Criminal Cases Review Commission welcomes six more Commissioners
Dame Vera Baird KC, Chair of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), has welcomed the appointment to the organisation of six more Commissioners, announced today [1 May 2026 – Appointment of Commissioners of the Criminal Cases Review Commission – GOV.UK].
Commissioners, appointed on royal warrant, are the decision-makers. It is they who decide whether criminal convictions and sentences should be sent back to the courts following a review, carried out by CCRC staff.
The new Commissioners’ appointments run until April 2029. They join an existing team of ten, bringing the total to 16.
Dame Vera said: “I am delighted that we have six new Commissioners who each bring great knowledge and experience to the CCRC, and who are all ready to play their part in our work to uncover miscarriages of justice.
“Our Commissioners apply the ‘real possibility’ test, determining whether a conviction or sentence should go back to the courts.”
The new CCRC commissioners:
Joelle Black is a practising barrister in Northern Ireland with specialist experience in domestic and international criminal justice. She has an extensive background in criminal law from both her tenure as prosecutor at various levels within the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland, and in her current private practice where she specialises in judicial review in a criminal context.
Maxine Cole is a Solicitor-Advocate with an LLM in Criminal Justice and more than 20 years practising criminal law. A former Senior Crown Prosecutor and Police Lawyer, Maxine also serves as a Tribunal Member of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal and sits as a Deputy Chairman/Fee paid Tribunal Judge and Chair of a Fitness to Practice Panel.
Maxine said: “My ambition is to bring my years of experience at the frontline of the criminal justice system as a prosecutor and police lawyer to increasing the pace decisions are made in the CCRC.”
Jared Ficklin is a Manchester-based barrister with a background the includes immigration and asylum law. He sits in the First tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) and the Employment Tribunal. He was previously a lecturer at the University of Liverpool Law Clinic.
Jared said: “It’s an exciting time at the CCRC and I’m looking forward to working with the highly dedicated staff and other Commissioners.”
Andrew Hoyle is dual qualified as a registered doctor and a practising barrister, called to the bar in 2006, specialising in medical law, clinical negligence and professional regulatory law. He is an Assistant Director in Fitness to Practise at the General Medical Council where he leads the statutory decision makers who determine, at the end of the GMC’s investigation, whether a case closes or goes forward to a fitness to practise tribunal.
He said: “I am pleased to join the Commission to further support and enhance its vital role in delivering justice. I look forward to bringing independence, integrity and a strong sense of purpose to the role and am committed to strengthening public confidence in our criminal justice system by ensuring potential miscarriages of justice are carefully, fairly and lawfully reviewed.
“I want to improve how the Commission listens, learns and responds across all aspects of its work.”
James Lucas is a registered medical practitioner and previously practised as an expert witness in the criminal justice system. He has held roles across academia, the public and private sectors, and currently sits as a medical member in the tribunals arena.
He said: “I’ve been impressed with the focus and dedication of colleagues that I have met so far. This is clearly an important time for the CCRC. It represents an opportunity to reassure applicants, potential applicants and others that we have the necessary expertise to deliver on our statutory remit.
“Having been involved as a medical expert in the criminal justice system, I do not underestimate the complexity of many of the cases that are considered by the CCRC. I hope that my experience will assist in navigating that complexity.”
Martha Spurrier is a barrister and policy expert specialising in human rights at Doughty Street Chambers. From 2016 to 2024 Martha was the Director of Liberty, the UK’s leading human rights advocacy organisation. She is a Visiting Professor of Law at Goldsmiths University, a Trustee of the Museum of Homelessness and an Editorial Board Member of the European Human Rights Law Review.
She said: “I am delighted to be taking up the Commissioner role and look forward to working collaboratively with the team to investigate miscarriages of justice with rigour, inquisitiveness and independence of mind. I have spent my career working on human rights, justice and accountability and I look forward to contributing my expertise and experience to the vital work of the CCRC.”
[ENDS]
Notes to Editor:
- The CCRC is an independent body set up under the Criminal Appeal Act 1995. It is responsible for independently reviewing suspected and alleged miscarriages of criminal justice in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is based in Birmingham and is funded by the Ministry of Justice.
- There are currently 16 Commissioners who bring to the CCRC considerable experience from a wide variety of backgrounds. Commissioners are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Prime Minister in accordance with the Office for the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ Code of Practice.
- The CCRC usually receives around 1,600 applications for reviews (convictions and/or sentences) each year. Since starting work in 1997, the CCRC has referred around 3% of applications to the appeal courts.
- The CCRC considers whether, as a result of new information or a new argument on a point of law, there is a real possibility that the sentence would not be upheld were a reference to be made. New information or argument on a point of law is argument or information which has not been raised during the original sentence hearing or on appeal. Applicants should usually have appealed first. A sentence can be referred in the absence of an earlier appeal only if there are “exceptional circumstances”.
- If a case is referred, it is then for the appeal court to decide whether the sentence should be changed.
- More details about the role and work of the Criminal Cases Review Commission can be found at www.ccrc.gov.uk. The CCRC can be found on X, Facebook, Instagram (@the_ccrc) and Linkedin.