R v Cranston (No 15)

The case before the Court of Appeal was an appeal from a decision of the trial judge to discharge a juror and continue with the trial using eleven jurors. The appellant, Mr Cranston, was on trial for serious criminal charges, and the trial was being conducted with a jury. During the trial, a juror fell asleep while evidence was being presented. The trial judge discharged the juror, and the trial continued with eleven jurors. Mr Cranston appealed the trial judge's decision to discharge the juror and to continue with the trial using an eleven-person jury.

The legal issues before the court were whether the trial judge was correct in discharging the juror and whether it was appropriate to continue the trial with eleven jurors. The court was required to consider the legal principles governing the discharge of jurors and the continuation of trials with a reduced number of jurors. The court also had to consider whether the discharge of the juror and the continuation of the trial with eleven jurors affected the fairness of the trial or the appellant's right to a fair trial.

The court found that the trial judge's decision to discharge the juror was within their discretion, and the court found no error in that decision. The court also found that continuing the trial with eleven jurors was not a departure from the fundamental principles of justice. The court held that the trial judge was not required to discharge the juror or stop the trial and start again with a new jury. The court found that the appellant's right to a fair trial was not compromised by the discharge of the juror or the continuation of the trial with eleven jurors. The court found that the appellant had not demonstrated any prejudice resulting from the discharge of the juror or the continuation of the trial with eleven jurors.

The appeal was dismissed. The orders of the trial judge were affirmed.