Brexit ‘will slow bribery policing’ – Louise Hodges quoted in The Times

Louise Hodges, partner and head of our Criminal Litigation team, shares her thoughts with The Times about Brexit and the impact it will have on bribery investigations – Brexit ‘will slow bribery policing’

Louise Hodges, head of criminal litigation at London law firm Kingsley Napley, said that the call for speedier Bribery Act prosecutions was a “noble objective” that chimed with the agenda of Lisa Osofsky, the new director of the Serious Fraud Office. But she said: “The fact that it comes in the middle of Brexit chaos cannot be ignored.”

Assuming that it goes ahead, she said Brexit would “impede the chance of speedier prosecutions”. “Whatever exit is finally negotiated will impact the way we police and prosecute under the Bribery Act in future.”

Ms Hodges warned that it would affect European arrest warrants and investigation orders, as well as the UK’s access to intelligence sharing.