Family spared trial over mummified remains of woman found on mattress – The Guardian

‘The brother, sister and mother of a woman whose mummified remains were found on a mattress will not face trial, a judge has ruled.’

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The Guardian, 9th November 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Consultation for vaccine passports – England – Law & Religion UK

‘Late on 27 September 2021, the Department of Health and Social Care issued the Consultation Proposal for mandatory COVID certification in a Plan B scenario: call for evidence, asking for responses by 11 October, although it encourages stakeholders to submit views as quickly as possible in case there is need to introduce certification, as part of Plan B, at short notice.’

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Law & Religion UK, 28th September 2021

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

Competition watchdog to probe Central England Co-op funeral deal – The Independent

‘The UK competition regulator is to investigate the takeover of funeral homes by the Central England Co-op amid increased scrutiny of the industry.’

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The Independent, 16th August 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

A woman has been jailed after vandalising the grave of a young diabetic man with the words: “Ha Ha Ha Liam. Looks like diabetes won again.”

‘A woman has been jailed after vandalising the grave of a young diabetic man with the words: “Ha Ha Ha Liam. Looks like diabetes won again.” ‘

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The Independent, 13th May 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

“Contested heritage” and offensive inscriptions: Re St Margaret Rottingdean – Law & Religion UK

Posted February 5th, 2021 in burials and cremation, demonstrations, ecclesiastical law, news, racism by sally

‘On 17 June 2020, we posted Of graves, headstones and “offensive” inscriptions: Re St Margaret’s Rottingdean in which we examined the judgment and directions in Re St Margaret Rottingdean [2020] ECC Chi 4, handed down on 15 June 2020, in the context of the developments following the public protests associated with the Black Lives Matter campaign which came to a head in the UK over the weekend of 6/7 June 2020 with the toppling of the statue of slave-trader Edward Colston and its deposit in the harbour in Bristol.’

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Law & Religion UK, 4th February 2021

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

Disputed burial and the Senior Courts Act 1981: Ganoun – Law & Religion UK

Posted November 2nd, 2020 in bereavement, burials and cremation, families, immigration, injunctions, news, visas by tracey

‘The issue in Ganoun v Joshi & Anor [2020] EWHC 2743 (Ch) was the disposal of the remains of a man who died in September 2020 as a result of a road traffic accident leaving a widow, Ms Joshi [1 & 3].’

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Law & Religion UK, 30th October 2020

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

Helen McCourt’s mother ordered to pay killer £40,000 legal fees – BBC News

Posted September 8th, 2020 in bereavement, bills, burials and cremation, costs, murder, news, parole by sally

‘A murdered woman’s mother has been told to pay her daughter’s killer £40,000 in legal fees.’

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BBC News, 7th September 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Christopher Alder: Legal action sought over body mix-up – BBC News

‘The sister of a man found in a mortuary 11 years after he was believed to have been buried is planning to take legal action against South Yorkshire Police.’

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BBC News, 25th August 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Funeral directors overcharging bereaved by at least £400, watchdog says – The Guardian

‘UK consumers are typically being overcharged by at least £400 – and possibly a lot more – when they pay for a funeral, according to Britain’s competition watchdog.’

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The Guardian, 13th August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judges urged to quash Helen McCourt killer’s parole – BBC News

‘The mother of a 22-year-old insurance clerk murdered in 1988 has asked judges to quash a Parole Board decision to release her daughter’s killer.’

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BBC News, 29th July 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Church of England disowns ruling on Irish epitaph on gravestone – The Guardian

‘The Church of England has disowned a legal ruling in its own religious courts after a grieving family was banned from erecting a memorial with an untranslated motto in Irish because it might arouse political “passions”.’

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The Guardian, 5th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Cremation under coronavirus restrictions – Law & Religion UK

‘As the coronavirus pandemic progresses, a recent indication of the development of funeral practices was given by The Guardian headline “UK councils begin to ban funeral ceremonies due to coronavirus“. Although dated 4 April, changes were being introduced by Leeds City Council as early as 20 March when it was announced that new funeral bookings (in Leeds) would be “cremation only”’ with no attendees.’

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Law & Religion UK, 15th April 2020

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Nicknames including “popsicle” banned on gravestones at Church of England church – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 11th, 2019 in burials and cremation, Church of England, ecclesiastical law, families, names, news by tracey

‘Nicknames on gravestones are not to be allowed, a Church of England court has declared as it bans the use of “popsicle” on a church’s headstones.’

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Daily Telegraph, 10th November 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Exhumation and the Permanence of Christian Burial: a review of recent consistory court judgments – Law & Religion UK

Posted November 13th, 2019 in burials and cremation, Christianity, ecclesiastical law, news by sally

‘The presumption of the permanence of Christian burial is well-known, as are the leading authorities on the test for granting a faculty for exhumation: In Re Christ Church Alsager[1] in the Province of York and In Re Blagdon Cemetery[2] in the Province of Canterbury. There have been a number of legislative[3] and common law[4] developments post these judgments, but they nevertheless remain the principal authorities on the topic.’

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Law & Religion UK, 12th November 2019

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Exhumation and reburial of Captain Matthew Flinders – Law & Religion UK

Posted October 28th, 2019 in burials and cremation, ecclesiastical law, news, railways by tracey

‘This post reviews the secular and ecclesiastical legislation involved in the exhumation of Captain Flinders’ remains, discovered during the archaeological investigation at Euston Station, London, and their reburial in rural Lincolnshire. It updates an earlier post and incorporates the helpful Comments made and subsequent new information, and clarifies the legislative requirements involved.’

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Law & Religion UK, 28th October 2019

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Exhumation without church or MoJ approval…- Law & Religion UK

Posted October 22nd, 2019 in burials and cremation, ecclesiastical law, Ministry of Justice, news by tracey

‘On 17 October 2019, the Daily Mail carried the snappily-titled, but detailed headline Remains of Captain Matthew Flinders – the man credited with naming Australia – will be reburied in his home village after being found in London during HS2 dig. The story concerns the remains of Captain Flinders which were discovered during the excavation of St James’s burial ground for the new High Speed rail project; the article explains:

“Following a request by descendants of the Flinders family and the local community that he be returned to his home village of Donington, Lincolnshire, HS2 Ltd’s chief executive Mark Thurston has written to the family to say he can be buried there.”

Well, not quite, for although under secular legislation, as the “nominated undertaker” under the Act, HS2 has the authority for the exhumation of Flinders’ remains and their subsequent retention, re-interment in the Donington churchyard is governed by ecclesiastical law.’

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Law & Religion UK, 19th October 2019

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Private burial vaults and adverse possession: Holy Trinity, Dalton – Law and Religion UK

Posted June 18th, 2019 in adverse possession, burials and cremation, Christianity, news, tribunals by tracey

‘The Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) has upheld the title of the descendants of the original grantor to a family burial vault in a closed church.’

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Law and Religion UK, 17th June 2019

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Competition watchdog to investigate funeral sector as prices escalate – The Guardian

Posted March 28th, 2019 in burials and cremation, competition, consumer protection, news by sally

‘Britain’s competition watchdog is launching a full investigation into the UK funeral market after it found the cost of organising a funeral increased by 6% each year – twice the inflation rate – for the last 14 years.’

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The Guardian, 28th March 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Evidence from the grave – I – Law & Religion UK

Posted March 14th, 2019 in burials and cremation, DNA, ecclesiastical law, forensic science, news by tracey

‘The permanence of Christian burial and the application of Re Blagdon Cemetery [2002] Fam 299 has been a continuing theme on L&RUK, and has also been explored in Leading Works on Law and Religion. This is the first of three posts in which we consider exhumation for the purpose of examining the remains of monarchs, mass murderers, and for medical research. Most recently, in Re St. John’s Cemetery Elswick [2018] ECC New 4, the court granted a faculty for a temporary disinterment for the purposes of obtaining a DNA analysis from bone fragments to be taken from the remains, in relation to a criminal conviction of the petitioner’s husband.’

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Law & Religion UK, 13th March 2019

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Walsall Council wins Muslim graves High Court battle – BBC News

Posted January 23rd, 2019 in burials and cremation, human rights, Islam, local government, news by sally

‘A Muslim man who said his human rights were breached by a council’s refusal to permit a marble edge around a grave has lost a High Court battle.’

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BBC News, 22nd January 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk