The Court of Appeal has blocked an attempt to hold the first entirely secret criminal trial in the UK. Judges ruled that the ‘core’ of the trial of two terrorist suspects can be heard in secret, but the names of the defendants must be revealed.

The court also ruled that parts of the trial, including swearing in of the jury, reading of the charges, part of the prosecution opening and the verdict can be heard in public.

Lord Justice Gross said the court had ‘grave concerns’ about the cumulative effect of anonymising defendants and holding trials in private, but described the case as ‘exceptional’.


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