OFT investigates sale-and-rent-back firms – The Guardian

Posted January 30th, 2009 in advertising, consumer protection, news, repossession by sally

“The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is investigating 16 sale-and-rent-back firms amid concerns their advertisements could be misleading homeowners desperate to avoid being repossessed.”

Full story

The Guardian, 30th January 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Man who killed neighbour with samurai sword jailed for 11 years – The Guardian

Posted January 30th, 2009 in homicide, news, sentencing by sally

“A man was jailed for 11 years today for killing his neighbour with a samurai sword after a row over a child’s football.”

Full story

The Guardian, 30th January 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Fourteen-year-old boy sentenced for gun possession – The Guardian

Posted January 30th, 2009 in firearms, news, sentencing, young offenders by sally

“A schoolboy who stored a gun, silencers and ammunition at home was sentenced to an 18-month detention and training order today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 30th January 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Man fined £185 for being drunk in charge of horse – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 30th, 2009 in alcohol abuse, horses, news, sentencing by sally

“A man was fined £185 for being drunk in charge of a horse after riding the animal bareback through the streets.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 30th January 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Mail pays Church aide libel costs – BBC News

Posted January 30th, 2009 in defamation, news by sally

“The Daily Mail’s publishers have been ordered to pay court costs of a former Catholic Church spokesman who won a libel action against the newspaper.”

Full story 

BBC News, 30th January 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Nail-bomber given life sentence – BBC News

Posted January 30th, 2009 in attempts, news, terrorism by sally

“A Muslim convert has been jailed for life and must serve a minimum of 18 years after launching a failed suicide bomb attack on a restaurant in Devon.”

Full story 

BBC News, 30th January 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted January 30th, 2009 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Dobson & Ors v Thames Water Utilities Ltd & Anor [2009] EWCA Civ 28 (29 January 2009)

Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform v Amway (UK) Ltd [2009] EWCA Civ 32 (29 January 2009)

Salvage Wharf Ltd & Anor v G & S Brough Ltd [2009] EWCA Civ 21 (29 January 2009)

High Court (Administrative Court)

Smith, R (on the application of) v HMP Belmarsh & Anor [2009] EWHC 109 (Admin) (29 January 2009)

High Court (Commercial Court)

NML Capital Ltd v The Republic of Argentina [2009] EWHC 110 (Comm) (29 January 2009)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Heath v Southern Pacific Mortgage Ltd [2009] EWHC 103 (Ch) (29 January 2009)

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

Wakefield (t/a Wills Probate and Trusts of Weybridge) v Ford & Anor [2009] EWHC 122 (QB) (29 January 2009)

Source: www.bailli.org.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – OPSI

Posted January 30th, 2009 in legislation by sally

The Transfer of Tribunal Functions and Revenue and Customs Appeals Order 2009

The Street Works (Inspection Fees) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2009

The Joint Waste Authorities (Proposals) Regulations 2009

Source: www.opsi.gov.uk

Regina (Black) v Secretary of State for Justice – Times Law Reports

Posted January 30th, 2009 in human rights, law reports, parole, release on licence by sally

Regina (Black) v Secretary of State for Justice

House of Lords

“The provision requiring lawfulness of detention to be determined by a court was not infringed when the Secretary of State for Justice rather than the Parole Board determined whether certain long-term prisoners should be released on licence.”

The Times, 30th January 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Independent review recommends halving 30-year rule – Ministry of Justice

Posted January 30th, 2009 in press releases, public records by sally

“The review team set up to examine how public records are made available has recommended that the government halves the number of years the public must wait to see government information.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 29th January 2009

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Babysitter jailed for raping girl – BBC News

Posted January 30th, 2009 in child abuse, news, rape, sentencing by sally

“A Teesside man has been jailed for six years after admitting repeatedly raping a five-year-old girl he babysat for.”

