Detainees at Yarl’s Wood immigration centre ‘facing sexual abuse’ – The Guardian

“A former detainee at Yarl’s Wood immigration removal centre has alleged that women held there have been subjected to unwanted sexual advances and abuse by security guards and other officials.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Rights judges halt deportation of ‘killer monk’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 16th, 2013 in appeals, asylum, Bangladesh, deportation, human rights, murder, news, prisons, standards by tracey

“Ministers are facing a fresh challenge on human rights grounds to their ability to deport foreign criminals.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 15th September 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Jails are being ‘used as holding pens’ for foreign ex-offenders – The Independent

Posted September 16th, 2013 in deportation, immigration, news, prisons, sentencing, statistics by tracey

“People who have served prison terms are being kept behind bars while they wait to be deported, government data shows.”

Full story

The Independent, 15th September 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

NHS ‘covered up’ £4m of gag orders – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 16th, 2013 in budgets, disclosure, freedom of information, hospitals, news, statistics, whistleblowers by tracey

“The head of the NHS has been accused of a ‘systemic cover-up’ after official figures disclosed that hospitals have spent more than £4 million on secret gagging orders.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 15th September 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Joanna Yeates murder: police apologise to landlord – The Guardian

Posted September 16th, 2013 in anonymity, bail, compensation, inquiries, media, murder, news, police, professional conduct, standards by tracey

“The landlord of the murdered landscape architect Joanna Yeates has received a letter from police expressing ‘regret’ for the first time at the way he was treated after being arrested over her killing.”

Full story

The Guardian, 16th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

April Jones: Inquest to open into death of murdered five-year-old girl – BBC News

Posted September 16th, 2013 in child abuse, inquests, murder, news by tracey

“An inquest will be opened into the death of murdered schoolgirl April Jones later. The five year old was abducted on 1 October 2012 and killed by Mark Bridger, 47, of Ceinws, Powys, in a sexually motivated attack.”

Full story

BBC News, 16th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Benefit cheats could face jail terms of up to ten years – Daily Telegraph

“Benefit cheats could face jail terms of up to ten years under plans to crackdown on people who ‘flout the system’, the country’s top prosecutor will say on Monday.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 16th September 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Lifers released on licence to kill again – Daily Telegraph

“Five murderers who were released on licence from their life sentences have killed again in the past four years.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 16th September 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Judge to decide if defendant can wear niqab – The Guardian

“Decision due on Monday on whether woman must show face in court or will be allowed to wear full-face veil.”

Full story

The Guardian, 16th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Veils in Court, Grayling and the Left & Legal Aid Anxieties – The Human Rights Roundup

“Welcome back to the UK Human Rights Roundup, your regular breakfast cereal variety box of human rights news and views. The full list of links can be found here. You can find previous roundups here. Post by Sarina Kidd, edited and links compiled by Adam Wagner.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 16th September 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Liverpool court clerk jailed for driving licence scam – BBC News

“A court clerk from Liverpool who helped more than 70 motorists falsify their
driving records and escape bans has been jailed for six years.”

Full story

BBC News, 13th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Libel victims to have legal costs protected – BBC News

Posted September 13th, 2013 in costs, defamation, news, victims by tracey

“The Ministry of Justice has proposed new measures to help libel claimants take on big corporations.”

Full story

BBC News, 13th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Jewish academic Moty Cristal sues Unison for racial discrimination – The Independent

Posted September 13th, 2013 in damages, news, race discrimination, trade unions by tracey

“One of Britain’s biggest trade unions unlawfully sought the cancellation of a Jewish academic’s speaking engagement on the grounds that he was from Israel, a court has heard.”

Full story

The Independent, 11th September 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Sex attacker shown mercy after plea from victim has sentence increased – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 13th, 2013 in appeals, news, offensive weapons, rape, rehabilitation, sentencing, suspended sentences, victims by tracey

“A sex attacker given a suspended jail term for a knifepoint rape after his victim said he needed ‘help not punishment’ has had his ‘unduly lenient’ sentence increased to a five years in prison.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 13th September 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Costs protection in defamation and privacy claims: the Government’s proposals – Ministry of Justice

Posted September 13th, 2013 in consultations, costs, defamation, press releases, privacy by tracey

“Costs protection in defamation and privacy claims: the Government’s proposals.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 13th September 2013

Source: https://consult.justice.gov.uk/

Do judges really need more oversight? – The Guardian

Posted September 13th, 2013 in complaints, judiciary, news, professional conduct, regulations by tracey

“New regulations are about to speed up complaints against judges, but Lord Carlile is calling for a new inspectorate.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Command Papers – official-documents.gov.uk

Posted September 13th, 2013 in parliamentary papers by tracey

Treasury minutes: the Government responses on the first, the third to the fifth, the seventh to the twelfth, and the fifteenth and sixteenth reports from the Committee of Public Accounts, session 2013-14 1st report: equipment plan 2012-2022 and major projects report 2012; 3rd report: financial stability of local authorities; 4th report: tax credits error and fraud; 5th report: responding to change in jobcentres; 7th report: Charity Commission – Cup Trust and tax avoidance; 8th report: regulating consumer credit; 9th report: tax avoidance – Google; 10th Report: SFO – redundancy and severance arrangements; 11th report: managing NHS hospital consultants; 12th Report: capital funding for new schools; 15th report: provision of out of hours GP services Cornwall; 16th report: FiRe Control, Cm 8697 (PDF)

Source: www.official-documents.gov.uk

Improving Judicial Diversity – Judicial Diversity Taskforce Annual Report 2013 – Ministry of Justice

Posted September 13th, 2013 in diversity, judiciary, reports by tracey

“The Judicial Diversity Taskforce has published its third report, which outlines the progress achieved since the previous report.”

Full report

Ministry of Justice, 13th September 2013

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Watchdog consults on changes to rules on licensed gambling operators – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 13th, 2013 in codes of practice, consultations, gambling, licensed premises, licensing, news by tracey

“The Gambling Commission has launched consultations on proposed changes to the rules governing licensed gambling operators.”

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 12th September 2013

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Get ready for two costs wars, warns expert – Litigation Futures

Posted September 13th, 2013 in costs, news by tracey

“There will be two costs wars as a result of the Jackson reforms – one arising from the old regime and the other from the new, a leading costs expert has predicted.”

Full story

Litigation Futures, 13th September 2013

Source: www.litigationfutures.com