Hello everyone, I hope you are all well. I would like to pitch the following idea for a new ‘Fair Trial and Post-Proceedings Protection Act’, which I have summarised below:
Restoring Justice, Protecting the Innocent
The Problem We Face
In our digital age, the principle of “innocent until proven guilty” is under unprecedented attack. Modern communications and social media, while offering opportunities for open justice, have created a new reality where accusations - whether criminal, civil, or regulatory - can destroy lives before any proper investigation has concluded.
The harsh truth is that in today’s Britain:
- The accusation has become the verdict
- Police visits and investigations themselves have become the punishment
- A person can be visited by police over online comments, investigated, then face “No Further Action” - but the damage is already done
- Professional bodies, employers, and regulators can be weaponised against innocent people
- Media coverage and social media pile-ons can destroy reputations, careers, and mental health within hours
- Those ultimately found innocent - whether through acquittal, NFA, or dismissed complaints - are left to rebuild their shattered lives with no support or recourse
- Our justice system offers extensive protection for complainants but abandons those wrongly accused to public trial by media and bureaucracy
When “No Further Action” is taken after investigation, this demonstrates the complaint was never substantiated. Yet the accused receives no compensation for the trauma, reputational damage, or financial losses they’ve suffered.
This is not justice. This is not fair. This must change.
Our Vision
We believe in a justice system that protects all participants - both genuine victims and the wrongly accused. We envisage a Britain where:
- Fair trial principles are protected from media interference
- Those found innocent receive the support they need to rebuild their lives
- False allegations face meaningful consequences
- Justice truly works for everyone
Our Solution: The Fair Trial and Post-Proceedings Protection Act
We are campaigning for comprehensive reform through new legislation that will restore balance to our justice system.
1. Pre-Trial Protection: Defendant Anonymity Rights
The Reform: Assured anonymity for defendants by default, matching the protections already given to complainants in serious criminal cases.
How It Works:
- Media can report the facts of cases but cannot identify suspects or defendants until a verdict is reached
- Protections apply from the point of charge through to conclusion of proceedings
- Exceptions remain where police, CPS, or judges believe publication might encourage other genuine victims to come forward
- Case-by-case judicial oversight ensures legitimate public interest is protected
Why This Matters: No one should have their life destroyed by media coverage before they’ve had their day in court. If we protect complainants’ identities, basic fairness demands we protect defendants too.
2. Post-Acquittal Support: Helping the Innocent Rebuild
When someone is found not guilty, they deserve more than just freedom - they deserve help rebuilding the life that false allegations destroyed.
A. Right to Digital Correction
The Reform: Legal powers to require social media platforms and news publishers to update their coverage with prominent acquittal notices.
How It Works:
- Acquitted defendants gain automatic right to request corrections
- Publishers must add clear banners or updates showing the acquittal
- Original articles can be retained for record, but public-facing versions must reflect the truth
- Non-compliance results in legal penalties
B. Employment and Business Support
The Reform: Government assistance to help wrongly accused individuals return to work or rebuild damaged businesses.
How It Works:
- Specialist DWP support for those who lost employment due to false allegations
- Business recovery grants for self-employed individuals whose enterprises collapsed
- Professional rehabilitation support including retraining where necessary
- Clear processes to help restore professional licences and positions
C. Trauma Compensation and Support
The Reform: Recognition that wrongful prosecution causes genuine trauma deserving of compensation and support.
How It Works:
- Access to compensation for psychological impact of false allegations
- Funding for counselling, therapy, and mental health support
- Recognition that the justice process itself can cause lasting damage to innocent people
- Swift processing to provide help when it’s most needed
D. Review and Accountability Mechanism
The Reform: Systematic review of cases where evidence suggests potential malicious complaints, including protection for free speech and online expression.
How It Works:
- Assessment by independent prosecutors of cases with clear evidence of false allegations
- Automatic review triggers: NFA decisions after police visits/interviews, dismissed professional complaints, withdrawn online safety reports
- Free speech protection: Specific consideration for cases involving legitimate political, religious, or social commentary
- Proportionality assessment: Review whether police/regulatory response was proportionate to the alleged harm
- Multiple remedy paths: Civil compensation, professional standards reviews, and public accountability measures
- Deterrent effect: Creates meaningful consequences for weaponising legal systems while maintaining protections for genuine concerns
Special Protection for Online Expression: When police visit someone over online comments but take no further action, this creates strong presumption that the original report was vexatious or the response was disproportionate. The person visited should have automatic right to compensation for the intimidation and reputational damage caused.
