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Serious Fraud Office Appeal
in House of Lords

by Serious Fraud Office

first published 26 June 2008

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) appealed to the House of Lords (the UK's highest court) against a High Court ruling on 10 April 2008 that the SFO acted unlawfully in December 2006 when it stopped its investigation into alleged corruption by BAE Systems in recent arms deals with Saudi Arabia.

The ruling was a result of a judicial review brought by The Corner House and Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) that was held on 14th-15th February 2008 in the High Court.

This SFO appeal against the ruling focuses on:

  • the discretion of the SFO Director to investigate and prosecute crime;
  • the role of the Courts in reviewing the SFO's decisions; and
  • the SFO Director not being bound by the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention on the grounds that it has not been incorporated into UK law.

Five Law Lords heard the appeal on 7-8 July 2008.