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Jubilee line corruption trial

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The Jubilee line corruption trial (R. v. Mills, 2004–5) was a trial at the Old Bailey in London which started in June 2003 and lasted 21 months before collapsing in March 2005. It raised questions about the willingness of juries to hear very long trials. Six men were charged with attempting to bribe London Transport officials over contracts in relation to the extension to the Jubilee line of the London Underground.

The trial encountered a whole series of difficulties including the discharge of two jurors for personal reasons. Another continued having been promised she would be able to get married and go on honeymoon in June 2005 but it later became clear the trial would still be running. Also two defendants fell ill. The trial finally ended when a juror "went on strike". The Director of Public Prosecutions decided that a fair trial was not possible and the accused men were acquitted. This was a blow to the judge Ann Felicity Goddard. The cost of the trial was about £60 million. It is thought that the trial may have been successful if Goddard had agreed to let the jury only attend in the mornings.

It holds the record as the longest ever jury trial in the UK. However it was not widely publicised at the time because of reporting restrictions. The juror who caused the collapse said the trial caused him loss of earnings which threatened his ability to pay Oxford university fees for a course he was due to start in October 2005. The juror who was due to marry lost both her wedding and her job.

References

Jubilee line corruption trial Wikipedia