Carer found guilty of murdering her multiple sclerosis-suffering father – The Guardian

‘A carer who claimed she suffocated her father because of his “intolerable” multiple sclerosis has been found guilty of murder.’

Full story

The Guardian, 26th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Father of Poppi Worthington given £117,000 legal aid for custody battle over her siblings – Daily Telegraph

‘Paul Worthington awarded £87,318 for counsel payments and £29,450 for solicitors’ fees to fight against the proceedings.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 28th February 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

G4S to sell controversial youth jail contracts – The Guardian

‘The private security firm G4S is to sell its UK children’s services business, including its contracts to run two youth prisons, weeks after damning footage emerged of its staff using excessive force on children.’

Full story

The Guardian, 26th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judiciary proposes fee ban and new name for McKenzie Friends – Legal Futures

‘England and Wales should follow the example of Scotland in banning McKenzie Friends from charging fees, the Judicial Executive Board (JEB) has proposed.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 25th February 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Kent sex attacker jailed for life – The Guardian

Posted February 29th, 2016 in assault, news, robbery, sentencing, sexual offences by sally

‘A man who carried out a catalogue of attacks on girls and women in Kent has been jailed for life.’

Full story

The Guardian, 26th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Big money divorce case secrecy row could trigger appeals, warns judge – Daily Telegraph

‘Disagreement between top judges over whether details of couples’ lives can be publicised “needs to be dealt with”, says Mr Justice Moor’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 28th February 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Rotherham trial victim claims she was raped by town councillor – The Guardian

Posted February 29th, 2016 in child abuse, local government, news, rape, sexual grooming, sexual offences by sally

‘A victim in the Rotherham grooming trial has claimed she was raped by a town councillor.’

Full story

The Guardian, 26th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Accrington brothers jailed over Facebook judge posts – BBC News

Posted February 29th, 2016 in drug offences, internet, news, sentencing, suspended sentences by sally

‘Two drug dealing brothers taken back to court for mocking a judge when she decided not to send them to prison have now been jailed for two years.’

Full story

BBC News, 26th February 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Law-abiding’ rapist let back into Britain because it would break EU law to deport him to Romania – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 29th, 2016 in appeals, deportation, EC law, human rights, immigration, news, proportionality, rape by sally

‘Married father-of-three Mircea Gheorghiu is allowed to return to the UK after being sent back to his home country last year.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 28th February 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Operation Elveden: The investigation into ‘chequebook journalism’ – BBC News

‘It cost £15m and took five years but what did Operation Elveden – the police investigation into inappropriate payments to police and public officials by journalists – aim to achieve?’

Full story

BBC News, 26th February 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Disabled people challenge bedroom tax at supreme court – The Guardian

‘The supreme court is to hear a legal challenge against the government’s bedroom tax from five people who argue it discriminates against the weak and vulnerable.’

Full story

The Guardian, 29th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Operation Elveden: Met inquiry into payments to public officials closes – The Guardian

‘Scotland Yard’s investigation into payments by journalists to police and other public officials has officially closed after five years.’

Full story

The Guardian, 26th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

More on media reporting of private court proceedings – Panopticon

‘The law on media reporting of private proceedings continues to develop with the decision of the Court of Appeal in Re W [2016] EWCA Civ 113. The decision arises out of the care proceedings that followed the death of 13-month old Poppi Worthington which attracted very high levels of public interest and media coverage.’

Full story

Panopticon, 26th February 2016

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

Abortion, mental incapacity and prior intentions: Court of Protection Clarifies the law – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted February 26th, 2016 in abortion, consent, Court of Protection, domestic violence, medical treatment, news by tracey

‘An NHS Trust v CS (By Her Litigation Friend, the Official Solicitor) ] EWCOP. The Court of Protection does the work of Solomon on a daily basis. Matters of life and death are brought before it, and with them come a mass of conflicting rights, overlapping statutes, and an array of case law from which arguments can be drawn. At the end of it, an individual judge must make a stark decision, which may have the most profound impact on another human being. One of those charged with making such decisions once divided the advocates who appeared before him into those who complicate and those who clarify. There is no surprise as to which he preferred.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 26th February 2016

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

‘Sobriety tags’ rolled out across London – Ministry of Justice

Posted February 26th, 2016 in alcohol abuse, crime prevention, electronic monitoring, press releases by tracey

‘The Ministry of Justice and Mayor of London announce crackdown against alcohol related crime.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 25th February, 2016

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

SRA: We want to be accountable to Parliament, not the Law Society – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has asked the House of Commons’ justice select committee to assume responsibility for holding it to account once independence from the Law Society has been achieved.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 26th February 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Judiciary consults on the approach courts should take to McKenzie Friends – Court & Tribunals Judiciary

Posted February 26th, 2016 in consultations, litigants in person, McKenzie friends by tracey

‘The Judicial Executive Board (JEB) has issued a consultation paper proposing reforms to the existing guidance for “McKenzie Friends”, non-lawyers who offer assistance and in some cases seek to appear as advocates on behalf of litigants-in-person (LiPs).’

Full consultation

Court & Tribunals Judiciary, 25th February 2016

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

BSB publishes report on diversity within its complaints-handling system – Bar Standards Board

Posted February 26th, 2016 in barristers, complaints, diversity, news, reports by tracey

‘Monitoring complaints against barristers to make sure disciplinary processes are carried out in a fair and unbiased manner has always been a priority for the Bar Standards Board (BSB).’

Full report

Bar Standards Board, 24th February 2016

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Children: Public Law Update (February 2016) – Family Law Week

Posted February 26th, 2016 in adoption, child abuse, jurisdiction, news by tracey

‘John Tughan QC of 4 Paper Buildings analyses recent significant judgments in public children law.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 22nd February 2016

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Smiler crash: Alton Towers owner to be prosecuted – BBC News

Posted February 26th, 2016 in health & safety, news, prosecutions by tracey

‘The owner of Alton Towers is to be prosecuted over the Smiler rollercoaster crash which left five people seriously injured.’

Full story

BBC News, 25th February 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk