Proposed blanket ban on legal highs criticised by MPs – The Guardian

Posted October 26th, 2015 in bills, drug offences, health & safety, inquiries, news, select committees by sally

‘A proposed blanket ban on legal highs is too broad and fails to adequately define what a psychoactive substance actually is, an influential committee of MPs has said.’

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The Guardian, 24th October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

This way, that way, the other way? Latest debate on Human Rights Act – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted October 23rd, 2015 in bills, human rights, news, rule of law by sally

‘Those who want change should have to make the case for it, Baroness Helena Kennedy QC challenged her fellow panellists, at a recent event jointly organised by the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law and British Institute of International and Comparative Law, and hosted by Bindmans. The panel was one of the most stimulating contributions of the year to the debate over the proposed repeal of the Human Rights Act and its replacement with a British Bill of Rights, featuring contributions from three members of the 2012 Commission on a Bill of Rights, a number of comparative perspectives including one from Australia, and even a call for what appears to be a written constitution.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 23rd October 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Father guilty of ‘life-threatening’ baby abuse – BBC News

Posted October 23rd, 2015 in child abuse, grievous bodily harm, news by sally

‘A father who inflicted life-threatening injuries on a baby has been found guilty of abuse.’

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BBC News, 22nd October 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Insurance Act 2015: changes to conditions precedent – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 23rd, 2015 in contracts, insurance, news by sally

‘From next year, insurers will not be able refuse policyholder claims on the grounds that they breached an irrelevant term in their policy.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 22nd October 2015

Source: www.out-law.com

Lawyers criticise decision to prosecute housing protester over sticker – The Guardian

Posted October 23rd, 2015 in demonstrations, joint enterprise, news, prosecutions, public order by sally

‘Legal experts have criticised the prosecution of a protester who was arrested when a fellow activist placed a sticker on a window of a block of luxury flats.’

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The Guardian, 22nd October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Santino Balaz murder: Marek Holub and Tereza Lackova jailed – BBC News

Posted October 23rd, 2015 in murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘A man has been jailed for a minimum of 20 years for the “agonising” murder of a 14-month-old baby.’

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BBC News, 22nd October 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Landlord must hand back £70,000 in rent for letting substandard flat – The Guardian

Posted October 23rd, 2015 in landlord & tenant, news, proceeds of crime, rent, repayment by sally

‘A landlord who rented out a storage basement as self-contained accommodation for £975 a month after it was declared substandard has been ordered to pay back £70,000 in rent under the Proceeds of Crime Act.’

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The Guardian, 22nd October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Three in four universities ‘breach law on website information’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 23rd, 2015 in consumer protection, fees, internet, news, universities by sally

‘Three quarters of universities are breaching consumer law by failing to tell students what their fees will buy them.’

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd October 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Lawyers express concern over ministerial code rewrite – The Guardian

‘Conservative ministers have been accused of quietly abandoning the longstanding principle that members of the government should be bound by international law.’

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The Guardian, 22nd October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Cat lovers Dean and Diane Webb to sue RSPCA over loss of their animals – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 23rd, 2015 in animal cruelty, animals, charities, news, time limits by sally

‘A couple who received death threats and left the country after being accused of cruelty to their cats are to sue the RSPCA for damages over killing their animals, a High Court ruled.’

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd October 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Council to consider costs pursuit after judgment issued in libraries dispute – Local Government Lawyer

‘Lincolnshire County Council has said it will consult its lawyers about the recovery of its costs after a High Court judge set out why in July she rejected a legal challenge to the authority’s plans for its libraries services.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 22nd October 2015

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Government accused of risking ‘disunited kingdom’ as Commons approves English votes for English laws – Independent

Posted October 23rd, 2015 in bills, devolution, news, parliament, Scotland, veto by michael

‘The Government was accused of risking the creation of  a “disunited kingdom” after the Commons approved an historic change to give English MPs a veto over laws which affect only England.’

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Independent, 22nd October 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Cardiff man jailed for shining laser pen at planes – The Guardian

Posted October 23rd, 2015 in endangering safety of aircraft, news, sentencing by sally

‘A Cardiff man has been jailed for six months after shining a laser beam at three passenger planes and a police helicopter.’

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The Guardian, 22nd October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The rise of the Ubermensch – Panopticon

Posted October 23rd, 2015 in internet, licensing, news, taxis, telecommunications by sally

‘In May 2012, Transport for London licensed Uber London Limited as an operator of private hire vehicles in London.’

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Panopticon, 23rd October 2015

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

Legal highs: Psychoactive drugs policy ‘rushed’, say MPs – BBC News

Posted October 23rd, 2015 in bills, drug offences, news by michael

‘Legislation to ban new psychoactive substances in the UK is being rushed, MPs have warned.’

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BBC News, 22nd October 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Court of Appeal hears government surveillance law case – BBC News

‘Judges have begun hearing a government appeal against a ruling that its surveillance legislation is unlawful.’

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BBC News, 22nd October 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Legal notice served over ‘offensive’ coffee shop sign in London – Independent

Posted October 23rd, 2015 in landlord & tenant, leases, news, trespass by michael

‘An “offensive” coffee shop sign has found itself at the centre of a legal row in London.’

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Independent, 22nd October 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Courts charge leaves victims waiting for justice, says former Solicitor General – The Independent

Posted October 22nd, 2015 in courts, criminal courts charge, criminal justice, delay, fees, news, recidivists, victims by sally

‘The Government’s controversial courts charge is causing major delays and leaving victims waiting for justice, a former Solicitor General has said.’

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The Independent, 21st October 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Charities can fund controversial pressure group Cage, court finds – The Guardian

Posted October 22nd, 2015 in charities, news, terrorism by sally

‘The Charity Commission has been forced to reverse its public position that charities could never again fund Cage, a group that campaigns for communities affected by the war on terror, after a hearing in the high court.’

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The Guardian, 21st October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Court of Appeal castigates judge’s conclusion on deprivation of liberty – UK Human Rights Blog

‘This was an appeal against a ruling by Mostyn J in the Court of Protection concerning a consent order between an incapacitated woman, the appellant, and the local authority ([2015] EWCOP 13). The judge had held that the 52 year old appellant, who had been severely incapacitated following surgery, had not been subject to deprivation of liberty contrary to Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights by her 24 hour care package. In his view, the test for deprivation of liberty in Cheshire West and Chester Council v P [2014] UKSC 19 did not apply. In paragraph 17 of his judgment Mostyn J remarked that it was impossible to see how the protective measures in place for KW could linguistically be characterised as a “deprivation of liberty”. Quoting from JS Mill, he said that the protected person was “merely in a state to require being taken care of by others, [and] must be protected against their own actions as well as external injury”. At para 25, he said that he found that KW was not “in any realistic way being constrained from exercising the freedom to leave, in the required sense, for the essential reason that she does not have the physical or mental ability to exercise that freedom”.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 21st October 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com