3. Civil Remedies for False and Malicious Complaints
The Reform: A new legal right for victims of demonstrably false or malicious allegations to seek compensation for damage caused - covering criminal allegations, regulatory complaints, professional body referrals, and online safety reports.
How It Works:
- Criminal matters: Available where police take “No Further Action” and evidence shows the complaint was false or malicious, or where defendants are acquitted with evidence of fabrication
- Regulatory/Professional: Covers false complaints to bodies like GMC, SRA, Ofcom, employers, safeguarding teams, and online platforms
- Online Safety Act misuse: Protects against vexatious reports that result in police visits but no charges - the NFA decision evidences the complaint’s baselessness
- Civil standard: Uses balance of probabilities, not criminal standard, making justice more accessible
- Comprehensive damages: Covers financial losses, reputational damage, trauma, legal costs, and loss of opportunities
- Multiple defendants: Can pursue both the original complainant and any public body that acted unreasonably
Why This Matters:
- Police accountability: Forces better assessment before conducting interviews or visits over trivial online matters
- Regulatory responsibility: Makes professional bodies consider complaints more carefully before launching investigations
- Free speech protection: Deters misuse of online safety legislation to silence legitimate expression
- Evidence-based: NFA outcomes and dismissed complaints provide clear evidence that allegations lacked substance from the start
Why This Campaign Matters
For Society
- Restores public confidence in our justice system and regulatory processes
- Protects both genuine victims and the wrongly accused
- Ensures media responsibility in reporting sensitive cases
- Deters malicious use of legal, regulatory, and online safety systems
- Protects free speech by creating consequences for weaponising complaints procedures
- Restores proportionality to online safety enforcement, ensuring police resources focus on genuine threats
For Individuals
- Protects families from devastating false allegations across all contexts - criminal, professional, and regulatory
- Provides support when systems fail individuals
- Compensates for police intimidation over legitimate expression
- Recognises that accusations alone can destroy lives
- Offers hope of rebuilding after wrongful prosecution or investigation
- Protects citizens’ right to express controversial but legal opinions without fear of vexatious complaints
For Justice
- Upholds the fundamental principle of “innocent until proven guilty”
- Balances the rights of all participants in the justice system
- Creates accountability for those who abuse legal processes
- Modernises our legal framework for the digital age
What We’re Not Doing
We are NOT:
- Trying to silence genuine victims or make it harder to report real crimes
- Creating barriers to legitimate complaints or investigations
- Undermining the rights of those who have suffered genuine harm
- Attacking the media’s right to report on matters of public interest
We ARE:
- Ensuring fairness for everyone in the justice system
- Providing support for those wronged by false allegations in any context
- Creating accountability while protecting genuine victims and legitimate whistleblowers
- Modernising justice for the social media age
- Defending the right to legitimate expression without fear of vexatious complaints
- Ensuring police resources are used proportionately and focus on genuine threats rather than hurt feelings
- Protecting citizens from bureaucratic intimidation over lawful speech
The Time Is Now
Every day that passes, more innocent people have their lives destroyed by false allegations - whether criminal charges, professional complaints, or vexatious online safety reports - amplified by social media and irresponsible reporting. Every day, families are torn apart by accusations that should never have been made public before proper investigation. Every day, citizens are visited by police over legitimate expressions of opinion, creating a chilling effect on free speech.
Police visits over online comments that result in “No Further Action” prove the original complaint was baseless - yet those intimidated receive no compensation for the trauma and reputational damage caused.
The technology exists to spread accusations instantly worldwide. The law must catch up to protect the innocent while preserving justice for genuine victims.
What do you think?
This is about fundamental fairness. This is about justice that works for everyone. This is about protecting innocent people while ensuring genuine victims are still heard and supported.
Together, we can restore balance to British justice. But we need your help. How can this policy be improved? What are the gaps? What are the potential unintended consequences?
Thank you for taking the time to read this and contribute.
– Mike R
