View source for Public tribunal hearings

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In England, all hearings must be held in private unless the Tribunal considers that it is in the interests of justice for the hearing to be held in public ([[Tribunal rule 38]]). The Upper Tribunal has considered the approach to be adopted by the tribunal in deciding whether to hold a public hearing in [[AH v West London MH NHS Trust (2010) UKUT 264 (AAC)]], [[AH v West London MH NHS Trust (2011) UKUT 74 (AAC)]], and more recently in [[AR v West London NHS Trust (2020) UKUT 273 (AAC)]].

In Wales, except where a patient requests a hearing in public and the Tribunal is satisfied that that would be in the interests of the patient, all hearings must be held in private ([[Welsh Tribunal rule 25]]).

The following are public tribunal hearings which are known or believed to have happened:

* A hearing in Broadmoor in March 1975 — see [[Stewart Tendler, '‘Public before press’ move backfires at Broadmoor tribunal' (The Times, 5/3/75)]] and [[The Times, 'Broadmoor man fails in freedom plea' (7/3/75)]].

* Possibly one public hearing at Ashworth between January 2000 and January 2003 — this is mentioned in the first paragraph of [[R (Mersey Care NHS Trust) v MHRT, re Brady (2004) EWHC 1749 (Admin)]] (in which the High Court set aside the MHRT's initial decision to hold a public hearing).

* Albert Haines. 2011 — The tribunal's reasons for not discharging him are available at [[Re Albert Haines (2011) MHLO 169 (FTT)]].

* Ian Brady, 2011 — The reasons for not discharging him are at [[Re Ian Brady (2013) MHLO 89 (FTT)]].

* Jared Britton, 2013 — An announcement about the public hearing is at [[Re Jared Britton (2013) MHLO 146 (FTT)]]. There seems to be no mention of this anywhere so maybe the press were not informed on time.


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