They think it’s all over … – NearlyLegal

‘We covered the case of Beech v Birmingham CC in the High Court here. The appeal to the Court of Appeal was heard on 11/6/2014 and judgement was given on 17/6/2014.

I will not repeat the facts here except to say that the appeal was narrowed down to only two grounds of challenge: namely that the notice to quit was procured from the late Mrs Warren under undue influence from the housing officer, Mr Pumphrey, and that it had been given when no formal mental capacity assessment had been carried out, in breach of the Code of Practice issued under s.42(1)(a) of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (the ‘public law defence’).’

Full story

NearlyLegal, 22nd June 2014

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Thousands of mothers have multiple babies removed – BBC News

‘Thousands of mothers over the past seven years have had successive children removed by family courts in England, the BBC has learned.’

Full story

BBC News, 23rd June 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Probation service in chaos as systems wipe offenders’ data – The Independent

‘Britain’s probation service is in chaos after a series of crippling computer failures over the past three weeks, with thousands of offenders’ case files lost, frozen or wiped.’

Full story

The Independent, 22nd June 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Khat ban: Why is it being made illegal? – BBC News

Posted June 23rd, 2014 in drug abuse, drug offences, families, mental health, news, sale of goods by sally

‘The leafy plant khat, which acts as a stimulant when chewed, is about to become a banned class C drug in the UK. But how big a problem is it and why are ministers making it illegal?’

Full story

BBC News, 21st June 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

New taxi rules undermine safety, warn campaigners – The Independent

Posted June 23rd, 2014 in bills, licensing, local government, news, sexual offences, taxis, women by sally

‘Ministers have been accused of undermining women’s safety by weakening the regulation of private-hire taxi drivers.’

Full story

The Independent, 22nd June 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Plans to relax licensing laws lambasted by doctors and alcohol groups – The Guardian

Posted June 23rd, 2014 in alcohol abuse, alcoholism, bills, charities, doctors, licensing, local government, news by sally

‘Ministers are under fire because of plans to let the Women’s Institute, bed and breakfasts and charities start selling alcohol, which doctors and local councils warn could worsen Britain’s drink problem.’

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd June 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

North Somerset care home staff sentenced for ill-treating resident – BBC News

‘Three former care home workers who mistreated a resident with Alzheimer’s disease have been barred for life from working with vulnerable adults.’

Full story

BBC News, 20th June 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Teacher given suspended jail sentence for sex with pupil – The Guardian

‘A woman discovered her daughter was having sex with a teacher after she found him hiding under the teenager’s bed, a court has heard. Married maths teacher Andrew Welsh, 36, was caught when the girl’s mother returned home unexpectedly one morning last July, Bolton crown court was told on Friday.’

Full story

The Guardian, 20th June 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Norfolk Police employee jailed for voyeurism – BBC News

Posted June 20th, 2014 in guilty pleas, news, sentencing, voyeurism by tracey

‘A former temporary Norfolk Police employee has been jailed after pleading guilty to voyeurism offences.’

Full story

BBC News, 20th June 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Businessmen and footballer jailed over match-fixing – BBC News

Posted June 20th, 2014 in bribery, conspiracy, gambling, news, sentencing, sport by tracey

‘Two businessmen and a footballer convicted of plotting to fix the results of football matches have been jailed.’

Full story

BBC News, 20th June 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK religious leaders unite against FGM – The Guardian

Posted June 20th, 2014 in crime prevention, female genital mutilation, news by tracey

‘Religious and community leaders have signed a historic declaration condemning female genital mutilation, but said there are still barriers to ending the practice in the UK.’

Full story

The Guardian, 20th June 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Janet Brown murder: Donald Graham jailed for 32 years – BBC News

Posted June 20th, 2014 in murder, news, sentencing by tracey

‘A “controlling and manipulative” man who killed his wealthy lover to fund a lavish lifestyle will serve a minimum of 32 years in jail, a judge has said.’

Full story

BBC News, 20th June 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Pair guilty of 1998 Mansfield ‘garden bodies’ murder – BBC News

Posted June 20th, 2014 in murder, news by tracey

‘A husband and wife have been found guilty of the murder of the woman’s parents, whose bodies lay undiscovered for 15 years, buried in a back garden.’

Full story

BBC News, 20th June 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Glucosamine: is it a medicine or not a medicine? Blue Bio v Secretary of State for Health – Technology Law Update

Posted June 20th, 2014 in EC law, food, medicines, news by tracey

‘Medicines are tightly regulated – for good reason. But what about those products occupying the grey area around obviously medicinal products: food supplements, sports nutrition, herbal and homeopathic remedies, for example? When should these borderline products receive the same scrutiny and control?.’

Full story

Technology Law Update, 20th June 2014

Source: www.technology-law-blog.co.uk

EAT: clause in contract deducting a month’s pay for failure to work notice not an unenforceable ‘penalty clause’ – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 20th, 2014 in contract of employment, news, penalties, remuneration by tracey

‘A clause in a contract of employment permitting an employer to deduct one month’s pay in respect of a departing employee’s failure to work her notice period was not a “penalty clause”, and was therefore enforceable, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has ruled.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 17th June 2014

Source: www.out-law.com

Selected journalists to attend secret terror trial – the end of press freedom? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted June 20th, 2014 in closed material, news, private hearings, reporting restrictions, terrorism by tracey

‘The application to have an entire trial held in secret caused a bit of a stir when news of the application was released earlier this month. The Court of Appeal has now permitted some of the hearing to be heard in public. This will probably be limited to the formalities at the start and end of the trial and parts of the Prosecution Opening.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 17th June 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Secret trials – a threat to justice? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted June 20th, 2014 in closed material, news, private hearings, reporting restrictions, terrorism by tracey

‘Not since the long gone days of the Star Chamber has a case happened in secret with no reporting of the names of defendants, the charges, or the evidence. Whilst some element of secrecy is common place (see any trial with a youth or a sexual offence in the Crown Court for example) the idea that someone could be arrested, charged and potentially imprisoned without anyone beyond the immediate players knowing about it was anathema to the English lawyer.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 16th June 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Mediation and government – Ministry of Justice

Posted June 20th, 2014 in dispute resolution, government departments, speeches by tracey

‘Lord Faulks QC’s keynote speech at the Civil Mediation Conference on 22 May 2014.’

Full speech

Ministry of Justice, 19th June 2014

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

DfE issues new code of practice for special educational needs and disabilities – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Department for Education has published a new code of practice for organisations working with children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.’

Full story

Full code

Local Government Lawyer, 18th June 2014

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Claimant wins case over personal injury damages and social care charging policy – Local Government Lawyer

‘A council’s charging policy for social care services has been found unlawful because it took account of capital derived from a claimant’s personal injury settlement.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 19th June 2014

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk