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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt

@mouseinthecourt.co.uk
483 followers 158 following 215 posts

Court Room Mouse who "runs the investigative court reporting blog, Mouse in The Court" - The Times. Open Justice/niche & nuanced (AKA Daniel Cloake)

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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 06/10/2026
The Mum and Dad of a 16-year-old boy have been kicked out of plea hearing as we are told they are prosecution witnesses by virtue of detaining and calling the police on their son themselves! It is alleged the boy had 13 snap bags cannabis on him when searched by police
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 21/09/2026
A district judge who drove "a coach and horses through the Children's Guardian's Article 6 rights to a fair hearing and [whose decision] simply cannot withstand scrutiny" has been anonymised when appealed at the High Court
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 15/09/2026
Knives, Cars and Second Chances: A Morning at Stratford Youth Court A morning at Stratford Youth Court saw a succession of cases involving young defendants, ranging from dangerous driving and possession of knives to criminal damage and drug offences. mouseinthecourt.co.uk/2026/09/15/k...
mouseinthecourt.co.uk
Knives, Cars and Second Chances: A Morning at Stratford Youth Court
A morning at Stratford Youth Court saw a succession of cases involving young defendants, ranging from dangerous driving and possession of knives to criminal damage and drug offences.
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 15/09/2026
"That gentleman right at the back, he’s from the press, so you have to behave" 14-year-old youth told by Magistrate, pointing at me In some respects that's the warning that should be given by the defendant towards them
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 11/09/2026
'Assetz CEO denies privilege waived as trial timetable confirmed' Stuart Law, co-founder and long-time CEO of property finance giant Assetz Capital, is at the centre of a legal dispute brought by a specialist litigation funder on behalf of disgruntled investors mouseinthecourt.co.uk/2026/09/11/a...
mouseinthecourt.co.uk
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 11/09/2026
"They all say that, we can’t be arsed to take them down" Refreshingly candid comment by HMCTS clerk asked why all the civil Blitz courts at the RCJ have "IN PRIVATE" signs on their courtroom doors 🙄
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 11/08/2026
Farage v National Crime Agency
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 16/07/2026
Full report as retrial sought: mouseinthecourt.co.uk/2026/07/16/v...
mouseinthecourt.co.uk
Venables Trial Collapses
The jury have been unable to reach a verdict as top tax barrister Robert Venables KC, 78, of Old Square Tax Chambers has faced three counts of dishonestly cheating the public revenue in criminal pr…
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 16/07/2026
🚨VENABLES TRIAL COLLAPSES🚨 The jury have been discharged in the case of R v Robert Venables KC as they are unable to reach a verdict on any of the three counts More info to follow
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 16/07/2026
Mr Justice Calver asks jury to: "have a private discussion" and answer "whether, given more time, there is any reasonable prospect of you reaching a verdict, on which at least nine of you are agreed on any of the three counts, and if so, which?"
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 15/07/2026
Mr Justice Calver told the jury "as you have probably gathered one of your number is unwell. We don’t know the details of his illness. We've been trying to find out, but haven’t yet managed to do so"
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 15/07/2026
"I’m sorry today has been wasted" says judge as unwell juror means no deliberations can occur today Jury sent home at 12.32 and told to return 10am tomorrow unless they are told otherwise
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 14/07/2026
Venables jury down to 10 The jury in the case of R v Venables KC has lost another member after Mr Justice Calver discharged a second juror, at the end of their eighth day of deliberations. mouseinthecourt.co.uk/2026/07/14/v...
mouseinthecourt.co.uk
Venables jury down to 10
Top tax barrister Robert Venables KC, 78, of Old Square Tax Chambers is currently facing three counts of dishonestly cheating the public revenue in criminal proceedings before a jury at Southwark C…
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 13/07/2026
As Mr Justice Dexter Dias is swearing in a jury an incredibly loud klaxon style alarm sounds from a handbag. "Ok, that wasn’t part of the procedure" remarks the judge, prompting laughter from the 22 potential members as it is swiftly turned off
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 09/07/2026
The jury have been sent home for the day (at 4.06pm) and asked to return at 9.30am tomorrow. Judge told them he has just received another jury note and "I'll need some time to consider that overnight"
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 09/07/2026
"It has become clear that a serious problem has arisen between you" - Judge urges jury to be respectful as tensions rise in Tax KC trial "Any form of bullying... is completely unacceptable and must not happen" mouseinthecourt.co.uk/2026/07/09/i...
mouseinthecourt.co.uk
“It has become clear that a serious problem has arisen between you” – Judge urges jury to be respectful
Top tax barrister Robert Venables KC, 78, of Old Square Tax Chambers is currently facing three counts of dishonestly cheating the public revenue in criminal proceedings before a jury at Southwark C…
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 08/07/2026
Judge told the jury "it's inevitable that occasionally you may feel frustrated or annoyed or experience other human emotions" but "I'm sure you can all move forward positively now"
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 08/07/2026
Giving a self-described "pep talk" to the jury, the judge reminded them "what a fantastic jury they have been" and said they have a "collective responsibility in reaching your verdict" telling them their "task is to pool" their "individual experiences and wisdom"
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 08/07/2026
New: Mr Justice Calver has given the jury a majority direction. A minimum of 10 jurors, out of the 12, must agree to form a verdict
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 07/07/2026
Jury told there is "no time pressure upon you whatsoever" as Mr Justice Calver instructs them to continue deliberating today
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 06/07/2026
"We can’t provide a judge...I'm sorry to the parties, in particular the defendant and the complainant" - HHJ Tony Baumgartner, senior judge at Southwark, as man facing three counts of rape has 5-day trial adjourned until February 2027 Alleged crime took place in Aug 2024
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 03/07/2026
No verdicts this week! Jury were sent home at 13.30 and told to return 10am Monday. "Please don’t do any research on the case over the weekend" warned Mr Justice Calver
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Reposted by Daniel the MouseInTheCourt
Jacob Gifford Head @giffordhead.co.uk · 02/07/2026
This remains a fascinating and underreported case. It is also nice to be able to read the Judge's directions to the jury: this is the sort of material that is often lost.
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 02/07/2026
Jury to consider verdicts as the trial of KC accused of dodging £2m in tax comes to an end We are exclusively publishing the legal directions and route to verdict as the jury in Robert Venables KC are expected to retire to consider their verdicts Full report mouseinthecourt.co.uk/2026/07/02/j...
mouseinthecourt.co.uk
Jury to consider verdicts as the trial of KC accused of dodging £2m in tax comes to an end
Top tax barrister Robert Venables KC, 78, of Old Square Tax Chambers is currently facing three counts of dishonestly cheating the public revenue in criminal proceedings before a jury at Southwark C…
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 02/07/2026
Top tax KC gave speech about HMRC: "don’t despair, don’t give in, call their bluff", jury told Slightly belated post. The full report available below: mouseinthecourt.co.uk/2026/06/13/t...
mouseinthecourt.co.uk
Top tax KC gave speech about HMRC: “don’t despair, don’t give in, call their bluff”, jury told
Top tax barrister Robert Venables KC, 78, of Old Square Tax Chambers is currently facing three counts of dishonestly cheating the public revenue in criminal proceedings before a jury at Southwark C…
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 02/07/2026
"Whether you can draw any conclusion on what this document may or may not have shown is entirely up to you" Mr Justice Calver tells jury
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 02/07/2026
The jury have been told that Venables did not want to provide a copy of an agreement between him and his partner citing the document was "highly personal and he didn’t want them in the press"
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 02/07/2026
"The key question to you, members of the jury, is what was the defendant's state of mind at the relevant time" Calver J is on day 2 of summing up the evidence in the case of R v Venables KC at Southwark Crown Court
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 02/07/2026
Someone has taken a photograph of the judge in court 1 at Southwark Not during a hearing ... but as a group from the "10,000 Black Interns Programme" have a session with three CJ's "I can’t tell you how many knockback and rejection letters I have had in my life" said one HHJ
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 22/06/2026
"If open justice does not follow the documents, it risks becoming an illusion rather than a reality." Just weeks after that warning from Mr Justice Nicklin, HMCTS announced a 27% increase in fees for obtaining court documents. Full report: mouseinthecourt.co.uk/2026/06/22/e...
mouseinthecourt.co.uk
‘Essential feature of open justice’ to rise in price by 27%, HMCTS announce
The cost of obtaining copies of core court documents are increasing significantly notwithstanding repeated judicial statements stressing that meaningful public understanding of the justice system d…
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 22/06/2026
Tax KC’s ‘private working notes’ were attempt to ‘pull the wool over the eyes of HMRC’, jury told Tax law, trust law, and even the founding date of Merton College. Day seven of Robert Venables KC's evidence had a bit of everything mouseinthecourt.co.uk/2026/06/22/t...
mouseinthecourt.co.uk
Tax KC’s ‘private working notes’ were attempt to ‘pull the wool over the eyes of HMRC’, jury told
Top tax barrister Robert Venables KC, 78, of Old Square Tax Chambers is currently facing three counts of dishonestly cheating the public revenue in criminal proceedings before a jury at Southwark C…
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 22/06/2026
"I do understand your concerns...you ought to try wearing this outfit in the heat" says Mr Justice Calver in response to note from the jury expressing concerns about travelling during the “excessive heat” predicted this week Laughter erupts in the court room
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 22/06/2026
Mr Christopher KC, rep Crown, says “I suggest your tax returns were dishonest” “They were not” replies Robert Venables denying this this was part of a scheme of “misdirection in the event of enquires” Cross examination has ended, re-examination by Mr Biggs KC has begun
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 22/06/2026
RV adds "I’m sorry members of the jury this is really, really technical. You must be completely bemused by all this"
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 22/06/2026
RV is explaining what is meant by the term 'power to enjoy'... RV: "I have given extensive reasons why I wouldn’t have power to enjoy" and asks, paraphrasing, why would you think I do? "Because you want to be able to use the money Mr Venables. replies Mr Christopher KC
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 22/06/2026
"you have to distinguish between law and equity, you would have had to study this when qualifying as a barrister" RV tells Mr Christopher KC when asked about source of 500k from Breamgale Limited, a company ran by RV's brother
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 22/06/2026
"A receives or is entitled to receive at any time any benefit provided or to be provided (directly or indirectly) out of B’s profit share or the part;" Mr Christopher KC is asking RV questions about this statement, located in a partnership agreement The jury watch on
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 22/06/2026
RV is being asked about a document, which Mr Christopher KC asks to be displayed on the screens. "No Signal" appears....
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 22/06/2026
You join me, on this slow news day, back at Southwark Crown Court, where Robert Venables KC is still giving evidence...
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 20/06/2026
27% - the percentage increase in the price for the public to obtain documents deployed in the civil courts (Claim form, defence, orders, etc) Fee rising to £14 per document (was £11) from 13th July 2026 www.gov.uk/government/n...
gov.uk
Court and tribunal fees: updates from July 2026
The Ministry of Justice plans to make a series of changes to court and tribunal fees payable in HM Courts and Tribunals Service.
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 19/06/2026
Convicted. Banned. But still fighting Two brothers who ran P2P firm Collateral have received a prohibition from the city regulator, as one of the pair says their conviction is unsafe Full report: mouseinthecourt.co.uk/2026/06/19/c...
mouseinthecourt.co.uk
Currie brothers given ban by FCA as fresh appeal attempt launched
Convicted. Banned. But still fighting: Two brothers who were found guilty of offences in relation to a crowd-funded investment platform have received a prohibition from the city regulator, as one o…
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 16/06/2026
SovCit style website must pay man £23k after he completed their so-called “No Obligation Challenge”, court rules “The Defendant's views are, of course, complete legal nonsense” said DDJ Blitz www.bailii.org/ew/cases/Mis...
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 13/06/2026
Transcripts from two interviews held under caution have been published after jurors heard tax barrister Robert Venables KC tell HMRC investigators they had a "complete misunderstanding" of trust law and suggest they seek advice from someone "far more competent" mouseinthecourt.co.uk/2026/06/02/r...
mouseinthecourt.co.uk
R v Venables KC: The HMRC Interviews: “wouldn’t it be wonderful if tax law were always simple and logical”
Top tax barrister Robert Venables KC, 78, of Old Square Tax Chambers is currently facing three counts of dishonestly cheating the public revenue in criminal proceedings before a jury at Southwark C…
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 11/06/2026
The agreed facts deployed at the trial of Robert Venables KC have been published… mouseinthecourt.co.uk/2026/06/05/r...
mouseinthecourt.co.uk
R v Venables KC: The Agreed Facts
Top tax barrister Robert Venables KC, 78, of Old Square Tax Chambers is currently facing three counts of dishonestly cheating the public revenue in criminal proceedings before a jury at Southwark C…
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 10/06/2026
Tax KC Robert Venables tells jury of humble beginnings, Oxford education and legal career as he gives evidence in his alleged tax fraud trial at Southwark Crown Court Full report: mouseinthecourt.co.uk/2026/06/10/t...
mouseinthecourt.co.uk
Top Tax KC: “I’ve been cancelled” as jury told of humble beginnings
Top tax barrister Robert Venables KC, 78, of Old Square Tax Chambers is currently facing three counts of dishonestly cheating the public revenue in criminal proceedings before a jury at Southwark C…
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 10/06/2026
Robert Venables KC has entered the witness box as the defence case opens. Venables is accused of three counts of cheating the public revenue contrary to Common Law and denies wrongdoing
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 09/06/2026
Jurors have been shown correspondence between Robert Venables KC and HMRC, including complaints about "menacing" letters, allegations of "bullying tactics", and references to potential defamation claims. We've published the documents and highlighted key passages mouseinthecourt.co.uk/2026/06/09/h...
mouseinthecourt.co.uk
HMRC’s ‘menacing’ correspondence meets Tax KC’s threats of defamation, jury hears
Top tax barrister Robert Venables KC, 78, of Old Square Tax Chambers is currently facing three counts of dishonestly cheating the public revenue in criminal proceedings before a jury at Southwark C…
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 08/06/2026
Prosecution case closes in the matter of R v Robert Venables KC Mr Justice Calver tells the jury that they should "take a break, as there's a number of legal issues to discuss among the lawyers and myself" They have been told to return at 2pm on Wednesday
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Daniel the MouseInTheCourt @mouseinthecourt.co.uk · 08/06/2026
The jury have been told that an HMRC official had given Robert Venables KC a nickname in honour of "Mr Bridger" from the Italian Job. Asked whether the name came from the film Varsha Heerasing, HMRC officer, said "That’s what I’m told, I’ve never seen it myself."
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Reposted by Daniel the MouseInTheCourt
Jacob Gifford Head @giffordhead.co.uk · 07/06/2026
Another reminder to follow Daniel to see updates about this fascinating case where a senior silk specialising in tax advice is being prosecuted for cheating the public revenue in relation to his own affairs. (He denies wrongdoing and the trial is on-going.)
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