The Queen v Vasyli (Appellant) (Bahamas)

Case summary

Case ID

JCPC/2018/0018

Jurisdiction

Bahamas

Parties

Appellant(s)

Donna Vasyli

Respondent(s)

The Queen

Issue

Whether the Court of Appeal was wrong to order a retrial of the appellant.

Facts

On 1 October 2015, the appellant was convicted of the murder of her husband. She appealed to the Court of Appeal. On 25 July 2017, the Court of Appeal quashed the conviction of the appellant and ordered a retrial. Each of the three judges agreed that the conviction should be quashed but gave different reasons. At least two of the judges agreed that the conviction should be quashed because the judge failed to give a ‘Lucas’ direction. The direction would have addressed whether the appellant had lied in interview about the clothes she was wearing on the night and whether the surveillance cameras in her house were working, and what significance that should have for the jury. The same two judges decided that the matter should be remitted for a retrial, while the third judge decided that it should not. The appellant was granted permission to appeal against the order for a retrial by the Court of Appeal.

Date of issue

31 January 2018

Judgment details

Judgment date

2 March 2020

Neutral citation

[2020] UKPC 8

Judgment links

Appeal

Justices

Lord Kerr

Lord Carnwath

Lady Black

Lord Lloyd-Jones

Lord Hamblen

Hearing dates

Start date

15 January 2020

End date

15 January 2020

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