Episode Details

Dame Siobhan Keegan is sparking debate over character references in legal cases, warning that they can be deeply harmful when victims have no recourse to challenge them — especially after Law Society chief David Lavery offered one for a relative convicted of serious sexual offenses, prompting an internal vote on his leadership. While judges aren’t legally bound to consider such references, their influence and lack of transparency can unsettle victims. Dame Siobhan also stressed that courts must remain apolitical, focusing solely on interpreting the law — not shaping policy — and called for urgent societal action to dismantle misogyny, which she says underpins the enduring crisis of violence against women and girls.

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