Jailed for 8 Years for a Group Chat: Challenging Institutional Racism in the Courts (with speaker Keir Monteith KC)
| Dates: | 1 May 2025 |
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| Times: | 17:00 - 19:00 |
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| What is it: | Talk |
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| Organiser: | Creative Manchester |
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| How much: | FREE |
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| Who is it for: | University staff, External researchers, Adults, Alumni, Current University students, General public |
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Learn how ‘law student-to-be’, Ade Adedeji, had his GBH conspiracy conviction quashed; find out why the court of appeal refused to hear evidence on whether institutional racism played a part in his wrongful conviction and why the judges failed to adopt common sense recommendations to stop this happening again.
In his annual lecture at the University of Manchester honorary Senior Lecturer Keir Monteith KC will examine how a 17-year-old ‘law student-to-be’ was wrongly convicted of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm with intent.
The prosecution deployed a gang narrative along with evidence of Drill music to maximise the number of conspiracy convictions -- a common strategy in cases involving ethnic minority defendants, especially Black children and young adults.?This case has become known as the Manchester 10, so named by Dr Roxy Legane and Kids Of Colour whose important work helped bring this injustice to light.
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JUSTICE, a cross-party law reform and human rights charity intervened in the 2-day appeal and Ors. v R [2025 EWCA Crim 12]; compelling fresh evidence was served and called. However, the Court of Appeal refused to hear evidence on institutional racism; failed to adopt common sense recommendations to try to prevent the use of racial stereotypes in criminal trials; and did not scrutinise the prosecution’s approach to the case.
Keir will examine whether this appeal along with research conducted at the University of Manchester provides contemporary evidence of institutional racism in the legal system. As such he will consider, the crucial importance -- despite strategic difficulties -- of mentioning racism or racial bias in criminal trials. He will also examine whether, in 2025, the prosecution can still suggest that a defendant could be a member of a violent gang because of the music they listen to, who they associate with and where they live.
Book here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/jailed-for-8-years-for-a-group-chat-tickets-1318479049329?aff=oddtdtcreator
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Lecture Theatre B
Roscoe Building
Manchester
