Three year consumer lock-in is illegal, says OFT – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 16th, 2010 in consumer protection, news, unfair contract terms by sally

“Gym membership contracts that lasted for three years and could not be cancelled breached consumer protection laws, according to consumer protection regulator the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 15th March 2010

Source: www.out-law.com

Couple charged as FSA clamps down on insider dealing – The Guardian

Posted March 16th, 2010 in extradition, financial regulation, insider dealing, news by sally

“A former Dresdner Kleinwort investment banker and his wife have been charged with insider dealing as part of an ongoing effort by the Financial Services Authority to crack down on market abuse, which the watchdog admitted over the weekend was still ‘unacceptably high’ in the City.”

Full story

The Guardian, 15th March 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Fifth member of staff jailed for indecent relationship with pupil at sex scandal-hit school – Daily Telegraph

“A fifth member of staff at a comprehensive school involved in a scandal over sex with pupils has been jailed after he conducted an indecent relationship with a 15-year-old girl.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 13th March 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Child protection court fees scrapped – The Guardian

Posted March 16th, 2010 in family courts, fees, news, reports by sally

“The government has pledged to scrap family court fees after an official review found evidence that the high cost was deterring some social service departments from applying to take abused and neglected children into care.”

Full story

The Guardian, 15th March 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Expats await state pension ruling – The Guardian

Posted March 16th, 2010 in indexation, news, pensions by sally

“More than half a million retired Britons living abroad could be in line for payouts from the UK government if a European court today rules in their favour. After years of courtroom wrangling, 13 expatriates will learn if they have won their test case for the right to index-linked rises routinely paid to UK-based pensioners but denied to those who have settled in certain countries overseas.”

Full story

The Guardian, 16th March 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Shortfalls in CPS leads to hundreds of defendants avoiding trial – The Times

Posted March 16th, 2010 in news by sally

“Failings in the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in London have allowed hundreds of defendants to go free without facing trial, inspectors have found.”

Full story

The Times, 16th March 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Paedophile teacher Gerard Raffell paid off parents of 4-year-old – The Times

Posted March 16th, 2010 in news by sally

“The parents of a four-year-old abuse victim accepted money, which they used for a deposit on a new house, from their son’s attacker rather than reporting him to police.”

Full story

The Times, 16th March 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – OPSI

Posted March 15th, 2010 in legislation by sally

The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (Commencement No. 1, Consequential, Transitional and Savings Provisions) (England and Wales) Order 2010

The Smoke Control Areas (Exempted Fireplaces) (England) Order 2010

The Smoke Control Areas (Authorised Fuels) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2010

The Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008 (Commencement No. 7) Order 2010

The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) (England) Order 2010

The Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 (Commencement No.14) Order 2010

The Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (Moratorium) (Prescribed Steps) Order 2010

The Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (Penalty and Compensation Notices) Regulations 2010

The Housing Management Agreements (Break Clause)(England) Regulations 2010

The Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (Consequential Provisions) (No. 2) Order 2010

The Income Tax (Construction Industry Scheme) (Amendment) Regulations 2010

The Health Act 2009 (Powers in Relation to NHS Bodies—Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2010

The Social Security (Contributions) (Amendment No. 4) Regulations 2010

The Policing and Crime Act 2009 (Consequential Provisions) (England) Order 2010

The Occupational Pension Schemes (Employer Debt and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2010

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Procedure on Applications and Execution of Warrants) Regulations 2010

The Insolvency (Amendment) (No. 2) Rules 2010

The Diseases of Animals (Approved Disinfectants) (Fees) (England) Order 2010

The Tax Credits (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2010

Source: www.opsi.gov.uk

Senior legal officer rejects downplaying low rape convictions – The Times

Posted March 15th, 2010 in news by sally

“Britain’s low conviction rate for rape should continue to be highlighted according to the solicitor general despite the recommendations made in a report by Baroness Stern today.”

Full story

The Times, 15th March 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Schools ‘break law’ to spy on pupils – The Guardian

Posted March 15th, 2010 in closed circuit television, news, privacy, school children, teachers by sally

“Pupils are monitored by CCTV cameras as frequently as inmates in prisons and passengers at airports, research shows.”

