Lostprophets’ Ian Watkins case: Ex-Ceop head warns others may slip through net – BBC News

‘Child sex abuse cases like Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins will slip through the net due to a lack of resources, a child protection expert has warned. Jim Gamble, ex-head of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre (Ceop), wants more money invested in regional child protection teams to catch online abusers.’

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BBC News, 27th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Stop deferring to human rights court, says senior judge – The Guardian

Posted November 28th, 2013 in courts, human rights, interpretation, judges, news, speeches, treaties by tracey

‘UK courts should stop deferring to the European court of human rights on every issue and develop their own rulings, according to Lord Justice Laws, the longest serving court of appeal judge.’

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The Guardian, 27th November 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Carole Waugh: Gambling-addicted conman found guilty of murder – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 28th, 2013 in gambling, murder, news, perverting the course of justice, prostitution by tracey

‘A professional conman was found guilty on Wednesday of murdering a lonely millionairess who worked as an escort so he could steal her money to feed his gambling habit. Rakesh Bhayani, 41, was convicted by an Old Bailey jury of killing Carole Waugh, 49, at her home and hiding her body in the boot of a car in a rented lock-up garage.’

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Daily Telegraph, 27th November 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Winterbourne View abuse victims to receive compensation – BBC News

Posted November 28th, 2013 in compensation, hospitals, learning difficulties, news, victims by tracey

‘Compensation will be paid to 19 families of vulnerable people who were abused at the Winterbourne View private hospital, near Bristol.’

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BBC News, 27th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Food outlets will be forced to display hygiene ratings – BBC News

Posted November 28th, 2013 in food hygiene, health & safety, news, small businesses, Wales by tracey

‘Wales has become the first part of the UK to force food outlets to prominently display food hygiene ratings. The new law, which came into force on Thursday, builds on a voluntary scheme, known as “scores on the doors”.’

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BBC News, 28th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Disturbingly poor care is too common in NHS’, says chairman of Mid-Staffs inquiry – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 28th, 2013 in care homes, health, hospitals, inquiries, news, reports by tracey

‘Reports of “disturbing, poor and unsafe care” in the NHS have become too   common, the chairman of the inquiry into Mid-Staffs has said, as he called   on hospitals to learn from the mistakes of previous scandals. Robert Francis QC, newly appointed as president of the Patients Association,   spoke as the charity exposed a catalogue of hospital and care home failings.’

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Daily Telegraph, 28th November 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Probe into price comparison website deals – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 27th, 2013 in conflict of interest, consumer protection, insurance, internet, news by tracey

‘Price comparison websites and insurers in the motor, travel and home insurance markets are the subject of a regulatory probe by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) amidst concerns that consumers are being misled when buying cover through those sites.26 Nov 2013.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 26th November 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Tribunal confirms self-reporting does not provide immunity from fines but expert urges firms to self-report data breaches – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 27th, 2013 in appeals, data protection, fines, news, tribunals by tracey

‘A new ruling issued by an Information Rights Tribunal should not deter businesses from owning up to data breaches, an expert has said.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 26th November 2013

Source:  www.out-law.com

Alexander Litvinenko inquest: high court halts lifting of secrecy order – The Guardian

Posted November 27th, 2013 in closed material, coroners, disclosure, inquests, intelligence services, murder, news, Russia by tracey

‘The government has won a high court order to prevent the partial lifting of a secrecy order affecting the proposed inquest into the death of former KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko.’

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The Guardian, 27th November 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Marine convicted of Afghan murder appeals to preserve anonymity – The Guardian

Posted November 27th, 2013 in Afghanistan, anonymity, appeals, courts martial, evidence, murder, news, video recordings by tracey

‘Lawyers for a Royal Marine convicted of murdering an injured Afghan prisoner will tell appeal court judges that he and his family could face possible revenge attacks if he is named.’

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The Guardian, 27th November 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Gay snub Cornish B&B owners lose Supreme Court appeal – BBC News

‘The owners of a Christian guesthouse who were ordered to pay damages for turning away a gay couple have lost their UK Supreme Court fight.”

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BBC News, 27th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Court of Appeal upholds strict costs rule in Mitchell case – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 27th, 2013 in appeals, budgets, costs, defamation, fees, media, news, solicitors, time limits by tracey

‘The Court of Appeal today upheld a strict costs judgment in a landmark case which establishes the court’s post-Jackson hardline approach to costs budgeting.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 27th November 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Command Papers – official-documents.gov.uk

Posted November 27th, 2013 in parliamentary papers by tracey

The Government response to the HS2 design refinement consultation, Cm 8758 (PDF)

HS2 property and compensation for London-West Midlands: decision document – impact on social rented housing, Cm 8757

HS2 property and compensation for London-West Midlands: decision document – properties above tunnels, Cm 8756 (PDF)

Source: www.official-documents.gov.uk

Court of Appeal awards council 50% of costs in youth cuts case – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 27th, 2013 in appeals, budgets, costs, education, local government, news, young persons by tracey

‘A council has been told it can recover half of its legal costs in a case where the Court of Appeal ruled that a 70% cut to youth services was unlawful but refused to grant relief to the claimant.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 25th November 2013

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court rejects claim council owed duty to use general power of competence – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 27th, 2013 in children, housing, human rights, immigration, local government, news, statutory duty by tracey

‘The High Court has dismissed a claimant’s argument that a London borough had a duty to use the general power of competence to provide her with accommodation and subsistence support.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 26th November 2013

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Thousands of ‘right to buy’ negligence cases piling up against conveyancers – Legal Futures

‘Law firms are facing thousands of claims for professional negligence over their involvement in “right to buy” work, it has emerged.’

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Legal Futures, 27th November 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Update for the profession: Criminal Very High Cost Cases (VHCCs) Contracts – The Bar Council

Posted November 27th, 2013 in barristers, codes of practice, contracts, costs, press releases by tracey

‘Update for the profession: Criminal Very High Cost Cases (VHCCs) Contracts.’

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The Bar Council, 26th November 2013

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Government to legislate to cap the cost of payday loans – OUT-LAW.com

‘The Government will introduce legislation to cap the cost of payday loans to borrowers, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 27th November 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

FCA consults on “fairer and more transparent” rules on use of client commissions by investment managers – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 27th, 2013 in consultations, financial regulation, financial services ombudsman, news by tracey

‘Stricter rules on what costs of trade-related services can be passed on to clients of investment managers in the form of commission payments have been proposed by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).’

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OUT-LAW.com, 27th November 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

On families, powers and duties to accommodate – NearlyLegal

‘R (on the application of MK) v Barking and Dagenham London Borough Council. A judicial review raising the extent of a Council’s duties and powers under s.17 Children Act 1989 and s.1 Localism Act 2011 (the general power of competence) in providing housing for someone not otherwise eligible for housing assistance.’

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NearlyLegal, 26th November 2013

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