Perverting the course of justice, in English, Canadian (see article 139 of Canadian Criminal Code), and Irish law, is a criminal offence in which someone prevents justice from being served on himself or on another party. It is a common-law offence carrying a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Perverting the course of justice can be any of three acts:
- Fabricating or disposing of evidence
- Intimidating or threatening a witness or juror
- Intimidating or threatening a judge
Also criminal are (1) conspiring with another to pervert the course of justice and (2) intending to pervert the course of justice.
Statutory versions of the offence exist in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. See, for example, Section 319 of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW),[1] where the maximum penalty is 14 years' imprisonment.
High-profile convictions
- Jonathan Aitken
- Jeffrey Archer
- Marcus Einfeld, Australian judge
- John Humble, for the Wearside Jack hoax letters and tapes
- Bruce Hyman, the only barrister so convicted in 800 years
- Karen Matthews and Michael Donovan, who were involved in Shannon Matthews's abduction
- Nadine Milroy-Sloan, who knowingly falsely accused Neil Hamilton of rape
- Lionel Murphy, Justice of the High Court of Australia (later reversed on appeal)
See also
- Perjury
- Compounding a felony
- Compounding treason
- Embracery
- Misprision of felony
- Misprision of treason
- Obstruction of justice
- Contempt of Court
References
- Perjury and Perversion of the Course of Justice Considered (PDF), a primer on the legal details of the offence
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