Full story

The Guardian, 15th March 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted March 15th, 2010 in law reports by sally

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

McKeown v British Horseracing Authority [2010] EWHC 508 (QB) (12 March 2010)

High Court (Administrative Court)

Rowe, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2010] EWHC 524 (Admin) (12 March 2010)

Cooperative Group Ltd, R (on the application of) v Northumberland County Council [2010] EWHC 373 (Admin) (12 March 2010)

Raw, R (on the application of) v London Borough of Lambeth [2010] EWHC 507 (Admin) (12 March 2010)

Source: www.bailii.org

Giving soldiers human rights in war zones ‘will hamper battlefield commanders’ – The Times

Posted March 15th, 2010 in news by sally

“A mother’s battle to ensure that soldiers in war zones have their human rights protected will be challenged by the Government today as it argues that commanders will fear being sued for decisions made in the heat of battle.”

Full story

The Times, 15th March 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Police could face legal action over ‘unfair’ searches – The Independent

Posted March 15th, 2010 in news, police, race discrimination, stop and search by sally

“Police forces were threatened with legal action today as the Government’s equality watchdog said black and Asian Britons were still being unfairly targeted for stop and searches.”

Full story

The Independent, 15th March 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – OPSI

Posted March 15th, 2010 in legislation by sally

The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Commencement No. 15, Consequential Amendments and Transitional and Savings Provisions) Order 2010

The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Skills Training Conditionality Pilot) Regulations 2010

The Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions Designation (No.2) (West Sussex) (Chichester and Crawley) Order 2010

The Children Act 1989 (Contact Activity Directions and Conditions: Financial Assistance) (Revocation and Transitional Provision) (England) Regulations 2010

The Insolvency (Scotland) Amendment Rules 2010

The Insolvency (Amendment) Rules 2010

The Crime and Disorder (Formulation and Implementation of Strategy) (Amendment) Regulations 2010

The Crime and Disorder (Formulation and Implementation of Strategy) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2010

The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) (England) Order 2010

The Town and Country Planning (Compensation) (England) Regulations 2010

The Crime and Disorder (Prescribed Information) (Amendment) Regulations 2010

The Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) (Amendment) Regulations 2010

The Occupational Pension Schemes (Levy Ceiling) Order 2010

The Pension Protection Fund (Pension Compensation Cap) Order 2010

The Authorisation of Frequency Use for the Provision of Mobile Satellite Services (European Union) Regulations 2010

The Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009, Parts 7 and 8 (Consequential Amendments) Order 2010

The Criminal Defence Service (Funding) (Amendment) Order 2010

The Criminal Defence Service (Funding) (Police Station Advice and Assistance) Order 2010

The Conditional Fee Agreements (Amendment) Order 2010

Youth Rehabilitation Order (Review by Specified Courts) Order 2010

The Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 (Directions to OFCOM) Order 2010

The Legislative Reform (Licensing) (Interim Authority Notices etc) Order 2010

Source: www.opsi.gov.uk

Agbaje v Agbaje – Times Law Reports

Posted March 15th, 2010 in law reports by sally

Agbaje v Agbaje

Supreme Court

“An English court was not required to apply a forum non conveniens test when considering whether it would be appropriate to make an order for financial relief following a divorce which had been granted in a foreign jurisdiction. The basis of the court’s power was that it might be appropriate for two jurisdictions to be involved, one for the divorce and the other for ancillary relief.”

The Times, 15th March 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Corporal Dewi Pritchard was ‘sent with a laurel leaf, not a gun’ – The Times

Posted March 15th, 2010 in news by sally

“Anthony Pritchard feels furious and forgotten. Like many military relatives who have lost loved ones in Iraq and Afghanistan, he has a lot of unanswered questions about the death of his son in Basra in August 2003.”

Full story

The Times, 15th March 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Fears over non-Muslims’ use of Islamic law to resolve disputes – The Guardian

Posted March 15th, 2010 in dispute resolution, islamic law, law firms, news, tribunals by sally

“Campaigners have voiced concerns over a growing number of non-Muslims using Islamic law to resolve legal disputes in Britain despite controversy over the role of sharia law.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th March 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Animal rights activist using FOI laws to target universities – The Guardian

Posted March 15th, 2010 in demonstrations, freedom of information, news, universities, vivisection by sally

“A convicted animal rights activist is using freedom of information laws to force universities to reveal details of their animal experiments, raising fears that scientists involved could suffer renewed intimidation.”

Full story

The Guardian, 15th March 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lords place themselves beyond reach of the law – The Times

Posted March 15th, 2010 in news by sally

“Peers who have claimed hundreds of thousands of pounds for homes they rarely visit will escape prosecution through a House of Lords loophole.”

Full story

The Times, 13th March 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Man fined over Facebook insult to ex-girlfriend – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 15th, 2010 in fines, harassment, internet, news by sally

“A man has been ordered to pay £165 for calling his ex-girlfriend an offensive name on Facebook, in one of the first cases of its kind.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 12th March 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk