Month: January 2016

Acting in historical sex abuse trials: Oliver Saxby QC provides an insight into the challenges involved – 6 Pump Court

Posted January 13th, 2016 in child abuse, news, sexual grooming, sexual offences, trafficking in human beings by sally

‘In this series of case studies Oliver Saxby QC analyses three very substantial historical sex abuse trials in which he was involved over the last 12 months, each of which ended with successful outcomes: R v Bodnar and others at Canterbury Crown Court, in which he led for the defence; R v Singh and others at the Central Criminal Court, in which he led for the Crown; and R v Carragher and others at Leeds Crown Court, in which he led for the defence.’

Full story

6 Pump Court, 6th January 2016

Source: www.6pumpcourt.co.uk

Anatomy of an Impossible Trial for Child Exploitation – 6 Pump Court

Posted January 13th, 2016 in children, evidence, news, prostitution, sexual offences, witnesses by sally

‘Richard Barraclough QC has written a commentary on a recent case in which he was Leading Counsel for one of the defendants.

The case involved serious sex/trafficking offences, including engaging an honourable and vulnerable girl in prostitution. The case was complex and involved the use of an intermediary. The issues raised in evidence (and the submission of no case) concerned the number and structure of ABE interviews, the use of pre ABE interviews and meetings, the extent to which a victim should be challenged in ABE interviews and the use of pre prepared witness statements where the victim refused to engage in the ABE process.

Reforms are now proposed in relation to the investigation and trial process in this type of case.

The commentary provided by Richard Barraclough QC gives a detailed analysis of the processes involved and the challenges in this type of case with such a vulnerable victim and where the process is so complex.’

Full story(Word)

6 Pump Court, 12th January 2016

Source: www.6pumpcourt.co.uk

Collective Enfranchisement: Validity of Notices – Tanfield Chambers

Posted January 13th, 2016 in enfranchisement, landlord & tenant, leases, news by sally

‘Chapter I of Part I of the 1993 Act confers on certain tenants of flats held under long residential leases in certain premises the right to collective enfranchisement, that is to say the right to have the freehold of those premises acquired on their behalf by a person appointed by them for that purpose and at a price determined in accordance with Schedule 6 to the 1993 Act. Tenants entitled to participate in collective enfranchisement are called “qualifying tenants”. The premises must comprise two or more flats held by qualifying tenants. The total number of flats held by such tenants must be not less than two thirds of the total number of flats contained in the premises’

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Tanfield Chambers, 7th January 2016

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

EVENT: Discrimination Law Association Annual General Meeting – Guest speaker: Frances O’Grady

Posted January 13th, 2016 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘The DLA AGM and annual social event will take place on Wednesday 3 February 2016 beginning at 6.00pm. We are delighted that Frances O’Grady, General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress, has agreed to be our guest speaker.

Note: Non-members are welcome to attend the AGM but only DLA members will be eligible to vote at the meeting. Please let us know at info@discriminationlaw.org.uk if you plan to attend.’

Date: Wednesday 3rd February 2016, 6.00pm

Location: 7 Bedford Row Chambers, London WC1R 4BS

Charge: nFree

More information can be found here.

EVENT: Gresham College – Human Rights: Whether in Europe or Out?

Posted January 13th, 2016 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘With the in/out Europe vote to come (or having gone) what will the result mean for Human Rights? How is or has the debate been framed?

The lecture will present a review of what has happened in the courts since 2015, with an opportunity for debate.’

Date: 6th April 2016, 6.00pm

Location: Barnard’s Inn Hall

Charge: Free

More information can be found here.

EVENT: Gresham College – Sex and the Law

Posted January 13th, 2016 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘Reputations tumble; men once popular and famous but too powerful are condemned and imprisoned. Others fear their reputations will not long survive their deaths. Others will ‘get away with it’ as presumably they always have. How will all this be viewed in decades to come? Witch-hunt or confirmation that Mary Whitehouse was right all the time and the sexual revolution is to blame? If so, what should society have done that it didn’t? What should it do now apart from lock up aged offenders? And what about juries? Will they, not judges, ultimately determine how law can be fair on sexual behaviour – assuming juries can ever discuss these things candidly.’

Date: 2nd March 2016, 6.00pm

Location: Barnard’s Inn Hall

Charge: Free

More information can be found here.

EVENT: Gresham College – Celebrities, the Media and the Personal Data Privacy Wars

Posted January 13th, 2016 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘The Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) should properly have been called the Data Privacy Act: it is about privacy of personal data and not merely its security. Recent cases – if successful for the claimants – will change the litigation landscape for everyone.’