Full story

BBC News, 29th January 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Deal reached on Gurkhas’ right to settle in UK – The Guardian

Posted January 30th, 2009 in armed forces, Gurkhas, immigration by sally

“Thousands more Gurkha veterans and their families will have the right to settle in the United Kingdom in an agreement expected to be announced next week, government officials have confirmed.”

Full story

The Guardian, 30th January 2009

Parents of Rhys Jones ‘disgusted’ by sentences – The Independent

Posted January 30th, 2009 in murder, news, sentencing, young offenders by sally

“The parents of Rhys Jones, the 11-year-old boy shot dead in Liverpool in August 2007 as he walked home from football practice, spoke of their  ‘disgust’  last night after a judge ruled that three gang members convicted over the killing will serve only five years in prison between them.”

Full story

The Independent, 30th January 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘Barmy’ legal aid for failed asylum seeker – The Independent

Posted January 30th, 2009 in asylum, legal aid, news by sally

“A decision to give legal aid to a failed asylum seeker and fraudster has been described as ‘barmy’.”

Full story

The Independent, 30th January 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Senior Met officer to review Lords corruption claims – The Guardian

Posted January 30th, 2009 in news, parliament, peerages & dignities by sally

“John Yates, the Scotland Yard assistant commissioner who headed the ‘cash for honours’  inquiry, is to review whether four Labour peers should face a police inquiry, it was announced yesterday.”

Full story 

The Guardian, 30th January 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legal threat to councils over rape victims – The Guardian

Posted January 30th, 2009 in local government, news, rape, victims by sally

“More than 100 councils will today be threatened with legal action over their failure to provide rape crisis centres and domestic violence support services, with a strongly worded warning issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.”

Full story

The Guardian, 30th January 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bruising battle looms over release of records – The Times

Posted January 30th, 2009 in news, public records by sally

“The proposal to halve from 30 to 15 years the period before government records are publicly released is both welcome and overdue. But this is only part of the answer to the question of what, and when, the public should know about how decisions are taken on their behalf, as is recognised in yesterday’s independent review by a panel including Paul Dacre, Editor of the Daily Mail, who was chairman; Professor Sir David Cannadine, the historian; and Sir Joe Pilling, a retired Permanent Secretary.”

Full story 

The Times, 30th January 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted January 29th, 2009 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

ETS v BT [2009] EWCA Civ 20 (28 January 2009)

Kennedy, R (on the application of) v The Health and Safety Executive [2009] EWCA Civ 25 (28 January 2009)

Buglife -The Invertebrate Conservation Trust, R (on the application of) v Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation & Anor [2009] EWCA Civ 29 (28 January 2009)

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission v Manterfield [2009] EWCA Civ 27 (28 January 2009)

High Court (Technology and Construction Court)

Dalkia Energy and Technical Services Ltd v Bell Group UK Ltd [2009] EWHC 73 (TCC) (21 January 2009)

Bovis Lend Lease Ltd v The Trustees of the London Clinic [2009] EWHC 64 (TCC) (28 January 2009)

Source: www.bailii.org

‘Written tests are no guide to your ability to be a judge’ – The Times

Posted January 29th, 2009 in examinations, judicial appointments commission, judicial review, news by sally

“A judge has taken the unprecedented step of launching legal action because he failed to be shortlisted for a judicial post after sitting a new written test. David Page, 58, who has sat as a £102,000-a-year full-time immigration judge since 2002, was insulted and shocked to find that he was ruled out after two 40-minute written papers.”

Full story 

The Times, 29th January 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Inquests without a jury: the Government needs to think again – The Times

Posted January 29th, 2009 in inquests, juries, news by sally

“The Coroners and Justice Bill, which had its second reading in the House of Commons on Monday, allows the Secretary of State for Justice to specify that an inquest should take place without a jury to prevent ‘harm to the public interest’. The Government has failed to justify such a broad discretion to remove an important safeguard against abuse of power.”

Full story

The Times, 29th January 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk