Criminal law – Trial. The defendant appealed against his conviction, in his absence, of causing death by dangerous driving on the basis that the he had been unfit to be tried and the trial should not have proceeded in his absence. The Court of Appeal, Criminal Division, in dismissing the appeal, held that the defendant had not been unfit and, as he had decided voluntarily to absent himself from a trial, the judge had been right to continue. There had been no procedural unfairness or irregularity.