OFT able to levy fines up to 30% of firms ‘relevant turnover’ for anti-competitive behaviour – OUT-Law.com

Posted September 12th, 2012 in company law, competition, EC law, fines, news by tracey

“Businesses now face fines worth up to 30% of their annual turnover in a particular market if they engage in anti-competitive behaviour, following an update to the UK competition regulator’s penalties regime.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 12th September 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

The JP, the BBC trainee and the Unlawful Eviction – Nearly-Legal

Posted September 12th, 2012 in damages, harassment, landlord & tenant, news by tracey

“An unlawful eviction case with some unusual dramatis personae.”

Full story

Nearly-Legal, 11th September 2012

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk/blog/

Badger cull legal challenge fails at court of appeal – The Guardian

Posted September 12th, 2012 in animals, appeals, environmental protection, judicial review, news by tracey

“Badger Trust fails in attempt to stop two pilot culls aimed at tackling tuberculosis in cattle.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Newton Abbot frying pan murder: paedophile Bryan Harris jailed – BBC News

Posted September 11th, 2012 in murder, news, recidivists, sentencing by tracey

“A paedophile who murdered his landlord by battering him with a frying pan has been jailed for life.”

Full story

BBC news, 11th September 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

RAF cigarette smuggler Paul Garbutt told to pay back £80k – BBC News

Posted September 11th, 2012 in armed forces, drug trafficking, news, repayment, sentencing by tracey

“A former RAF senior aircraftman from Teesside jailed for his part in a cigarette smuggling operation has been ordered to pay back £80,000.”

Full story

BBC News, 11th September 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

London Met lodges legal challenge over student visas – The Guardian

Posted September 11th, 2012 in immigration, judicial review, news, universities, visas by tracey

“University seeks judicial review after losing highly trusted status for sponsoring international students.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

England badger cull court appeal – BBC News

Posted September 11th, 2012 in animals, appeals, health, judicial review, news by tracey

“Badgers could be shot across England within weeks, barring a last minute legal challenge. Natural England is preparing to issue licenses that will allow farmers to shoot badgers at night in parts of Gloucestershire and Somerset.”

Full story

BBCNews, 11th September 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

U-turn on curbing payments to victims of minor criminal assaults – The Guardian

Posted September 11th, 2012 in assault, compensation, news, victims by tracey

“In the latest government U-turn, ministers have axed plans to scrap compensation payments to victims of minor criminal assaults. The Ministry of Justice had wanted to limit payments under the criminal injuries compensation scheme so that only seriously injured victims would be eligible, saving £50m on a bill to taxpayers that last year stood at £449m.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Female QC among trio of new High Court judge appointments – Legal Week

Posted September 11th, 2012 in judiciary, news, women by tracey

“The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has announced the latest round of High Court judges, with the appointment of 3 Stone Buildings’ Sarah Asplin QC set to double the number of women sitting in the Chancery Division.”

Full story

Legal Week, 11th September 2012

Source: www.legalweek.com

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted September 11th, 2012 in legislation by tracey

The Terrorism Act 2000 and Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Business in the Regulated Sector) (No.2) Order 2012

The Money Laundering (Amendment) Regulations 2012

The Scallop Fishing (England) Order 2012

The Smoke Control Areas (Exempted Fireplaces) (England) (No. 2) Order 2012

The Smoke Control Areas (Authorised Fuels) (England) (No. 2) Regulations 2012

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Command papers – official-documents.gov.uk

Posted September 11th, 2012 in parliamentary papers by tracey

Government response to the House of Commons Communities and Local Government Select Committee second report of session 2012-13: European Regional Development Fund, Cm 8389 (PDF)

Amendments to the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas: adopted Esbjerg, 22 August 2003, Cm 8442 (PDF)

Source: www.official-documents.gov.uk

Historic convictions for consensual acts to be deleted – Home Office

Posted September 11th, 2012 in criminal records, homosexuality, news, sexual offences by tracey

“The Home Office will, from 1 October, begin the process of correcting an anomaly in the criminal records system which has for decades seen gay men unfairly stigmatised.”

Full press release

Home Office, 10th September 2012

Source: www.homeoffice.gov.uk

A bluffer’s guide to human rights courts – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted September 11th, 2012 in courts, human rights, news by tracey

“Back to basics, then, as the new academic year starts. Which courts decide human rights cases, when, and by what rules?.”

Full  story

UK Human Rights Blog, 10th September 2012

Source: www.www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Consumers buying direct can sometimes sue in home courts, rules ECJ – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 11th, 2012 in EC law, jurisdiction, news, sale of goods by tracey

“Consumers who buy goods direct from traders abroad can sue the traders in their home country’s courts if certain conditions are met, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 10th September 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Health and safety inspections to be scrapped for all but most high-risk businesses, Government announces – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 11th, 2012 in company law, health & safety, news, regulations by tracey

“Regular health and safety inspections will be scrapped for all but the most high-risk businesses from April 2013, the Government has announced.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 10th September 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Survivorship and succession – Nearly-Legal

Posted September 11th, 2012 in housing, landlord & tenant, local government, news, repossession, succession by tracey

” Briefly Ms Hickin was the daughter of joint tenants of Solihull and had lived in the house since she was born. The father moved out some 9 years before. On the death of the mother, Ms Hickin sought to succeed to the tenancy under s.89 Housing Act 1985. Solihull served notice to quit on the basis that the father was now the sole tenant, by survivorship, but did not fulfil the residence requirement, so the tenancy was terminable by notice to quit and brought possession proceedings. In the Court of Appeal, Ms H argued, unsuccessfully, that s.89 overrode common law survivorship. The case then went to the Supreme Court, which was divided, finding against Ms H 3:2.”

Full story

Nearly-Legal, 11th September 2012

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk/blog/

Divorce law criticised as ‘incomplete and uninformative’ – The Guardian

“Divorce laws in England and Wales are so ‘incomplete and uninformative’ that judges receive no guidance about the fairest way to divide a couple’s property, the Law Commission has said.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh sues News International and the Sun – The Guardian

Posted September 11th, 2012 in damages, handling stolen goods, media, news, privacy, telecommunications, theft by tracey

“Siobhain McDonagh, a Labour MP, has launched a legal action against News International and the Sun in relation to the theft of her mobile phone and is seeking damages for alleged invasion of privacy and breach of confidence.”

Full story

The Guardian, 10th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Afghan who helped torch car in London riots spared jail due to traumatic childhood – Daily Telegraph

“An Afghan refugee who helped set a police car ablaze in the London riots has been let off because of the violence he saw in his home country.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 11th September 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Cheesy chips row led to Blackpool chef killing – BBC News

Posted September 11th, 2012 in alcohol abuse, assault, drug abuse, guilty pleas, homicide, news, sentencing by tracey

“A man has been jailed for three-and-a-half years for killing a chef in a row over cheesy chips at a Blackpool takeaway.”

Full story

BBC News, 10th September 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk