Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Attorney General, whether the Crown Prosecution Service raised concerns about the judge’s draft directions to the jury on unlawful act manslaughter in the trial of the case of Aria Thorpe in the context of the decision in Grey [2024] EWCA Crim 487.

The Judge circulated her draft directions to all parties in writing. Leading Counsel for the Prosecution and Defence subsequently provided the Judge, on two occasions, with a joint document setting out proposed amendments. Those amendments included a request by the Prosecution that the summing-up should make clear that the unlawful act relied upon, for the purposes of unlawful act manslaughter was an assault, and that the relevant mens rea for that assault included recklessness. Leading Prosecution Counsel also made oral representations in open court reiterating that submission.