Date: 27th January 2016, 6.00pm

Location: Museum of London

Charge: Free

More information can be found here.

EVENT: Gresham College – The Ethics of Physician-Assisted Suicide

Posted January 13th, 2016 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘The legislation of assisted suicide in the UK is as controversial as the Death with Dignity Act (DWDA) that led it its decriminalisation in Oregon in 1994. The United States Supreme Court subsequently rejected an attempt to have the law declared unconstitutional but steps seem to be needed to address the ethical concerns raised by members of the academic, political, and religious communities, including safeguards to protect vulnerable people. What can be learned in the UK from the USA experience?’

Date: 25th January 2016, 1.00pm

Location: Museum of London

Charge: Free

More information can be found here.

Upper Tribunal cases on fair hearings in immigration cases – Free Movement

Posted January 13th, 2016 in advocacy, bias, immigration, judiciary, news, professional conduct, tribunals by sally

‘Three recent cases on fair hearings in immigration cases, all from President McCloskey. All make interesting reading.’

Full story

Free Movement, 13th January 2016

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Bar regulator seeks women’s experiences at the Bar, launches survey – The Bar Council

Posted January 13th, 2016 in barristers, diversity, equality, news, women by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has launched a survey today to better understand women’s experiences of the equality rules of the BSB Handbook.’

Full story

The Bar Council, 12th January 2016

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Bar Council warns of threat to judiciary from lack of diversity among QCs – Litigation Futures

Posted January 13th, 2016 in diversity, judiciary, news, queen's counsel by sally

‘The senior judiciary “may not reflect the communities it seeks to serve” because of a lack of ethnic minority and female QCs, the Bar Council has warned.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 13th January 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.co.uk

Sentences for data thieves ‘not tough enough’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 13th, 2016 in data protection, fines, news, sentencing by sally

‘The information commissioner has repeated calls for stronger sentencing powers for data thieves.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 12th January 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Past deception to obtain Indefinite Leave to Remain may lead to status being revoked – Free Movement

Posted January 13th, 2016 in identity fraud, immigration, news by sally

‘The case of Huang & Ors, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (“No Time Limit” Transfer: Fraud) (IJR) [2015] UKUT 662 (IAC) arises from the provision of false or incorrect identity information by asylum seekers who were initially refused asylum but who were then never removed and were later granted status under the Legacy amnesty backlog clearance programme.’

Full story

Free Movement, 12th January 2016

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Compulsory use of new format bill of costs postponed indefinitely – Litigation Futures

Posted January 13th, 2016 in costs, electronic filing, news by sally

‘The plan to make the new electronic bill of costs mandatory in the Senior Courts Costs Office has been shelved indefinitely because of the “major implications” it would have for the profession.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 13th January 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.co.uk

Hidden rise in violent crime driven by growth in violence against women – The Guardian

Posted January 13th, 2016 in crime, domestic violence, news, statistics, violence, women by sally

‘Women are bearing the brunt of an invisible rise in violent crime, a new analysis shows. Domestic violence and violence against women have increased since 2009, researchers found, pushing up overall levels of violent crime.’

Full story

The Guardian, 13th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

CPS lacks empathy with crime victims and witnesses, report finds – The Guardian

Posted January 13th, 2016 in Crown Prosecution Service, news, reports, victims, witnesses by sally

‘Letters the Crown Prosecution Service sends to victims of crime often lack empathy and contain template paragraphs that sometimes fail to convey basic information, according to an official inspectorate report.’

Full story

The Guardian, 13th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘English votes’ rules used for first time in House of Commons – BBC News

Posted January 13th, 2016 in bills, devolution, news, parliament by sally

‘New “English votes for English laws” rules have been implemented in the House of Commons for the first time.’

Full story

BBC News, 12th January 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Corset ad promising ‘sexy, tiny waist’ banned for being irresponsible – The Guardian

Posted January 13th, 2016 in advertising, complaints, media, news by sally

‘A TV ad showing women using a corset to squeeze their waists to a “sexy, tiny” size has been banned for being irresponsible.’

Full story

The Guardian, 13th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Man sentenced for selling monkey heads – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 13th, 2016 in animal cruelty, animals, news, pornography, sentencing, suspended sentences by sally

‘George Bush from Erith is given a suspended prison sentence after admitting selling monkey heads on eBay and also possessing animal porn.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 12th January 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Set up online courtrooms to cut lawyers out of legal process, says official report – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 13th, 2016 in consultations, electronic filing, news, reports, small claims by sally

‘Senior judge says civil cases up to £25,000 should be carried out in ‘paperless’ courts with most work done by admin staff rather than judges or lawyers.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 12th January 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk