offences of attempted murder of W.A. and possession of a firearm with
intent to endanger life. He was sentenced to a total of eighteen years'
imprisonment.
The trial judge in convicting the applicant relied upon Article
4 of the Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1988, pursuant to
which at the end of the prosecution case he had called upon the
applicant to give evidence in his own defence in default of which
adverse inferences could be drawn. He also drew inferences under
Article 3 of the Order from the applicant's silence during questioning
by the police, but declined to draw inferences under Article 5.
The trial judge stated in regard to Article 3 of the Order and
the applicant's failure to respond to questions by the police:
"By this silence, can it be said that he failed to mention
facts relied upon in his defence at the trial? I do not
forget that before he was cautioned under Article 3 at
Castlereagh he gave a general account of his movements to
Detective Constable Bell and explained the condition of his
jeans on the ground that he had been out "hunting" two days
before. What he omitted to do in reply to the caution under
Article 3 was to repeat these matters of his defence and to
fail to answer questions relative to their detail. He
omitted to mention at all and this to me is significant
that he had driven the Vauxhall car on the Saturday night
before the crime and that he had met up with
L.> in the early hours of the 13th. I consider that the
"could reasonably have been expected" to have
mentioned these matters at Castlereagh. The "hunting" story
could have been investigated by the police. Its forensic
significance would have been considered by the firearms
expert. The potentially damning evidence of the
fingerprint, if left unexplained, found on the car mirror
was brought home to the accused at Castlereagh in clear
language as was the evidence linking the car to the scene
of the crime. The incriminating nature of fingerprint
evidence must be well-known to any member of the public. I
would have expected a suspect when faced with this, if he
had an innocent alternative to give, to have given it.
I do not, however, in all the circumstances draw the
strongest adverse inference that one may be entitled to
draw in other cases under Article 3. My reason is that he
did disclose in general terms some of the facts relied on
in his defence. But I do find that his failure to mention
the particular matters that he did, many of which were of
the greatest importance in his defence, reduces the
credibility of his defence and increases the weight of the
prosecution case..."
In relation to the applicant's silence in court and the
application of Article 4 of the Order, the trial judge commented:
"In the instant case it seems to be that what the prosecution has
proved in evidence calls for evidence from the accused in the
witness box. No reasons have been advanced for his refusal to
give evidence. Nor are any reasons apparent to the court for
withholding his account on oath. Indeed it seems to me remarkable
he has not given evidence. It is not the function of the court
to conjure up reasons for his silence. He has been told by the
court in plain language what the consequences of his failure may
be and he has no doubt been advised by his experienced counsel
to the same effect. It is only commonsense, in the circumstances,
to infer as proper inference that he is not prepared to assert
his innocence on oath because that is not the case. The inference
which I draw from his failure to give evidence under Article 4
is stronger and much more to his detriment than that drawn by me
under Article 3."
The applicant appealed against his conviction, alleging inter
alia that the judge had erred in applying Article 4 of the 1988 Order
in his case. The appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal in
Northern Ireland on 25 October 1991. Lord Chief Justice Hutton, giving
the judgment of the court, rejected the argument by the applicant's
counsel that the approach of the trial judge had the effect of
reversing the burden of proof. It found that the trial judge had
correctly drawn an inference from the applicant's failure to give
evidence:
"The right of the court under Article 4 to draw such
inferences as appear proper arises once the Crown has
established a prima facie case and does not require that
the Crown case constituted by the evidence should be `on
the brink' of proving guilt or should create a situation
which at common law would be regarded as a `confession and
avoidance' situation. But whether or not the court will
draw inferences will depend upon the circumstances of the
particular case and, if inferences are drawn, the strength
of those inferences will also depend upon the particular
circumstances of the case.
There may be cases where, despite the refusal of the
accused to give evidence when called upon by the court to
do so pursuant to Article 4, the court may think it
inappropriate to draw any inferences against him. Moreover,
before convicting the court, having regard to the evidence
adduced by the Crown and to the inferences (if any) which
it draws under Article 4, must always be satisfied that the
Crown has discharged the burden of proving that the accused
is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Article 4 does not
alter the fundamental principle that the burden rests on
the Crown to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The refusal of the accused to give evidence on his own
behalf does not in itself indicate guilt. Under Article 4
it would be improper for the court to draw the bare
inference that because the accused refused to give evidence
in his own defence he was therefore guilty. But where
commonsense permits it, it is proper in an appropriate case
for the court to draw the inference from the refusal of the
accused to give evidence that there is no reasonable
possibility of an innocent explanation to rebut the prima
facie case established by the evidence adduced by the
Crown, and for the drawing of this inference to lead on to
the conclusion, after all the evidence in the case has been
considered, that the accused is guilty...
We consider that in this case the trial judge was entitled
to draw the inference from the refusal of the appellant to
give evidence in his own defence that there was no
reasonable possibility of an innocent explanation which he
could put forward to rebut the inference which could be
drawn from the evidence adduced by the Crown, and that
accordingly the inference which the Crown submitted should
be drawn from that evidence, namely that the appellant was
one of the gunmen who used the Vauxhall car and who shot
and wounded ... was correct and that therefore the
appellant was guilty...".
While the Court of Appeal found that the trial judge had erred
in drawing an inference under Article 3 of the Order from the failure
to offer an explanation for the fingerprint (ie. the fingerprint had
not been identified as that of the applicant until after his interviews
with the police), it found that this error did not invalidate his
general findings. It concluded that the convictions were not rendered
thereby unsafe or unsatisfactory.
The applicant was granted leave to appeal to the House of Lords.
In its judgment of 29 October 1992, the House of Lords rejected
the applicant's appeal, agreeing with the judgment of the Court of
Appeal.
Lord Slynn in the leading judgment stated:
"The accused cannot be compelled to give evidence but he
must risk the consequences if he does not do so. Those
consequences are not simply, as the appellant contends,
that specific inferences may be drawn from specific facts.
They include in a proper case the drawing of an inference
that the accused is guilty of the events with which he is
charged.
This does not mean that the court can conclude simply
because the accused does not give evidence that he is
guilty. In the first place the prosecutor must establish a
prima facie case - a case for him to answer. In the second
place in determining whether the accused is guilty the
judge or jury can draw only `such inferences from the
refusal as appear proper'. As Lord Diplock said in Haw Tua
Tau v. Public Prosecutor at p. 153B:
`What inferences are proper to be drawn from an
accused's refusal to give evidence depend upon
the circumstances of the particular case, and is
a question to be decided by applying ordinary
commonsense.'
There must thus be some basis derived from the
circumstances which justify the inference.
If there is no prima facie case shown by the prosecution
there is no case to answer. Equally if parts of the
prosecution had so little evidential value that they called
for no answer, a failure to deal with those specific
matters cannot justify an inference of guilt.
On the other hand if aspects of the evidence taken alone or
in combination with other facts clearly call for an
explanation which the accused ought to be in a position to
give, if an explanation exists, then a failure to give any
explanation may as a matter of commonsense allow the
drawing of an inference that there is no explanation and
that the accused is guilty...
In the present case if the only evidence relied on was that
relating to the fibres in the hair, on the clothing and in
the car, it might well not be enough to justify an
inference that the accused was guilty beyond a reasonable
doubt. The cartridge residue on the jeans, the thumb print
on the mirror and the mud on the trousers, the evidence
that he was not at home during the night clearly taken in
combination call for an explanation if there was one. The
judge was moreover entitled to have regard to the
cumulative effect of all the circumstantial evidence in
deciding whether a failure to give evidence justified an
inference of guilt.
In my opinion the evidence adduced by the prosecution
established a clear prima facie case and the trial judge
was entitled in all the circumstances of the case, and as
a matter of commonsense, to infer that there was no
innocent explanation to the prima facie case and that the
accused was guilty... Contrary to the
contention, he quite plainly did not proceed on the basis
that simply because the accused did not give evidence he
was therefore guilty...".
Relevant domestic law and practice
Provisions governing inferences which may be drawn from an
accused's silence
Article 3 of the Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1988
(hereafter referred to as the Order) provides as relevant:
"Circumstances in which inferences may be drawn from accused's
failure to mention particular facts when questioned, charged,
etc.
3. (1) Where, in any proceedings against a person for an
offence, evidence is given that the accused
(a) at any time before he was charged with the
offence, on being questioned by a constable
trying to discover whether or by whom the
offence has been committed, failed to mention
any fact relied on in his defence in those
proceedings; or
(b) on being charged with the offence or officially
informed that he might be prosecuted for it,
failed to mention any such fact,
being a fact which in the circumstances existing at the
time the accused could reasonably have been expected to
mention when so questioned, charged or informed, as the
case may be, paragraph (2) applies.
(2) Where this paragraph applies:
(a) the court, in determining whether to commit
the accused for trial or whether there is a case
to answer,
(b) a judge, in deciding whether to grant an
application made by the accused under Article 5
of the Criminal Justice (Serious Fraud)
(Northern Ireland) Order 1988 (application for
dismissal of charge where a case of fraud has
been transferred from a magistrates' court to
the Crown Court under Article 3 of that Order),
and
(c) the court or jury, in determining whether
the accused is guilty of the offence charged,
may
(i) draw such inferences from the failure
as appear proper;
(ii) on the basis of such inferences treat the
failure as, or as capable of amounting to,
corroboration of any evidence given against the
accused in relation to which the failure is
material.
(3) Subject to any directions by the court, evidence tending to
establish the failure may be given before or after evidence
tending to establish the fact which the accused is alleged to
have failed to mention."
Article 4 of the Order provides as relevant:
"Accused to be called upon to give evidence at trial
4. (1) At the trial of any person (other than a child) for an
offence paragraphs (2) to (7) apply unless
(a) the accused's guilt is not in issue, or
(b) it appears to the court that the physical or
mental condition of the accused makes it undesirable
for him to be called upon to give evidence;
but paragraph (2) does not apply if, before any evidence is
called for the defence, the accused or counsel or a solicitor
representing him informs the court that the accused will give
evidence.
(2) Before any evidence is called for the defence, the court
(a) shall tell the accused that he will be
called upon by the court to give evidence in his
own defence, and
(b) shall tell him in ordinary language what the
effect of this Article will be if
(i) when so called upon, he refuses
to be sworn;
(ii) having been sworn, without good
cause he refuses to answer any
question;
and thereupon the court shall call upon the accused to give
evidence.
(3) If the accused
(a) after being called upon by the court to give
evidence in pursuance of this Article, or after
he or counsel or a solicitor representing him
has informed the court that he will give
evidence, refuses to be sworn, or
(b) having been sworn, without good cause
refuses to answer any question, paragraph (4)
applies.
(4) The court or jury, in determining whether the accused is
guilty of the offence charged, may
(a) draw such inferences from the refusal as
appear proper;
(b) on the basis of such inferences, treat the
refusal as, or as capable of amounting to,
corroboration of any evidence given against the
accused in relation to which the refusal is
material."
Provisions governing access to a solicitor
Section 15 of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act
1987 provides as relevant:
"15. Right of access to legal advice
(1) A person who is detained under the terrorism provisions and
is being held in police custody shall be entitled, if he so
requests, to consult a solicitor privately...
(4) If a person makes such a request, he must be permitted to
consult a solicitor as soon as is practicable except to the
extent that any delay is permitted by this section...
(8) An officer may only authorise a delay in complying with a
request under subsection (1) where he has reasonable grounds for
believing that the exercise of the right conferred by that
subsection at the time when the detained person desires to
exercise it -
...
(d) will lead to interference with the gathering of
information about the commission, preparation or
instigation of acts of terrorism; or
(e) by alerting any person, will make it more difficult -
i. to prevent an act of terrorism, or
ii. to secure the apprehension, prosecution or
conviction of any person in connection with the
commission, preparation or instigation of an act of
terrorism."
The delay must be authorised by a police officer of at least the
rank of superintendent (sub-section (5)(a)), and the detained person
must be told the reason for the delay (subsection (7)). The maximum
delay is 48 hours.
COMPLAINTS
The applicant complains of the period of detention up to the date
of the original judgment, invoking Article 5 para. 3 of the Convention.
The applicant contends that the application of Article 4 of the
Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1988 violated his right to
a fair trial, as guaranteed by Article 6 para. 1 of the Convention, and
that it effectively removed the presumption of innocence, contrary to
Article 6 para. 2 of the Convention.
The applicant submits that the application of Article 3 of the
1988 Order also abrogated his right to remain silent and violated
Article 6 para. 3(b) of the Convention.
Further, the applicant contends that the refusal to allow him
access to a solicitor was in breach of Article 5 para. 3 of the
Convention.
Finally, he invokes Articles 13 and 14 of the Convention.
PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE COMMISSION
The application was introduced on 27 April 1993 and registered
on 15 July 1993.
On 11 October 1993, the Commission decided to communicate the
application to the Government and to ask for written observations on
the admissibility and merits of the case.
The Government's observations were submitted on 2 March 1994,
after two extensions in the time-limit fixed for this purpose. The
applicant was invited to submit written observations in reply by 28
April 1994. None were produced.
THE LAW
1. The applicant has complained of the length of his detention on
remand. He invokes Article 5 para. 3 (Art. 5-3) of the Convention,
which provides:
"Everyone arrested or detained in accordance with the provisions
of paragraph 1 (c) of this Article shall be brought promptly
before a judge or other officer authorised by law to exercise
judicial power and shall be entitled to trial within a reasonable
time or to release pending trial. Release may be conditioned by
guarantees to appear for trial."
The period to be considered under the above provision runs from
the applicant's arrest on 13 March 1989 to the date on which the first
instance court determined the charges against him, ie. in this case on
18 January 1991 - an overall period of 22 months and five days.
The Commission notes that the applicant was refused release on
bail on the ground of the serious risk that he would abscond. The
Commission recalls that the applicant's co-accused did in fact abscond
when released before trial and it finds that the authorities had
reasonable grounds to fear the applicant, facing more serious charges
than his co-accused, might do the same.
