CEDH · PRESS;GENERAL;ENG — 28 septembre 1999

.s800EAC49 { font-size:12pt } .sFE10DC93 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center } .s29100277 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold } .sCDA3DB76 { margin-top:0pt; margin-left:324pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:36pt } .sFD3A0D4 { width:29.85pt; text-indent:0pt; display:inline-block } .sA1D3DA2E { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify } .s94935B0F { width:389.85pt; display:inline-block } .sBB9EE52A { font-family:Arial } .s23A41E03 { width:36pt; display:inline-block } .s76CF415B { page-break-before:always; clear:both } .s32563E28 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt } .s4DDA3AA3 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic } .sD35C6159 { width:1.54pt; display:inline-block } .s4598CDF { width:70.9pt; display:inline-block } .s38DD6A04 { width:18.2pt; display:inline-block } .sB70F9E4 { width:1.1pt; display:inline-block } .sCB27B9E { width:16.66pt; display:inline-block } .s8242CF8E { width:39.05pt; display:inline-block } .sA36B60A1 { font-family:Arial; font-style:italic } EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS     509   28.9.1999   Press release issued by the Registrar   HEARING IN THE CASE OF McGONNELL v. THE UNITED KINGDOM   Tuesday 28 September 1999, at 9 a.m.     The applicant     The case concerns an application (application no. 28488/95) brought by a British national, Richard McGonnell, who was born in 1955.   Summary of the facts     In May 1986 Mr McGonnell moved into a flower-packing shed on his land as a temporary measure because he was in financial difficulties. His problems were compounded in 1987-9 by frost and hurricanes which destroyed his crops and part of his glasshouses. Mr McGonnell made various requests for permission for change of use of the shed, which were refused, and on 6 June 1995 an appeal to the Royal Court was dismissed. The case was presided over by the Bailiff who also, allegedly, has functions in connection with the executive and the legislature in Guernsey.   Complaints     The applicant complains principally that the Royal Court was not an independent and impartial tribunal within the meaning of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention.   Procedure     The application was lodged with the European Commission of Human Rights on 29   June 1995. Having declared the application partly admissible, the Commission adopted a report on 20 October 1998 in which it expressed the opinion that there had been a violation of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention as regards the question whether the Royal Court is an independent tribunal (25 votes to 5). The Commission referred the case to the Court on 4   December 1998. Composition of the Court     The case will be heard by a Chamber composed as follows:   Jean-Paul Costa (French), President , Pranas Kūris ( Lithuanian), Françoise Tulkens (Belgian), Willi Fuhrmann (Austrian), Karel Jungwiert (Czech), Hanne Sophie Greve (Norwegian), Judges , John Laws (British), ad hoc Judge , Kristaq Traja (Albanian), Mindia Ugrekhelidze (Georgian) , Substitute Judges ,   and also Sally Dollé , Section Registrar .   Representatives of the parties   Government:   Sally Langrish , Agent ,   Sydney Kentridge QC ,   David Anderson QC, Counsel ,   Geoffrey Rowland QC , Attorney-General for Guernsey,   Richard McMahon , Legislative Draftsman, Guernsey,   Richard Clayton , Home Office,   Paul Jenkins , Lord Chancellor’s Department,   Catherine Davidson , Lord Chancellor’s Department,   Michael Birt QC , Attorney-General for Jersey, Advisers ;   Applicant:     Roger Allen Perrot , Solicitor ,   Ben Emmerson ,   Jessica Simor, Counsel ,       After the hearing the Court will begin its deliberations, which are held in private. Judgment will be delivered at a later date.   Registry of the European Court of Human Rights F – 67075 Strasbourg Cedex Contacts:   Roderick Liddell (telephone: (0)3 88 41 24 92) or   Emma Hellyer (telephone: (0)3 90 21 42 15) Fax: (0)3 88 41 27 91     The European Court of Human Rights was set up in 1959 in Strasbourg to deal with alleged violations of the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights. On 1 November 1998 a full-time Court was established, replacing the original two-tier system of a part-time Commission and Court.