Independent Assessor of Compensation for Miscarriages of Justice reappointed
The Secretary of State for Justice has appointed Sir Robin Spencer as Independent Assessor of Compensation for Miscarriages of Justice for a term of 5 years from May 2024, in succession to Dame Linda Dobbs DBE.
Appointed by the Secretary of State for Justice, under section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act (the Act) 1988, the Assessor’s role is to gauge the amount of compensation to be paid once the Secretary of State has decided that the eligibility criteria are met.
Neither ministers nor officials play any role in the assessment of compensation and the Secretary of State for Justice is required by section 133 (4) to accept the award made by the Assessor.
The Assessor plays no role in deciding whether an applicant is eligible for compensation, which falls solely to the Secretary of State under Section 133(3).
Biography
After 45 years in the Law, Sir Robin Spencer DL retired as a High Court Judge in March 2023, having been appointed to the (then) Queen’s Bench Division in 2010. He continues to sit in retirement in the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division).
He was called to the Bar in 1978 and practised as a Junior in the North West of England and North Wales from Chester chambers before becoming a QC in 1999 when he also joined London chambers. He was the Leader of the Wales and Chester Circuit from 2004 to 2006, and a member of the Bar Council.
Before his appointment as a High Court Judge he sat for many years as a Recorder and a Deputy High Court Judge, trying criminal, civil and family cases,
From 2013 to 2017 he was a Presiding Judge of the South Eastern Circuit.
In 2023 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of the county of Cheshire, a role which includes presiding at Citizenship Ceremonies.
He has not declared any political activity.