The case-law of the Convention organs indicates that where
relevant and sufficient grounds exist for detention pending trial, it
must be ascertained that the competent domestic authorities displayed
"special diligence" in the conduct of the proceedings (eg. Eur. Court
H.R., Tomasi judgment of 27 August 1992, Series A no. 241, p. 35,
para. 84).
As regards the conduct of the proceedings, the Commission recalls
that the case rested primarily on the forensic evidence which was
dispatched to a laboratory for analysis and report. While the bulk of
the material had been sent to the laboratory by 22 March 1989,
additional exhibits were delivered on 5 April and 14 June 1989, and the
reports of the NIFSL were issued on 18 May, 31 October and 29 November
1989. The Commission does not find that the time spent on producing the
forensic reports, which necessarily required careful and thorough
preparation, was of such length as to disclose a lack of expedition.
The time which elapsed between committal and trial also, in the
Commission's view, does not disclose undue delay.
There was also a lapse of time between the committal of the
applicant for trial on 28 March 1990 and the beginning of his trial on
26 November 1990. However, part of this time was required for the
filing of the bill of indictment and the arraignment of the applicant
before the court. In any event, the Commission cannot find that the
delay which may have occurred at that stage was sufficiently important
to warrant a finding of a violation of Article 5 para. 3 (Art. 5-3) of
the Convention.
Consequently, the Commission finds that the applicant's detention
on remand did not exceed a "reasonable time" within the meaning of
Article 5 para. 3 (Art. 5-3) of the Convention.
It follows that this part of the application must be rejected as
manifestly ill-founded within the meaning of Article 27 para. 2
(Art. 27-2) of the Convention.
2. The applicant also complains that he was deprived of the right
to silence and the presumption of innocence in the criminal proceedings
brought against him as a result of the operation of the provisions of
the Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1988, which permitted
a judge, sitting without a jury, to draw inferences from his failure
to answer police questions and from his failure to give evidence in his
own defence during the trial. He further complains that he was deprived
of access to his solicitor in the first 48 hours of his detention. The
applicant invokes Article 6 paras. 1, 2 and 3 (b), Article 13 and
Article 14 (Art. 6-1, 6-2, 6-3-b, 13, 14) of the Convention. These
provide as relevant:
Article 6 para. 1 (Art. 6-1) of the Convention:
"In the determination of his civil rights and obligations or of
any criminal charge against him, everyone is entitled to a fair
and public hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and
impartial tribunal established by law...".
Article 6 para. 2 (Art. 6-2) of the Convention:
"Everyone charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed
innocent until proved guilty according to law."
Article 6 para. 3 (b) (Art. 6-3-b) of the Convention:
"Everyone charged with a criminal offence has the following
minimum rights:
...
b. to have adequate time and facilities for the
preparation of his defence;".
Article 13 (Art. 13) of the Convention:
"Everyone whose rights and freedoms as set forth in this
Convention are violated shall have an effective remedy before a
national authority notwithstanding that the violation has been
committed by persons acting in an official capacity."
Article 14 (Art. 14) of the Convention:
"The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in this
Convention shall be secured without discrimination on any ground
such as sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other
opinion, national or social origin, association with a national
minority, property, birth or other status."
The Government submit, inter alia, that the provisions of the
1988 Order did not operate to deprive the applicant either of a fair
hearing, contrary to Article 6 para. 1 (Art. 6-1) of the Convention,
or of the presumption of innocence contrary Article 6 para. 2
(Art. 6-2) . They refer to the safeguards provided in the Order: no
inference may be drawn unless the suspect/accused has been warned in
advance of the possible effect; before any inference is drawn, the
prosecution must have established a prima facie case against the
accused; the judge has a discretion whether to draw an inference and
is limited to drawing only such inferences as may be proper. The Order
merely allows the trier of fact to draw such inferences as common sense
dictates. In the present case, there was a formidable case against the
applicant which called for evidence from the applicant if there was an
innocent explanation for his conduct. The burden of proof remained
throughout on the prosecution.
As regards the denial of access by the applicant to his solicitor
for 48 hours, the Government contend that this delay did not
disadvantage the applicant in the conduct of his defence and therefore
discloses no violation of Article 6 (Art. 6) of the Convention.
The Commission has taken cognizance of the submissions of the
parties. It notes similar issues regarding the right to silence and
presumption of innocence are at present under examination by the
European Court of Human Rights in the case of John Murray v. the United
Kingdom. It considers that, in the circumstances, it is not appropriate
at the present time to decide on the admissibility of this part of the
application.
For these reasons, the Commission by a majority
DECLARES INADMISSIBLE the applicant's complaint concerning the
length of his detention on remand;
ADJOURNS the examination of the remainder of the application.
Secretary to the Commission President of the Commission
(H.C. KRÜGER) (C.A. NØRGAARD)
LEXI - AI Legal Assistant
