Sharipov & ors v the Director General of the IOPC, the Chief Constable of Merseyside Police & ors: the High Court dismisses nine judicial review renewal applications and makes a General Civil Restrain

The High Court (Swift J) has today handed down judgment in Sharipov & ors v the Director General of the IOPC, the Chief Constable of Merseyside Police & ors [2022] EWHC 217 (Admin). Russell Fortt and Remi Reichhold acted for the Director General of the IOPC.

These proceedings stem from a criminal investigation by Merseyside Police into the activities of the Claimants. As a result of that criminal investigation, the Claimants issued 20 judicial review challenges against the IOPC, Merseyside Police, South Wales Police (amongst others). Each of these public law claims were refused permission on the papers.

At a hearing on 7 December 2021, Swift J heard nine renewal applications by the Claimants and an application by the Director General of the IOPC for a General Civil Restraint Order against the Claimants.

In the Judgment handed down today, Swift J dismissed the Claimants’ nine renewal applications. In all, nine of the Claimants’ 20 judicial review claims were certified as totally without merit. The Claimants also made an application under the Hamid jurisdiction alleging impropriety on the part of the Defendants’ legal representatives. Swift J held that this application was totally without merit and that “the Claimants’ only intention in filing this document was to attempt to derail the hearing…”. Swift J acceded to the IOPC’s application for a General Civil Restraint Order against the lead Claimant, imposing a two-year order restraining the lead Claimant from making any claims in the High Court or County Court against Merseyside Police (including any officer or employee of Merseyside Police) and the IOPC (including any officer or employee of the IOPC), without first obtaining the permission of the Judge in Charge of the Administrative Court, or such other Judge as may be nominated by him. 

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Authors

Russell Fortt

Call 1999

Related areas

Police Law

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