English court to try alleged bank robber without jury

Rob Beschizza

England is to have its first criminal trial without a jury in 400 years. John Twomey, accused in a £1.7m warehouse heist, is in the dock. A single judge, Mr. Justice Treacy, presides in court. The reason given is to avoid jury tampering, which makes some sense. But little else about the £20m trial–such as the 'secret' evidence presented to remove the panel from this third attempt at securing Twomey's conviction–makes any sense at all. [Guardian]