Mr Eamon Keane

  • Lecturer in Evidence and Criminal Procedure (Law)

Biography

Mr Keane joined the Law School in January 2022 as a Lecturer in Evidence and Criminal Procedure. He holds degrees from the Universities of Edinburgh (LLM with Distinction) and Dundee (Diploma in Professional Legal Practice & LLB with First Class Honours). He previously taught at the University of Edinburgh.

Mr Keane is a qualified and practising solicitor, with particular expertise in the law of criminal evidence. He has acted in an array of cases defending allegations of serious criminality, including murder and terrorism. In recent years, he has developed a particular specialism in the area of advice and representation for complainers in sexual offence cases, and is regularly instructed to act on behalf of such individuals in Scotland. He has on occasion also acted as an expert witness in foreign proceedings on Scots criminal law, procedure and evidence. He is currently involved in the establishment of the Emma Ritch Law Clinic at the University, a service which aims to provide legal advice and representation to complainers in sexual offence cases.

Prior to entering academia, he spent two years at the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission, a non-departmental public body that investigates potential miscarriages of justice.

In 2020 he was elected as a member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Young Academy of Scotland.

He is one of a number of researchers in the School of Law working on criminal law, evidence and criminal justice, and more information about their work can be found here.

Research interests

Mr Keane's research interests lie primarily in evidence and procedure, namely the theoretical development and practical application of the Scots law of criminal evidence. His work has both a doctrinal and empirical focus. He co-authored the 3rd edition of Raitt on Evidence: Principles, Policy & Practice

His current research projects and interests include:

  • The position of the vulnerable accused in Scots law;
  • The development of Independent legal representation for complainers in sexual offences cases.

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2024 | 2023 | 2022
Number of items: 7.

2024

Cowan, S., Keane, E. P. H. and Munro, V. E. (2024) The Use of Sexual History Evidence and ‘Sensitive Private Data’ in Scottish Rape and Attempted Rape Trials: Briefing Report. Project Report. Edinburgh Law School.

Cowan, S., Keane, E. P.H. and Munro, V. E. (2024) The Use of Sexual History Evidence and ‘Sensitive Private Data’ in Scottish Rape and Attempted Rape Trials. Project Report. Edinburgh Law School.

2023

Chalmers, J. , Keane, E. P.H., Leverick, F. and Munro, V. E. (2023) Putting victims and witnesses at the heart of the justice system? The Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill. Criminal Law Review, 2023(11), pp. 709-730.

Keane, E. P.H. and Robson, P. (Eds.) (2023) The Ian Willock Collection on Law and Justice in the Twenty First Century. Fairleigh Dickson University Press. (Accepted for Publication)

Keane, E. P.H. (2023) Scotland’s not proven verdict: the nightmare of history? In: Keane, E. P.H. and Robson, P. (eds.) The Ian Willock Collection on Law and Justice in the Twenty First Century. Fairleigh Dickson University Press. (Accepted for Publication)

2022

Keane, E. P. H. (2022) Graeme Brown, Sentencing Rape: A Comparative Analysis. Edinburgh Law Review, 26(3), pp. 474-476. (doi: 10.3366/elr.2022.0800)[Book Review]

Keane, E. P. H. (2022) The vulnerable accused in Scotland: ‘A fig for those by law protected’? In: Johnstone, E. and Marsh, S. (eds.) Contemporary Issues in Global Criminal Justice. Lexington Books. ISBN 9781793637338

This list was generated on Sun Oct 6 18:59:53 2024 BST.
Number of items: 7.

Articles

Chalmers, J. , Keane, E. P.H., Leverick, F. and Munro, V. E. (2023) Putting victims and witnesses at the heart of the justice system? The Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill. Criminal Law Review, 2023(11), pp. 709-730.

Book Sections

Keane, E. P.H. (2023) Scotland’s not proven verdict: the nightmare of history? In: Keane, E. P.H. and Robson, P. (eds.) The Ian Willock Collection on Law and Justice in the Twenty First Century. Fairleigh Dickson University Press. (Accepted for Publication)

Keane, E. P. H. (2022) The vulnerable accused in Scotland: ‘A fig for those by law protected’? In: Johnstone, E. and Marsh, S. (eds.) Contemporary Issues in Global Criminal Justice. Lexington Books. ISBN 9781793637338

Book Reviews

Keane, E. P. H. (2022) Graeme Brown, Sentencing Rape: A Comparative Analysis. Edinburgh Law Review, 26(3), pp. 474-476. (doi: 10.3366/elr.2022.0800)[Book Review]

Edited Books

Keane, E. P.H. and Robson, P. (Eds.) (2023) The Ian Willock Collection on Law and Justice in the Twenty First Century. Fairleigh Dickson University Press. (Accepted for Publication)

Research Reports or Papers

Cowan, S., Keane, E. P. H. and Munro, V. E. (2024) The Use of Sexual History Evidence and ‘Sensitive Private Data’ in Scottish Rape and Attempted Rape Trials: Briefing Report. Project Report. Edinburgh Law School.

Cowan, S., Keane, E. P.H. and Munro, V. E. (2024) The Use of Sexual History Evidence and ‘Sensitive Private Data’ in Scottish Rape and Attempted Rape Trials. Project Report. Edinburgh Law School.

This list was generated on Sun Oct 6 18:59:53 2024 BST.

Grants

Mr Keane has held research funding from the Scottish Government, the Clark Foundation for Legal Education and Rape Crisis Scotland.

Current funded projects he is working on include:

The Practice Surrounding Defence Applications for Disclosure of Sensitive Records in Scotland, Rape Crisis Scotland, £7,500.

An Analysis of the Scottish Rape Shield Legislation, Justice Analytical Services. £12,000.

Along with colleagues, Mr Keane was awarded approx £400,000 in 2023 to establish the Emma Ritch Law Clinic at the university, which aims to promote access to justice for complainers in sexual offences cases.

Supervision

Mr Keane welcomes enquiries to supervise research students with interests in the 1) law of evidence and procedure, 2) criminal evidence, procedure and sexual offences and 3) appellate jurisdiction and miscarriages of justice.

  • Brindley, Sandy
    Exploring effective participation for complainers of sexual crime in Scotland

Teaching

LAW2052: Foundations of Evidence Law

LAW4135: Wrongful Conviction

LAW1003: Criminal Law and Evidence

 

Professional activities & recognition

Prizes, awards & distinctions

  • 2012: Dean's Medal (School of Law, The University of Dundee)

Professional & learned societies

  • 2020 - Ongoing: Member, The Royal Society of Edinburgh, Young Academy of Scotland
  • 2017 - Ongoing: Member, The Law Society of Scotland, Criminal Law Committee

Additional information

In 2023 Mr Keane was appointed to the University's Student Skills and Professional Development work stream, which is leading on the implementation of this pillar of the Learning and Teaching Strategy.