Court

HANNINGFIELD SPECIAL REPORT:
Judge Halts Police Barrister's Questioning
Weds 20th Feb 2013, Yellow Advertiser

MR JUSTICE Eady interrupted a barrister representing Essex Police during his questioning of Lord Hanningfield.

The former council leader was questioned for 25 minutes by defence barrister Andrew Warnock QC.

During his questioning, Mr Warnock repeatedly probed the peer about his House of Lords expenses.

The peer was jailed in June 2011 after being convicted of six counts of false accounting.

Mr Warnock repeatedly asked Hanningfield whether he regarded the charges against him as ‘ridiculous’ and whether he still believed he was not guilty.

The barrister pursued the line of questioning for several minutes before Mr Justice Eady interrupted and questioned the relevance of the repetitive exchange.

He asked Mr Warnock: “Does it matter?”

Speaking after the case Lord Hanningfield said: “I believe he was trying to smear me in front of the press to draw attention away from the facts in the case. But I don't think he did very well. The judge came down on my side.”

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