Lostprophets’ Ian Watkins guilty of child sex offences – BBC News

‘Ian Watkins, singer of Welsh rock band Lostprophets, has pleaded guilty to a series of “depraved” child sex offences including attempted rape of a baby.’

Full story

BBC News, 26th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Court battle over burial of Richard III adjourned – BBC News

‘The legal battle over where the remains of Richard III should be buried has been adjourned at the High Court. A judicial review will decide whether the procedure that led to his bones being excavated in Leicester and the decision to reinter them at the city’s cathedral, was conducted correctly.’

Full story

BBC News, 26th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

CPS decisions in Operation Alice – incident at Downing Street on 19 September 2012 – Crown Prosecution Service

‘CPS decisions in Operation Alice – incident at Downing Street on 19 September 2012.’

Full press release

Crown Prosecution Service, 26th November 2013

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

One officer charged over ‘Plebgate’ – BBC News

‘A police officer is to be charged with misconduct in a public office over the Andrew Mitchell “Plebgate” row.’

Full story

BBC News, 26th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judge sentencing rapist, 12, warns against using Internet as a babysitter – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 26th, 2013 in children, internet, news, pornography, rape, sentencing, young offenders by tracey

‘A judge has warned that the Internet cannot be used as a “babysitter” as he sentenced a 12-year-old for raping his younger sister after watching porn at school.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 26th November 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

BSB closes “anomaly” that would have forced barristers to accept VHCC fee cut – Legal Futures

Posted November 26th, 2013 in barristers, fees, legal aid, news by tracey

‘The Bar Standards Board has moved to close a “regulatory anomaly” that would have temporarily seen barristers forced to accept the controversial new legal aid rates set by the government for very high-cost cases (VHCCs).’

Full story

Legal Futures, 26th November 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Adam Perry and Farrah Ahmed: Are Constitutional Statutes ‘Quasi-Entrenched’? – UK Constitutional Law Group

Posted November 26th, 2013 in constitutional law, extradition, news, repeals, Scotland by tracey

‘The Supreme Court issued its decision in H v Lord Advocate (pdf) in 2012. The decision has been virtually ignored by constitutional scholars, but we believe it may be of great constitutional significance. In this post we explain why, starting with some background about constitutional statutes.’

Full story

UK Constitutional Law Group, 26th November 2013

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org/blog

Small and mighty – Legal Voice

Posted November 26th, 2013 in law firms, legal aid, legal profession, news by tracey

‘The government may want to hand out criminal legal aid contracts to fewer, bigger firms, but smaller practices with lower overhead costs are arguably in a better position to survive the planned 17.5 per cent cuts, argues David Gilmore.’

Full story

Legal Voice, 26th November 2013

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Forced marriage and the “lawfully wedded” wife – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted November 26th, 2013 in bills, forced marriages, news by tracey

‘Today, on the 32nd International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill reaches the Committee stage of the House of Lords. The Bill introduces a raft of measures covering matters as diverse as dangerous dogs, extradition proceedings, firearms and, tucked away in Part 10, forced marriage. Forced marriage is to be criminalised. “Was it not already?”, you may ask.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 25th November 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

FGM – No More Excuses – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted November 26th, 2013 in female genital mutilation, health, news, prosecutions, reports, select committees by tracey

‘There is no topic more appropriate to write about on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women than that of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). FGM involves the partial or total removal of a girl’s genitalia for non-medical reasons. The potential health risks resulting from the FGM procedure are numerous and severe: in extreme cases it can lead to sterility, infection, haemorrhaging and death. The risks associated with FGM are exacerbated by the fact that it is usually performed by people with no formal medical training in unsanitary conditions. Many statements from girls who were mutilated describe being physically held down on tables in make-shift theatres, and having their genitalia cut with sharp implements. Anaesthetic is rarely used.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 25th November 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted November 26th, 2013 in legislation by tracey

The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure and Section 62A Applications) (England) (Amendment) Order 2013

The Energy Supply Company Administration (Amendment) Rules 2013

The Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Rules 2013

The National Health Service (Approval of Licensing Criteria) Order 2013

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Regina (Ignaoua) v Secretary of State for the Home Department – WLR Daily

Posted November 26th, 2013 in appeals, immigration, judicial review, law reports, legislation, regulations, ultra vires by tracey

Regina (Ignaoua) v Secretary of State for the Home Department: [2013] EWCA Civ 1498; [2013] WLR (D) 451

‘New certification provisions introduced in 2013, in so far as they purported to empower the Home Secretary automatically to terminate any existing proceedings for judicial review of a direction excluding the claimant from the United Kingdom on national security grounds, were outside the powers conferred by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission Act 1997 as amended.’

WLR Daily, 21st November 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Patel and others v Secretary of State for the Home Department; Anwar v Same; Alam v Same – WLR Daily

Posted November 26th, 2013 in appeals, human rights, immigration, law reports, Supreme Court, tribunals by tracey

Patel and others v Secretary of State for the Home Department; Anwar v Same; Alam v Same: [2013] UKSC 72; [2013] WLR (D)  450

‘The Home Secretary was not under a duty to issue a direction for removal from the United Kingdom at the same time as refusing an application for an extension of limited leave to remain in the United Kingdom. A tribunal hearing an immigration appeal against a refusal of further leave to remain in the United Kingdom may consider additional grounds which had not been raised before the Home Secretary before the decision under appeal had been made but which had subsequently been raised in response to a one stop notice.’

WLR Daily, 20th November 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisons

Posted November 26th, 2013 in law reports by tracey

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Oboh & Ors v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2013] EWCA Civ 1525 (25 November 2013)

Resolution Chemicals Ltd v H Lundbeck A/S [2013] EWCA Civ 1515 (25 November 2013)

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

Croesus Financial Services Ltd v Bradshaw & Anor [2013] EWHC 3685 (QB) (25 November 2013)

Source: www.bailii.org

What’s mine is mine… – New Law Journal

Posted November 26th, 2013 in cohabitation, divorce, financial provision, news by tracey

‘Ed Heaton explores the rights of cohabitants.’

Full story

New Law Journal, 22nd November 2013

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

MoJ data shows black offenders more likely to be jailed – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 26th, 2013 in imprisonment, news, race discrimination, sentencing, statistics by tracey

‘Black people are more likely to be charged and sent to prison than white people – and to receive longer custodial sentences, according to official Ministry of Justice statistics.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 25th November 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Clare’s Law: is it just a sticking plaster on a far more serious problem? – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 26th, 2013 in domestic violence, legislation, news, victims by tracey

‘The new legislation is supposed to protect victims of domestic violence, but will it really help? Olivia Goldhill interviews domestic violence charity NIA to find out how much Clare’s Law can help prevent abuse.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 25th November 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

‘Close to death’ hunger striker faces imminent deportation after court defeat – The Independent

Posted November 26th, 2013 in appeals, asylum, demonstrations, deportation, detention, immigration, news by tracey

‘A man who is “close to death” after being on hunger strike in immigration detention for three months could be sent back to Nigeria on Wednesday after his case failed in the Court of Appeal.’

Full story

The Independent, 25th November 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Surgeon struck off for lying about removing brain tumour – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 26th, 2013 in disciplinary procedures, disqualification, doctors, news, professional conduct by tracey

‘A neurosurgeon who falsely told a woman he had removed her brain tumour, and then tried to cover up his lie, has been struck off.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 25th November 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

High Court moves to hotel room as frail father sues sons – The Independent

Posted November 26th, 2013 in courts, families, hotels, news, trusts by tracey

‘The barristers removed their wigs and gowns, the judge presided over the hearing in a suit and the usual wood-panelled backdrop was replaced with a conference suite when the High Court moved to a luxury London hotel yesterday. The unusual venue was granted for an extraordinary feud involving members of the Singh family, the owners of part of the Radisson Blu hotel chain.’

Full story

The Independent, 26th November 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk