R v Associated Octel Co Ltd

Date

29 October 1996

Legislation

Costs in Criminal Cases Act 1973
Prosecution of Offences Act 1985

Keywords

Prosecution costs; investigation costs

Counsel

Hugh Carlisle Q.C., Andrew Long, JL Hand Q.C.

Solicitors:

Eversheds for the Defendant

Judge:

Kennedy, McKinnon and Johnson LJJ.

Court:

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Reported:

[1997] 1 Cr. App. R. (S.) 435; Times, November 15, 1996

Summary

The Defendant was fined and ordered to pay the prosecution cost. He appealed on the basis that the costs included the costs of the investigation and argued that the costs should be limited to the costs incurred by the prosecution and not costs falling on public ground generally.

Decision

The court rejected this argument and stated that the costs of the prosecution might include the costs of investigation with a view to the prosecution of a defendant where a prosecution results and the defendant is convicted.