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CPS Appeals Ruling That Threw Out Kneecap Terror Case Over Consent Timing

Prosecutors seek clarification on when law-officer approval must be in place under the six-month limit.

Overview

  • The Crown Prosecution Service said it will challenge Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring’s September 26 decision that declared the charge unlawful and null.
  • The magistrate found required consent from the Attorney General or Director of Public Prosecutions was not obtained within the statutory six-month window, leaving the court without jurisdiction.
  • The CPS argues consent needed to be secured by the first court appearance rather than at the point police notified Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh of the charge in May 2025.
  • If the High Court agrees with the CPS interpretation, it could direct that the prosecution proceeds, according to legal reporting on the appeal’s scope.
  • Reactions included an Attorney General warning to Robert Jenrick about comments risking prejudice to potential proceedings and a Kneecap statement denouncing the appeal as a waste of public money and political policing.