If the late Ken Dodd was to be tried again today on the same evidence for alleged tax evasion, I am convinced that a modern jury would not have hesitated to convict him. Because today’s jury is more savvy. Less likely to be bamboozled by someone’s celebrity. We saw that in the conviction of cuddly children’s entertainer Rolf Harris a few years back. And he was not alone. It’s why I am always impressed by the collective wisdom of today’s juries: the men and women which the Starmer government wanted to abolish for mid-range offences. I’m so glad that Burnham has seen sense.
Because the real damage from a criminal conviction is not the slap on the wrist from a judge or magistrate. It is the long-term reputational damage. The ruination of a future career. So wouldn’t you want your case to be tried by men and women who could see life through your eyes? Instead of a state appointee?
