Joint CPS and MPS statement on Stephen Lawrence case – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted May 19th, 2011 in double jeopardy, murder, press releases, retrials by tracey

“Stephen Lawrence was murdered on 22 April 1993 in an unprovoked attack. Two men have recently been charged with his murder: David Norris and Gary Dobson. They are both in custody and will stand trial later this year at the Central Criminal Court.”

Full press release

Crown Prosecution Service, 18th May 2011

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Solicitor General: Speech to Annual Conference of the Institute of Money Laundering Prevention Officers – Attorney General’s Office

“Solicitor General: Speech to Annual Conference of the Institute of Money Laundering Prevention Officers on 16th May 2011.”

Full speech

Attorney General’s Office, 16th May 20111

Source: www.attorneygeneral.gov.uk

Avon and Somerset Police neglected cell death man – BBC News

Posted May 19th, 2011 in alcohol abuse, death in custody, duty of care, news, police by tracey

“Failures by custody staff at Bath police station contributed directly to the death of a man found drunk in the street, an inquest has found.”

Full story

BBC News, 18th May 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

David Cameron rules out further inquiries into death of Dr David Kelly – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 19th, 2011 in attorney general, inquests, inquiries, news by tracey

“David Cameron has ruled out further inquiries into the death of the weapons expert Dr David Kelly.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 18th May 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Will sharing parental leave be fair? – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 19th, 2011 in maternity leave, news, parental rights, paternity leave by tracey

“Employers that offer generous maternity pay packages could land themselves in legal hot water if they fail to extend the benefit to fathers, experts have warned.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 19th May 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

DNA retention judgment won’t see discriminatory policy destroyed – The Guardian

Posted May 19th, 2011 in bills, DNA, news, Supreme Court by tracey

“Time for the latest instalment in the enduring battle against excessive DNA retention. We have a new supreme court judgment, almost 10 years since the law was changed, on 11 May 2001, to permit the police to hold forever the DNA of everyone arrested, irrespective of their guilt. One of the most pernicious consequences of this policy has been the massive over-representation of black people on the DNA database.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th May 2011

Source: www.gurdian.co.uk

Clarke forced to apologise for rape comments – The Guardian

Posted May 19th, 2011 in guilty pleas, lord chancellor, news, rape, sentencing by tracey

“Kenneth Clarke, the justice secretary, is expected to announce a climbdown over his plan for sentence discounts of up to 50% for early guilty pleas after he provoked a row by appearing to suggest that some rapes are more serious than others.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th May 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Chalet firm Avon Estates wins all-year court appeal – BBC News

Posted May 18th, 2011 in local government, news, planning, time limits by tracey

“The owners of a Ceredigion holiday park have won a court ruling over the right to use their 42 chalets all year round.”

Full story

BBC News, 16th May 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Hogan Lovells dismisses senior litigator over £1m of false expenses – The Lawyer

Posted May 18th, 2011 in dismissal, expenses, false accounting, news, solicitors by tracey

“Hogan Lovells senior litigator Christopher Grierson has been dismissed from the partnership after claiming over £1m in false expenses over the course of four years.”

Full story

The Lawyer, 17th May 2011

Source: www.thelawyer.com

OFT to act on ‘Big Four’ audit firms – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 18th, 2011 in accountants, competition, news, unfair commercial practices by tracey

“The ‘Big Four’ accountancy firms are to face regulatory intervention for anti-competitive behaviour, which would severely curb the industry’s most powerful companies and cost them hundreds of millions in revenue.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 18th May 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Guidelines on DNA samples unlawful – The Independent

Posted May 18th, 2011 in DNA, fingerprints, news, police by tracey

“Police guidelines allowing forces to retain the fingerprints and DNA samples of innocent people are unlawful, a panel of leading British judges ruled today. The ruling was made by the Supreme Court in London nearly three years after the European Court of Human Rights reached a similar conclusion.”

Full story

The Independent, 18th May 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Dunstable dog owner’s sentence reduced over attack – BBC News

Posted May 18th, 2011 in appeals, dogs, news, sentencing by tracey

“The owner of a Staffordshire bull terrier that attacked a nine-year-old girl in Bedfordshire has had his sentence reduced.”

Full story

BBC News, 18th May 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Velcourt fined after farm worker electrocuted – BBC News

Posted May 18th, 2011 in fines, health & safety, news by tracey

“A firm has been fined £125,000 after admitting responsibility for the death of a man working on a Wiltshire farm.”

Full story

BBC News, 17th May 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Stephen Lawrence murder suspects to stand trial – The Guardian

Posted May 18th, 2011 in evidence, murder, news, prosecutions, racism, trials by tracey

“Two men are to stand trial accused of being part of a racist white gang that ‘targeted and killed’ the black teenager Stephen Lawrence because of the colour of his skin, the appeal court has said.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th May 2011

Source; www.guardian.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted May 18th, 2011 in law reports by tracey

Supreme Court

GC v The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis [2011] UKSC 21 (18 May 2011)

McCaughey & Anor, Re Application for Judicial Review [2011] UKSC 20 (18 May 2011)

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Khatib v Ramco International & Ors [2011] EWCA Civ 605 (18 May 2011)

Digicel (St. Lucia) Ltd & Ors v Cable & Wireless Plc & Ors [2011] EWCA Civ 606 (18 May 2011)

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Davies, R. v [2011] EWCA Crim 1177 (17 May 2011)

DL v R. [2011] EWCA Crim 1259 (18 May 2011)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Lehman Brothers v International (Europe), Re [2011] EWHC 1233 (Ch) (17 May 2011)

High Court (Commercial Court)

A Nelson & Co Ltd & Anor. v Guna SPA [2011] EWHC 1202 (Comm) (16 May 2011)

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

Landmark Brickwork Ltd v Sutcliffe & Ors [2011] EWHC 1239 (QB) (17 May 2011)

Source: www.bailii.org

Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland, Landesverband Nordrhein Westfalen eV v Bezirksregierung Arnsberg, Trianel Kohlekraftwerk Lünen GmbH & Co KG, intervening – WLR Daily

Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland, Landesverband Nordrhein Westfalen eV v Bezirksregierung Arnsberg, Trianel Kohlekraftwerk Lünen GmbH & Co KG, intervening (Case C-115/09);  [2011] WLR (D)  160

“A member state was precluded under article 10a of Directive 85/337/EEC from withholding, from a non-governmental organisation promoting environmental protection, the right to rely before a national court on the infringement of a rule flowing from the environmental law of the European Union on the ground that that rule only protected the interests of the general public and not the interests of individuals. Such a non-governmental organisation could derive from article 10a the right to rely, before the courts, on the infringement of rules of national law flowing from Council Directive 92/43/EC even where national law did not permit this.”

WLR Daily, 12th May 2011

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Please note that once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted May 18th, 2011 in legislation by tracey

The Courts Act 2003 (Continuing Provision of Court-houses) (Amendment) Regulations 2011

The Whole of Government Accounts (Designation of Bodies) Order 2011

The Transfer of Functions (Museum and Other Staff) Order 2011

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Sweeping House of Lords reforms announced by Nick Clegg – The Guardian

Posted May 18th, 2011 in constitutional reform, elections, news, parliament by tracey

“Nick Clegg has unveiled sweeping plans for elected members to take seats in a reformed House of Lords in the next parliament. The deputy prime minister announced proposals for a cut-down second chamber, with 80% of its 300 members elected by proportional representation.”

Full story

The Guardian, 17th May 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Privacy law could help judges decide over gagging orders, says Ken Clarke – The Guardian

Posted May 18th, 2011 in injunctions, legislation, news, privacy by tracey

“Justice secretary says he will consider legislation, but admits there may be quicker, less controversial ways of tackling issue.”

Full story

The Guardian, 17th May 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

UK cements position as ‘centre of legal excellence’ – Ministry of Justice

Posted May 18th, 2011 in legal services, press releases by tracey

“Plans to strengthen the UK’s reputation as a world leader in legal services were unveiled by Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke and Minister for Trade and Investment Lord Green today.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 16th May 2011

Source: www.justice.gov.uk