Banana justice
THE spirit of Mr Justice Cocklecarrot now hangs over justice in the City. All we lack is Honeyweather Gooseboot QC cross- examining 12 red-bearded dwarves. Failing that, I suppose 11 blue-arrowed bankers and brokers will do. A good defence counsel, like Tinklebury Snapdriver QC could tell the absurd tale of the Depart- ment of Trade and Industry and the two reports. The DTI would not publish the report on House of Fraser for fear that, if prosecutions followed, the trials would be prejudiced. This principle Mr Gooseboot has defended in court after court before Cocklecarrot's learned brethren. The DTI published the report on County NatWest amid an explosion of publicity, the critic- isms and resignations and disciplinary pro- cedures were news for weeks on end — and 11 arrests have followed. Prejudice? No doubt the Gooseboots and Snapdrivers could swap briefs. If these prosecutions are as protracted and seemingly ineffectual as those in other City causes celebres, it may be that prejudice will make no difference — though I should like to hear Gooseboot argue that one. Snapdriver can and should now argue that the City's discipline is not an alternative to the law, but part of it — that the powers used were delegated to City regulators by the Banking Act and the Financial Services Act. With judgment passed and sentences imposed, prosecu- tions are starting again, If this is justice, I'm Ian Hislop.
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