Will the ruling of a Lord Justice be unnecessary?

This morning Declan called into the Civil Appeals Office in the Royal Courts of Justice. He wanted to know primarily if there was some form he could fill out to expedite the matter of a Lord Justice’s ruling as to whether he can appeal Judge Walker’s decision of 11 December to dismiss his claim for judicial review of 24 August against the Department for Work and Pensions. Declan already filed an application for urgent consideration with his claim of 24 August – our situation must not had been deemed urgent enough at the time though. Apparently he can fill out another form that may speed things up.

Since Declan filed his amended appellant’s notice (to include transcript of judgment) in the Civil Appeals Office on 17 January, he has been assaulted twice, most recently last Saturday in the Whitechapel Mission when a homeless guy punched him twice in the face.

Not entirely satisfied with two punches, this homeless – Ali is his name – had a message passed on to Declan on Sunday to the effect that he is going to kill him outside the mission. How nice!

Yesterday morning Declan made a second visit to Bethnal Green Police Station to inquire as to when he can make a formal statement to PC Richard Bentley (823 HT), while I stayed in the mission with all our bags. He was told that PC Bentley, who dealt with Declan the morning of the assault, was on his holidays but that a PC Calabrese from another police station would phone Declan sometime next week with a view to making his written statement of 19 September formal.

When he returned to the mission who was there but Ali himself and his girlfriend. (PC Bentley had told Declan that the manager of the Whitechapel Mission confirmed that Ali had been barred.)

So, with PC Bentley on his holidays, Ali back in the Whitechapel Mission and the slow progress of our claim in the Royal Courts of Justice, perhaps a Lord Justice might not have to rule at all – Appellant deceased so to speak.