The Court of Discipline met on 15 July 2009 to consider charges brought by the Deputy University Advocate under Statute B, VI, 28, on a complaint by the Senior Proctor against an undergraduate member of the University. The Court consisted of: Professor A. D. Yates, R (Chairman); Mr M. Beber, SID, Dr T. K. Carne, K, Mrs J. Dashwood, LC, Professor I. M. Hutchings, JN; with Mr A. Bennett (Secretariat) as Clerk of the Court. On the application of the defendant, the Court consisted of senior members only, and sat in camera.
The defendant was charged with four offences contrary to Regulation 6 of the General Regulations for Discipline, in that they had made use of unfair means in a University examination, namely possession of material relevant to the examination that was not specifically authorized. The defendant pleaded guilty to all charges. The Deputy University Advocate outlined the circumstances of the case. The defendant's representative presented the defence case and addressed the Court in mitigation.
The Court concluded that the charges brought by the Deputy University Advocate were proved, that the offences were serious, and that there was a need to mark them by significant penalty. They also took into account the substantial evidence in mitigation which was presented.
The Court was of the view that it was difficult to attach credence to the marks awarded by the Examiners for the papers concerned. The Court considered that the offences were serious enough to merit a penalty related to the result in the examination and agreed that the defendant's existing classification should not be allowed to stand. Accordingly, the Court advised the Vice-Chancellor to issue an amended class-list for the examination concerned, in accordance with Statute B, VI, 16.