The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (2022) amended the law to allow Deaf jurors to have a BSL/English Interpreter in the jury deliberation room with them. Whilst BSL/English interpreters were permitted in the courtroom with Deaf jurors, the law previously prohibited a ‘thirteenth’ person in the jury deliberation room.
On Thursday 28th July 2022, history was made when Karen Hobbs served as the UK’s first-ever Deaf Juror (who is a native BSL user) in the Crown Court.