Damages award for rights breach drug dealer – The Independent

Posted April 6th, 2010 in bail, damages, drug offences, news by sally

“A convicted drug dealer was awarded £880 compensation by a European court which ruled her human rights were breached by a British judge.”

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The Independent, 2nd April 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

SFO counters critics with improved conviction rate – The Guardian

Posted April 6th, 2010 in compensation, fraud, news, Serious Fraud Office by sally

“The Serious Fraud Office published figures today showing its conviction rate had jumped over the last year despite steep budget cuts in a direct riposte to critics who have called for the crime agency to be scrapped.”

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The Guardian, 1st April 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Call for ‘fuller’ debate on Digital Economy Bill – BBC News

Posted April 6th, 2010 in bills, copyright, internet, news by sally

“Opponents of the controversial Digital Economy Bill have urged MPs to give it ‘the debate it deserves’ when it is discussed in the Commons later.”

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BBC News, 6th April 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Exclusive: Britain: A ‘safe haven’ for war criminals – The Independent

Posted April 6th, 2010 in news, war crimes by sally

“Record numbers of alleged mass murderers and torturers have found safe haven in the UK, making this country one of the war criminal capitals of the world, it is claimed today.”

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The Independent, 6th April 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Judges given free rein by ‘pitifully loose’ sentencing law – The Guardian

Posted April 6th, 2010 in legislation, news, sentencing by sally

“New legislation guiding judges on sentencing criminals is so ‘pitifully loose’ that judgments could become idiosyncratic and inconsistent, according to the head of the Sentencing Advisory Panel.”

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The Guardian, 5th April 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Privacy watchdog can issue £500,000 fines from 6 April – OUT-LAW.com

Posted April 6th, 2010 in data protection, fines, news, privacy by sally

“Privacy regulator the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) will have the power to fine organisations for serious data protection breaches from Tuesday, 6th April. Organisations could receive fines of up to £500,000 under the new powers.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 1st April 2010

Source: www.out-law.com

Ministry of Justice orders legal review of superinjunctions – The Guardian

Posted April 6th, 2010 in freedom of expression, injunctions, media, Ministry of Justice, news by sally

“A legal review of the use of superinjunctions to suppress media reporting has been ordered by the Ministry of Justice.”

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The Guardian, 5th April 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lap-dancing club rules change comes into force – BBC News

Posted April 6th, 2010 in licensing, local government, news, sex establishments by sally

“Lap-dancing clubs in England must apply to councils for a licence under new rules which have come into force.”

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BBC News, 6th April 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

MP fights libel fee change – The Times

Posted April 6th, 2010 in news by sally

“Plans to reduce the huge fees charged by libel lawyers who bring successful cases could be scuppered by one of the prime minister’s closest allies this week.”

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The Times, 4th April 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

National rail strike off as court grants injunction – The Guardian

Posted April 6th, 2010 in industrial action, injunctions, news, railways by sally

“A high court judge today (1 April) granted Network Rail a temporary injunction to block next week’s planned four-day rail strike by signal workers.”

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The Guardian, 1st April 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Goldsmith’s advice on treatment of Iraqi prisoners is censored – The Independent

Posted April 6th, 2010 in attorney general, confidentiality, human rights, inquiries, Iraq, news, torture by sally

“The Government has blocked the release of the former attorney general Lord Goldsmith’s advice about whether human rights law applied to British troops in Iraq when handling prisoners.”

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The Independent, 2nd April 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Couples who pay surrogate mothers could lose right to raise the child – The Guardian

Posted April 6th, 2010 in news, parental responsibility, surrogacy by sally

“Childless couples who acquire a baby using a surrogate mother abroad risk not being recognised as its parents in Britain if they flout British law by paying fees, fertility lawyers have warned.”

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The Guardian, 5th April 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Herbal therapists face regulation crackdown – BBC News

Posted April 6th, 2010 in complementary medicine, medicines, news by sally

“The government has announced plans to force all providers of unlicensed herbal medicines to register with a regulator.”

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BBC News, 1st April 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

First men arrested for using prostitutes under new laws – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 6th, 2010 in news, prostitution by sally

“Three men from London have become the first to be arrested for using prostitutes under new laws.”

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Daily Telegraph, 1st April 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Judge’s warning over Europe’s legal power – The Independent

Posted April 6th, 2010 in human rights, judges, news by sally

“British courts must have the final say over European human rights law, the country’s most senior judge has warned.”

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The Independent, 2nd April 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Science libel verdict is a forceful blow in defence of freedom of speech – The Times

Posted April 6th, 2010 in news by sally

“Senior judges have struck a blow for freedom of speech in ruling that opinions should be protected by the courts — and their authors from the chilling effects of libel laws. The judges, headed by the Lord Chief Justice, made clear that it was not for the courts to try to disentangle fact from opinion.”

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The Times, 2nd April 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

MPs urge OFT inquiry into council-run newspapers – The Guardian

Posted April 6th, 2010 in inquiries, local government, media, news by sally

“The Office of Fair Trading should investigate the recent trend of councils producing their own local newspapers, according to a committee of MPs that accuses some authorities of using public cash to finance publications that are little more than political propaganda.”

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The Guardian, 6th April 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Men who used dogs to savage police jailed – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 1st, 2010 in dogs, news, police, sentencing by sally

“Mehmet Koc, 19, and Matthew Joannou, 20, both from Haringey, north London, let the pitbull-type animals viciously maul two victims who were left with permanent scarring.”

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Daily Telegraph, 31st March 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Bar offers legal aid ‘olive branch’ on criminal fee proposals – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 1st, 2010 in barristers, fees, judicial review, legal aid, news by sally

“The Bar Council has offered the government an ‘olive branch’ to avoid judicial review proceedings if it withdraws the current criminal fee proposals and negotiates a way forward.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 1st April 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Independent wins a ‘hugely important’ victory for the vulnerable – The Independent

“A controversial court which hears all of its cases in secret will open its doors to the media from today, following a successful legal challenge by The Independent which was immediately hailed as a ‘hugely important’ victory for transparency.”

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The Independent, 1st April 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk