intro

• Define statutory interpretation

  The judicial interpretation of words and phrases in acts of parliament, done so as to give effect to the will of parliament
• What are the 4 key points as to why we need statutory interpretation?

  - drafting errors (gramatical, spelling errors)

  - new developments in technology & medicine

  - changes in use of language

  - wording of acts may be: broad, ambiguous, archaic (old-fashioned), vague
• What is the key case for statutory interpretation?

  Cheeseman v DPP (1990)
• What happened in Cheeseman v DPP (1990)?

  Cheeseman was caught mastrubating in a public toilet on multiple occasions, so police were placed there to catch him in the act - which they did
• What was Cheeseman charged with? And under what act?

  - Charged with wilfully & indecently exposing his person in a street to the annoyance of passengers

  - Under the S28 Town police causes act 1847
• What did Cheeseman do after he was charged?

  Appealed his case challenging the phrase "passengers" as in the 1847 oxford dictionary passenger was define as "anyone resorting in the ordinary way to a place for one of the purposes for which people would normally resort to it"
• What was the outcome for Cheeseman?

  He was found not guilty as the police were not in the lavatory for "ordinary purposes" as they were specifically stationed there