Petition Reinstate Double Jeopardy Protection

The undersigned,

Minded of the need to provide acquitted people with confidence that their judicial ordeal is over;

Noting that the only people to have been re-prosecuted under the 2003 Criminal Justice Act have been covered within its retrospective nature;

Asserting that retrospective laws should normally be avoided;

Further noting that the number of reprosecutions is very small compared to the number of acquitted individuals who currently fear reprosecution;

Recognising that the 2003 Act makes it less likely for acquitted individuals make post trial admissions of criminal wrongdoing (admissions which are in the interests of victims, witnesses, other potential suspects and of truth more widely);

Further noting that the status quo may lead to more speculative prosecutions;

Further noting that there is grave difficulty in providing a fair second trial;

urge parliament to prospectively reinstate Double Jeopardy protection.