witness

Issuing notices to witnesses overseas to compel attendance: a sea change for inquiries and inquests

22 June 2026 by

R (on the application of UCPI Designated Lawyer Officers Core Participant Group) v Sir John Mitting (sitting as Chairman of the Undercover Policing Inquiry and others [2026] EWHC 1394 (Admin)

This decision, arising from the long running Under Cover Policing Inquiry (“UCPI”), was the first time a Court has heard full argument about the extra-territoriality of a notice issued under section 21 Inquiries Act 2005 (the “IA”). Simply put, the Court decided that an Inquiry Chair does have the power to issue a s21 notice to a person residing overseas. This represents a departure from the approach of previous public inquiries.


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