What if they are innocent? Justice for people accused of sexual and child abuse – OUP Blog

Posted October 26th, 2016 in child abuse, criminal justice, evidence, news, sexual offences by sally

‘Many people watching the UK television drama National Treasure will have made their minds up about the guilt or innocence of the protagonist well before the end of the series. In episode one we learn that this aging celebrity has ‘slept around’ throughout his long marriage but when an allegation of non-recent sexual assault is made he strenuously denies it. His wife knows about his infidelities and chooses to believe him, but his daughter, who for years has struggled with mental ill-health, substance abuse problems and fractured relationships, seems to be troubled by memories from her childhood. As the episodes unfold, the series gives the audience chance to be judge and jury, employing whatever bits of information are available to them and, not least, their own prior assumptions about such cases.’

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OUP Blog, 21st October 2016

Source: www.blog.oup.com

Abused woman ‘failed’ as imam Hifiz Rahman flees – BBC News

Posted October 26th, 2016 in fugitive offenders, news, sexual offences, victims by sally

‘A woman who was abused as a child by an imam said she has been “failed by the justice system” after he was able to flee the country before being jailed.’

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BBC News, 25th October 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Reducing the Homelessness Reduction Bill. Part 1 – Nearly Legal

Posted October 26th, 2016 in bills, homelessness, housing, news by sally

‘Monday’s big news was the Govt announcement that it will support the Homelessness Reduction Bill – Bob Blackman MP’s private members bill, due for second reading on 28 October. But exactly what is it that the Govt is supporting?’

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Nearly Legal, 25th October 2016

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Whose Article 10 rights – the journalist or the confidential source? – Panopticon

Posted October 26th, 2016 in appeals, confidentiality, disclosure, human rights, media, news, police by sally

‘Does a media corporation breach a source’s article 10 rights by voluntarily disclosing their identity to the police? Is source confidentiality lost by criminal conduct? These are the questions that the Court of Appeal had to grapple with in the appeal against conviction brought by former prison officer Robert Norman.’

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Panopticon, 24th October 2016

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

Law schools urged to reconsider how they prepare students for practice amid concerns about ethics – Legal Futures

Posted October 26th, 2016 in legal education, news, professional conduct, reports by sally

‘More than one in five law students polled in the UK and the US admit that they would falsify time records for personal and business gain, according to a study of student ethics.’

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Legal Futures, 25th October 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Quantifying Damages for Breach of Privacy – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted October 26th, 2016 in damages, data protection, human rights, news, privacy by sally

‘In October 2013, the Home Office published statistics on its family returns process, the means by which children with no right to remain in the UK are sent back to their country of origin. In addition to anonymised statistics uploaded onto the government website, the Home Office mistakenly uploaded the spreadsheet of raw data on which those statistics were based. That spreadsheet included personal details such as names and rough geographical locations of applicants for asylum or leave to remain, though not their addresses. The data was online for 13 days before being removed, but a number of IP addresses in the UK and abroad visited the relevant web page. Those concerned were notified, and brought claims under the Data Protection Act 1998 and the common law tort of misuse of private information.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 25th October 2016

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Offensive weapons, sentencing and costs – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 26th, 2016 in costs, news, offensive weapons, sentencing by sally

‘While an offence of possessing an offensive weapon does not occur if a person is lawfully in possession of an article when it is suddenly used in the heat of an altercation, R v Tucker [2016] EWCA Crim 13 confirms that it is otherwise if a person leaves the scene to collect a weapon.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 10th October 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Christopher Biggins cleared by Ofcom over Big Brother bisexual comments – BBC News

Posted October 26th, 2016 in children, complaints, media, news, transgender persons by sally

‘Comments about bisexuality made by Christopher Biggins on Channel 5’s Celebrity Big Brother have been found not in breach of broadcasting rules.’

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BBC News, 24th October 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Man jailed for stalking mother of murdered toddler James Bulger – The Guardian

Posted October 26th, 2016 in news, recidivists, sentencing, stalking by sally

‘A man has been jailed for stalking the mother of the murdered toddler James Bulger.’

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The Guardian, 25th October 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk