Special measures protect murder witnesses

CPS London lawyers achieved a successful prosecution in an Operation Trident murder case after asking for special measures to protect the identities of vital witnesses.

Junior Glasgow, 17, was jailed for life for shooting 18-year-old youth worker Nathan Foster six times after a row over a gold chain.

Glasgow was told by an Old Bailey judge earlier this month (June) that he must serve a minimum of 21 years in prison.

All the eye witnesses who saw the shooting in Brixton last August refused to assist investigating officers if their identities were revealed.

The prosecution applied for special measures which included anonymity, use of pseudonyms and voice modulation, screens for the dock and public gallery and permission for witnesses to access the court via the judge's entrance.

Reviewing lawyer Devi Kharran, from CPS London's Homicide Team, said: "As a result of the anonymity issues, the reviewing of submissions from the police and sensitive material was a lengthy task.

"There were a number of pre-trial applications and we had to work very closely with the police in order to prepare all the applications carefully."

Devi praised her colleague, Caseworker Peter Lovett, for his work on the case.