Inner London Crown Court
(Picture: PA)A Crown Court juror is facing charges over allegations he conducted private research in the middle of a criminal trial.
Sadiq Leon, 42, has been charged with two offences over his alleged activities while sitting as a juror at Inner London crown court in July 2021.
“This is a juror who has done research and shared it with fellow members of the jury in a trial,” said prosecutor Diana Wilson, outlining the allegations.
Leon, from Putney, southwest London, was charged in December last year with being a member of a jury carrying out research during the trial period and sharing research with other jurors.
According to the charges, both brought under the Juries Act 1974, Leon is accused of “conducting online research into the legal meaning of the word ‘intention’, contrary to his legal responsibilities as a juror”.
On July 19, it is said he “shared print outs of online research you had made into the meaning of "intention" to other members of the same jury panel”.
Leon was due to enter plea to the allegations at a hearing on Inner London crown court on Wednesday.
However the hearing in front of Judge Jane Rowley was adjourned when Leon and his barrister were absent due to an administrative mix-up.
Leon has now been ordered to attend court on Friday to enter a plea, and his case will be overseen by a senior judge due to the nature of the charges.
