New guidance shows ‘tangled web’ of approvals needed for fracking projects, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

Posted August 8th, 2013 in consent, consultations, energy, environmental protection, fracking, news by sally

“Energy companies will need to negotiate a ‘tangled web; of regulatory approvals just to carry out exploratory ‘fracking’, an expert has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 7th August 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Rise in customers winning compensation from banks that mis-sold paid-for accounts – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 8th, 2013 in banking, compensation, financial regulation, news, ombudsmen by sally

“Two in three customers who complain to the Financial Ombudsman about the mis-selling of paid-for bank accounts are successfully winning money back or compensation, figures show.”

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Daily Telegraph, 7th August 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

RSPCA accused of using criminal prosecutions to increase revenue – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 8th, 2013 in animal cruelty, charities, news, prosecutions by sally

“The RSPCA is facing calls to give up its role as a criminal prosecutor following claims that it is using court cases as a means of increasing its revenue.”

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Daily Telegraph, 7th August 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Simon Hall confesses to Joan Albert murder 12 years on – BBC News

“A killer who stabbed a 79-year-old woman to death has confessed to the crime after a decade claiming he was the victim of a miscarriage of justice.”

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BBC News, 8th August 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Barrister who called child sex abuse victim ‘predatory’ criticised by DPP – The Guardian

“A prosecuting barrister and a judge involved in a sex abuse case during which the 13-year-old-victim was described as “predatory” have been referred to separate inquiries.”

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The Guardian, 7th August 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Birmingham man Vishar Jain jailed for stamping on boy’s head – BBC News

Posted August 8th, 2013 in child abuse, domestic violence, news, sentencing, wounding by sally

“A computer engineer from Birmingham has been jailed for nine years for an attack in which he stamped on the head of his partner’s four-year-old son.”

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BBC News, 7th August 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Poppy Rodgers death: York man jailed for supplying drugs – BBC News

Posted August 8th, 2013 in drug offences, guilty pleas, news, sentencing by sally

“A man has been jailed for more than six years for supplying a class A drug to a teenage girl who died after taking the substance.”

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BBC News, 7th August 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

London man Andrzej Kulesza’s torture murderer jailed – BBC News

“The killer of a man whose remains were found in a field has been jailed for life for his torture murder and kidnap.”

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BBC News, 7th August 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Legal challenge to zero hours contracts launched against Sports Direct – The Independent

“A legal challenge is being brought against retail giant Sports Direct over the use of zero hours contracts among its staff.”

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The Independent, 7th August 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

SAS sniper Danny Nightingale appeals against sentence – The Guardian

“The former SAS sniper Danny Nightingale is to appeal against his conviction for illegally possessing a gun and ammunition.”

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The Guardian, 7th August 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted August 7th, 2013 in legislation by sally

The Employment Tribunals (Constitution and Rules of Procedure) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2013

The Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 2013

The Companies and Limited Liability Partnerships (Forms, etc.) Amendment Regulations 2013

The Firearms (Amendment) Rules 2013

The Unfair Dismissal (Variation of the Limit of Compensatory Award) Order 2013

The Faculty Jurisdiction Rules 2013

The Legal Officers (Annual Fees) Order 2013

The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Non-Interoperable Rail System) (London Underground Metropolitan Line S8 Vehicles) (Boarding Devices) Exemption Order 2013

The School Organisation Code (Appointed Day) (Wales) Order 2013

The School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013 (Commencement No. 2, Savings and Transitional Provisions) Order 2013

The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Over the Counter Derivatives, Central Counterparties and Trade Repositories) (No. 2) Regulations 2013

The Clergy Discipline Appeal (Amendment) Rules 2013

The Ecclesiastical Judges, Legal Officers and Others (Fees) Order 2013

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Sikh woman asks court not to annul marriage to mentally disabled man – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 7th, 2013 in consent, forced marriages, local government, mental health, news, Sikhism by sally

“A woman who was subjected to an arranged marriage with a man who has severe mental disabilities begged a High Court judge not to annul the union because it would consign her to permanent spinsterhood and ostracism by the Sikh community.”

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Daily Telegraph, 6th August 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Premium rate customer service phone lines to be banned – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 7th, 2013 in consumer protection, news, telecommunications by sally

“Premium rate customer service phone lines are to be banned in a Government crackdown, but banks, train operators and airlines have been let off the hook by ministers.”

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Daily Telegraph, 6th August 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Edinburgh Woollen Mill boss Philip Day fined over wood damage – BBC News

Posted August 7th, 2013 in fines, forestry, negligence, news, sites of special scientific interest by sally

“A tycoon has been ordered to pay almost £1m for damage caused to ancient woodland in Cumbria.”

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BBC News, 2nd August 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Driver caught doing 80 mph in a 30 mph zone criticised – Daily Telegraph

“A judge has criticised a man caught driving at more than 80 mph in a 30 mph zone, as she said sentencing guidelines did not cover such a gross breach of the speed limit.”

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Daily Telegraph, 6th August 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Leah Grolman and Greg Weeks: Guidelines and Assisted Suicide: an Australian Perspective – UK Constitutional Law Group

“The morally and politically charged area of assisted suicide has many of the hallmarks of an insoluble problem. This has not prevented courts in some jurisdictions considering how they might ‘legalise’ assisted suicide without really legalising it. In doing so, they have raised manifold challenges in the minds of administrative and constitutional lawyers, including, in some jurisdictions, whether the prohibition on assisted suicide is itself constitutional, such as Rodriguez in Canada, Fleming in Ireland and Pretty in the ECtHR.”

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UK Constitutional Law Group, 7th August 2013

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

Zero hours contracts provide flexibility for employees as well businesses but safeguards needed to prevent abuse, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

Posted August 7th, 2013 in contract of employment, news by sally

“It would be wrong for businesses to be barred from contracting with workers on ‘zero hours’ terms, an employment law expert has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 6th August 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Attorney general will review paedophile’s suspended sentence after prosecutor called victim ‘predatory’ – The Guardian

“The attorney general is to review the sentence of a convicted paedophile who avoided prison after his 13-year-old victim was described in court as predatory and was said to have encouraged him.”

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The Guardian, 7th August 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

IPCC wrong not to investigate us over Stephen Lawrence, say police – The Independent

“A police force that asked for intelligence on witnesses giving evidence to the public inquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence has criticised a watchdog for refusing to hold an investigation into the spying row.”

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The Independent, 6th August 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

GP surgeries must inform patients about data plan – or face legal action – The Independent

Posted August 7th, 2013 in data protection, doctors, medical records, news, prosecutions by sally

“GP practices could face prosecution under the Data Protection Act if they do not take steps to inform patients that data will be taken from their records and used by the NHS and private companies from this autumn.”

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The Independent, 6th August 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk