The Conservative Party’s Proposals for human rights – John Wadham – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted June 3rd, 2015 in consultations, human rights, jurisdiction, news, political parties by sally

‘End the ability of the European Court of Human Rights to force the UK to change the law. Every judgement that UK law is incompatible with the Convention will be treated as advisory and we will introduce a new Parliamentary procedure to formally consider the judgement.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 2nd June 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Retrospectively Validating Steps Taken by a Claimant as Good Alternative Service Under CPR 6.15(2) – if a court finds that there is a single good reason to do so, there is no further discretion not to deem the service good – Zenith PI Blog

‘CPR r.6.15(1) provides that where it appears to the court that there is a good reason to authorise service by a method or at a place not otherwise permitted by Part 6, the court may make an order permitting service by an alternative method or at an alternative place.’
Full story

Zenith PI Blog, 2nd June 2015

Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com

51 year sentence for men in Leeds child sexual exploitation case – CPS News Brief

Posted June 3rd, 2015 in child abuse, news, sentencing, sexual grooming, sexual offences by sally

‘Four men have today been sentenced at Leeds Crown Court to a total of 51 years for child sexual exploitation.’

Full story

CPS News Brief, 2nd June 2015

Source: http://blog.cps.gov.uk

Surge in rape reports is overwhelming the police – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 3rd, 2015 in budgets, news, police, rape, sexual offences, statistics, terrorism by sally

‘Met Chief Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe says rape will be given the same priority as counter terrorism, but warns that hundreds more officers will be needed if the force is to avoid being overwhelmed.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 2nd June 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

‘Unhealthily underweight model’ Yves Saint Laurent advert banned – BBC News

Posted June 3rd, 2015 in advertising, complaints, health, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘An Yves Saint Laurent advertisement featuring an “unhealthily underweight” model has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).’

Full story

BBC news, 3rd June 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Education bill to close loopholes blocking academies expansion – The Guardian

‘The education secretary, Nicky Morgan, has vowed to “sweep away bureaucratic and legal loopholes” obstructing the takeover of as many as 1,000 struggling local authority schools in England and their rapid conversion into academies.’

Full story

The Guardian, 3rd June 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Courtroom abuse sparks new McKenzie friend fears – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 2nd, 2015 in barristers, consultations, judiciary, legal services, McKenzie friends, news by sally

‘An imminent consultation by the judiciary on the proliferation of paid McKenzie friends in court is ringing alarm bells among lawyers, after a former nightclub bouncer was banned from providing such a service for grossly offensive behaviour.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 1st June 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

If You Can’t Stand the Heat – Nearly Legal

Posted June 2nd, 2015 in EC law, energy, news, regulations by sally

‘The Heat Network (Metering and Billing) Regulations 2014 were passed near the end of 2014 by the Government. They have been starting to excite interest after the production of a scoping document in April 2015 which attempts, badly, to explain their application.’

Full story

Nearly Legal, 2nd June 2015

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Financial remedy and Wyatt v Vince – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Despite the highly unusual facts of Wyatt v Vince [2015] UKSC 14, the Supreme Court’s decision on 11 March to allow Ms Wyatt to proceed with her financial remedy application has attracted a great deal of comment. The Supreme Court unanimously allowed the wife’s appeal. Lord Wilson gave the leading judgment.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 1st June 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

‘Black Spiders’ case shows need for guidance on FOI veto powers – OUT-LAW.com

‘The UK government must give new guidance to public authorities on when government ministers can exercise powers of veto to prevent the disclosure of information under freedom of information (FOI) laws.’
Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 2nd June 2015

Source: www.out-law.com

Fair family hearings – according to the Court of Appeal – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted June 2nd, 2015 in appeals, cross-examination, human rights, legal aid, news by sally

‘Lord Dyson for the Court of Appeal has recently reversed the decision of HHJ Bellamy (see my post here) who had ordered legal aid to help an unrepresented father in family proceedings. The conundrum was that the father wanted contact with his children aged 5 and 4, but a 17-year old step-daughter, Y, told her teacher that the father sexually abused her – which the father denied.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 31st May 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Disclosing child protection information: make sure you ask the right questions first – Panopticon

Posted June 2nd, 2015 in child abuse, data protection, disclosure, news, privacy by sally

‘High-profile revelations in recent years illustrate the importance of public authorities sharing information on individuals who are of concern in relation to child protection matters. When inaccurate information is shared, however, the consequences for the individual can be calamitous.’

Full story

Panopticon, 1st June 2015

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

The police ask to look at our private messages once every 120 seconds – The Independent

‘Police officers in the UK ask for permission to monitor use of emails, text messages and internet searches once every two minutes, a new report has disclosed.’

Full story

The Independent, 1st June 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Upper Tribunal decisions on Part 4 of SEN statements – Education Law Blog

Posted June 2nd, 2015 in education, news, special educational needs, tribunals by sally

‘First up, MA v Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (SEN) [2015] UKUT 0186 (AAC). In this judgment, the Upper Tribunal considers the legal status of an ASD unit within a mainstream school.’

Full story

Education Law Blog, 31st May 2015

Source: www.education11kbw.com

‘Perverted’ man, 64, jailed for historical sex abuse – BBC News

‘A “perverted” man has been jailed for 22 years for abusing a boy he groomed for sex in the 1970s.’

Full story

BBC News, 29th May 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lindsay Lohan fan faces jail for harassing celebrity haunt booking manager – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 2nd, 2015 in criminal damage, harassment, news, stalking by sally

‘Daniel Voderwulbecke, who was cleared of stalking Lindsay Lohan, is convicted of harassing a bookings manager at the Chiltern Firehouse.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 29th May 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

FIFA and the internationalisation of criminal justice – OUP Blog

‘The factual backdrop to this affair is well-known. FIFA, world football’s governing body has, for a number of years, been the subject of allegations of corruption. Then, after a series of dawn raids on 27 May 2015, seven FIFA officials, of various nationalities, the most famous being Jack Warner, the Trinidadian former vice president of FIFA, were arrested in a luxury hotel in Zurich where they were staying prior to the FIFA Congress. This was pursuant to an indictment that accused them, alongside five corporate officials, of using their positions within FIFA to engage in schemes involving the solicitation, offer, acceptance, payment, and receipt of undisclosed and illegal payments, bribes, and kickbacks. The defendants and their co-conspirators were also accused of corrupting the enterprise by engaging in various criminal activities, including fraud, bribery, and money laundering, in pursuit of personal and commercial gain.’

Full story

OUP Blog, 29th May 2015

Source: http://blog.oup.com

Rape victims failed by under-resourced police and prosecutors, report finds – The Guardian

Posted June 2nd, 2015 in Crown Prosecution Service, news, police, rape, reports, sexual offences, victims by sally

‘Rape victims are being failed by a lack of resources among police and prosecutors, a new report has found.’

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd June 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

It’s time to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted June 2nd, 2015 in bills, children, criminal responsibility, news, treaties by sally

‘Today, 2nd June, Lord Dholakia is presenting a Bill to Parliament with a view to raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility. Details of the proposal have not yet been released, but raising the age from 10 to 14 or 15 would be in line with recommendations from the United Nations. England and Wales (and Northern Ireland) currently have one of the lowest ages of criminal responsibility (ACR) in the world at just 10 years old. Scotland’s ACR used to be even lower at 8, until they increased the age to 12 in 2011.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 1st June 2015

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Lawyer plundered more than £600,000 from elderly clients to pay for call girls – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 2nd, 2015 in news, powers of attorney, sentencing, solicitors, theft by sally

‘The village solicitor raided the accounts of 13 clients aged between 67 and 100 and spent the money on ‘pens, pottery, pornography and prostitutes’.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 1st June 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk