Child laws are fuelling rise in smacking, warns NSPCC – The Observer

Posted September 17th, 2007 in child abuse, corporal punishment, news by sally

“A leading children’s charity has warned ministers that they must reverse the law that allows parents to smack their children, amid evidence that it is fuelling ‘invisible abuse’.”

Full story

The Observer, 16th September 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

£100,000 for abused siblings council failed to take into care – The Guardian

Posted September 17th, 2007 in child abuse, compensation, duty of care, local government, news by sally

“A 39-year-old woman and her two younger siblings have won a total of £100,000 in an out-of-court settlement with Hackney council in east London because it failed to remove them as children from their abusive home.”

Full story

The Guardian, 17th September 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Couple make new attempt to win back ‘miracle’ boy – The Guardian

Posted September 17th, 2007 in adoption, custody, news by sally

“One of the longest child custody cases in British legal history is to return to the high court as an infertile African couple make a new attempt to recover the child they claim as their ‘miracle’ baby.”

Full story

The Guardian, 15th September 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Addict’s family blame police as heroin death inquest draws blank – The Guardian

Posted September 17th, 2007 in drug abuse, inquests, news, police by sally

“The family of heroin addict Rachel Whitear said yesterday they would never be able to prove the truth about their daughter’s death because of the ‘incompetence’ and ‘negligence’ of the initial investigation.”

Full story

The Guardian, 15th September 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Reclassification of cannabis ‘fuels youth crime wave’ – The Independent

Posted September 17th, 2007 in drug abuse, news, young offenders by sally

“Cannabis use among Britain’s young offenders is ‘out of control’, up by 75 per cent in some areas and fuelling a crime epidemic, with youngsters stealing to fund their addictions, according to two studies.”

Full story

The Independent, 17th September 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Langham given ten-month jail term for child porn offence – The Independent

Posted September 17th, 2007 in children, news, pornography, sentencing by sally

“The actor Chris Langham broke down in tears yesterday as he was sentenced to 10 months in prison for downloading child pornography.”

Full story

The Independent, 15th September 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Judges face work assessment by their peers – The Times

Posted September 17th, 2007 in judiciary, news by sally

“Judges face having their performance in court assessed under plans to ensure that their skills in handling cases are up to scratch and that they treat people fairly and courteously.”

Full story

The Times, 17th September 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

BAILII Recent Decisions

Posted September 14th, 2007 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Gull v Gull [2007] EWCA Civ 900 (31 August 2007)

Man Nutzfahrzeuge Ag & Anor v Freightliner Ltd [2007] EWCA Civ 910 (12 September 2007)

Bee v Jenson [2007] EWCA Civ 923 (13 September 2007)

High Court (Administrative Court)

Breckon v DPP [2007] EWHC 2013 (Admin) (22 August 2007)

Powell & Ors, R (on the application of) v  Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government & Anor [2007] EWHC 2051 (Admin) (22 August 2007)

Gale & Ors, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government & Ors [2007] EWHC 2053 (Admin) (23 August 2007)

Federation of Tour Operators & Ors, R (on the application of) v HM Revenue & Customs & Ors [2007] EWHC 2062 (Admin) (04 September 2007)

Brooke & Anor, R (on the application of) v The Parole Board & Anor [2007] EWHC 2036 (Admin) (07 September 2007)

Opportunity knocks – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 14th, 2007 in judicial appointments commission, judiciary, special report by sally

“The goal of the Judicial Appointments Commission – led by Baroness Usha Prashar – was to create a fairer recruitment process for the judiciary. But has much changed?”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 13th September 2007

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Criminal behaviour – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 14th, 2007 in ASBOs, special report by sally

“It is eight years since anti-social behaviour orders were introduced. Polly Botsford looks at what, if any, impact they have made.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 13th September 2007

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Independent review of police presented – Home Office

Posted September 14th, 2007 in police, reports by sally

“Sir Ronnie Flanagan has written an interim report on the review he is conducting into policing; in it he calls for police to be given more freedom from red tape and paperwork.”

Full report

Home Office, 12th September 2007

Source: www.homeoffice.gov.uk

Chairman’s end of summer report to all members of the Bar – The Bar Council

Posted September 14th, 2007 in barristers, fees, legal services by sally

“The Chairman of the Bar Council, Geoffrey Vos QC, is today sending out a letter to all members of the Bar providing a report on developments over the summer. This includes progress on matters such as Graduated Fees, VHCCs and the Legal Services Bill.”

Full text of letter

The Bar Council, 13th September 2007

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Prince sues internet sites for breaching his copyright – The Independent

Posted September 14th, 2007 in copyright, internet, news by sally

“He gave away his last album free with a newspaper, but Prince has now taken a stance to defend the rights of the artist by launching a legal action against internet sites that he claims have infringed his copyright.”

Full story

The Independent, 14th September 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Chatroom users “goaded man in web suicide” – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 14th, 2007 in inquests, internet, news, suicide by sally

“A coroner yesterday called for ‘insult chatrooms’ to be regulated after members of one site encouraged a man to commit suicide while dozens watched live over the internet.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 14th September 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Equality Bill seeks to ban genetic discrimination – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 14th, 2007 in disability discrimination, DNA, genetic testing, news by sally

“A ‘landmark’ measure to outlaw unfair genetic discrimination should be included in a new Equality Bill, the country’s leading human DNA watchdog will say tomorrow.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 13th September 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Home information pack trainer stripped of role – The Guardian

Posted September 14th, 2007 in home information packs, news by sally

“The accident-prone home information packs regime suffered another blow after it emerged yesterday that a main trainer of energy assessors has been stripped of its status as an approved centre.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th September 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The elegant businesswoman and her middle-class paedophile ring – The Times

Posted September 14th, 2007 in child abuse, news, sexual offences by sally

“Monica McCanch presented a well-dressed face of confident respectability to the world. She worked for Pfizer, the pharmaceutical company, in Kent before taking redundancy last year for a new life in Jamaica, where she planned to invest in eco-tourism. Yesterday the past caught up with McCanch, 55, when she pleaded guilty to four offences of sexual activity with a child and one of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.”

Full story

The Times, 14th September 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Religious hatred: a crime from October, but exemptions are wide – OUT-Law.com

Posted September 13th, 2007 in freedom of expression, inciting religious hatred, news by sally

“The Racial and Religious Hatred Act comes into force in October, carrying a threat of prison terms for a person who tries to stir up religious hatred. However, its free speech exemptions are so wide that convictions could be difficult, a lawyer said.”

Full story

OUT-Law.com, 13th September 2007

Source: www.out-law.com

Lord Chief Justice speaks out against US-style selection of judges – The Times

Posted September 13th, 2007 in judiciary, news by sally

“Britain’s most senior judge has strongly opposed any move towards American-style selection of judges involving Parliament. ”

Full story

The Times, 13th September 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

MoJ fast-tracks LSB reforms to usher in non-lawyer partners – Legal Week

Posted September 13th, 2007 in law firms, news, partnerships by sally

“Non-lawyers could become partners in law firms by 2008, it has emerged, after the Government amended the Legal Services Bill to fast-track the early introduction of its controversial plans for alternative business structures (ABSs).”

Full story

Legal Week, 13th September 2007

Source: www.legalweek.com