Clause 75 - Criminal lifestyle
Proceeds of Crime Bill
10:30 am
Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield, Conservative)
I think that I disagree with the hon. Gentleman. By virtue of discussions that we have had in earlier sittings, we are discussing mandatory provisions. The courts and judiciary will interpret them in the light of that. Parliament will provide that the judges shall deem that a defendant has a criminal lifestyle, and they will be obliged to do that. The question is not one of anxiety about judicial interpretation. The scope for judicial interpretation by judges to find a way out in a way that Parliament did not intend is non-existent.