Speeches by Munt.

“Thank you. May I just pick you up on your statements about being more successful in referrals? I think I have the facts here, saying that in 2024 CCRC received 1,629 applications and 25 were referred to the Court of Appeal, which is fewer than 2%. In reality, I suspect, to most of us, the only thing that matters is ref…”

“Thank you. Turning to the substance of the Henley report’s conclusions and recommendations, we have talked about the main lessons. But there is one bit where the Henley report says that the CCRC needs to aspire to capture more miscarriages of justice and that “The question should always be ‘might this be a miscarriage …”

“In lockdown, of course it would. I understand that.”

“Doing it in good faith is not good enough, is it, when you are talking about justice?”

“Indeed, you have said. Okay, so Chris Henley’s view was that there was an early “lack of oversight and direction” in relation to Malkinson’s case. Do you feel that you were responsible for that lack of oversight and direction?”

“So it didn’t go to them in January.”

“I am sorry to interrupt, but did you not consider sending it to the IOPC and the other organisations that you mentioned in its draft form? Surely, that would have been sufficient as well and you could have done that in the January.”

“Who advised you of that?”

“That is still three months.”

“Thank you. If he follows up on any of these things, he will no doubt be grateful for that, but it was certainly the case that the CCRC’s initial apology was deemed to be inadequate. Chris Henley has said that he provided his report to the CCRC in January 2024. Do you know why it wasn’t published until 18 July 2024?”

“Do you feel that it might be appropriate to pass on that apology now?”

“Yes.”

“You do; thank you. I want to move particularly to the Andrew Malkinson case. As I think probably everybody knows now, 26 July 2023 was when the Court of Appeal quashed Andrew Malkinson’s convictions, and it was in August 2023 and then April 2024 that Helen Pitcher, as the then chair, apologised to Andrew Malkinson for …”

“Thank you. Do you agree with the findings of Chris Henley’s review?”

“Where else did you consider placing your office, because, clearly, there is a difficulty with being in the centre of Birmingham or wherever you are? Where else did you think about putting your office? Government operates all over the country in all sorts of places. If you cannot get people to come to the office, why do…”

“I always have more questions, Chair.”

“Forgive me, I just want to pick up on this business of perceived independence. We have already heard this afternoon about how the previous chair held several positions at that business school in Fontainebleau that you attended. She was also chair of the Judicial Appointments Commission. Certainly, if I was inside a pri…”

“I am just amazed. Sorry, Sarah, if you do not mind—”

“Okay, and you did not think it was strange, bearing in mind all the work that you had put in over many years, that suddenly this popped up. The comment was made to me that, having had a 7.5% pay rise, you then received a bonus in the order of £8,000 to £9,000, possibly £10,000—I don’t have the accurate figure—a month b…”

“Okay. Can you remember what sum of money you were paid?”