Prisoners won’t have to declare convictions when seeking work, David Cameron says – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 9th, 2016 in civil servants, criminal records, employment, news, recruitment, speeches by sally

‘Prime Minister says that prisoners should not have to submit a list of previous convictions when initially applying for jobs’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 8th February 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

MPs better placed than judges to decide public interest, says attorney general – The Guardian

‘Politicians are frequently better placed than judges to decide what constitutes the public interest in releasing information about foreign relations, national security and other areas, according to the attorney general.’

Full story

The Guardian, 8th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Transgender couple win council payout for defamation – Daily Telegraph

‘A transgender couple who claim local villagers subjected them to a campaign of harassment won damages from the council after defamatory comments were published on its website.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 8th February 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Cheryl James: Teenage army recruit ‘may have been killed by someone else’ – The Independent

Posted February 9th, 2016 in armed forces, evidence, forensic science, homicide, inquests, murder, news by sally

‘New forensic evidence reveals that a teenage army recruit found dead at Deepcut barracks may not have shot herself and could have been killed by someone else, it has emerged.’

Full story

The Independent, 8th February 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Starbucks employee wins dyslexia discrimination case – BBC News

Posted February 9th, 2016 in dyslexia, employment tribunals, learning difficulties, news by sally

‘A woman with dyslexia has won a disability discrimination case against her employer Starbucks after she was accused of falsifying documents.’

Full story

BBC News, 9th February 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Youth jails should be replaced by secure schools, finds review – The Guardian

Posted February 9th, 2016 in detention, education, news, reports, secure training centres, young offenders by sally

‘The notorious Medway youth jail and other privately run secure training centres and state-run young offender institutions should be replaced by a new network of small “secure schools”, according to the findings of an official review set up by the justice secretary, Michael Gove.’

Full story

The Guardian, 9th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Further shots fired in the long-running battle between credit hire companies and insurers… Zenith PI Blog

Posted February 8th, 2016 in appeals, consumer credit, contracts, damages, insurance, news by tracey

‘Credit hire litigation is rife with technical arguments which have been accused of being “layers of artificiality” (by Judge Mackie in W v Veolia Environmental Services (UK) Plc [2011] EWHC 2020 (QB), [2012] 1 All E.R. (Comm) 667).’

Full story

Zenith PI Blog, 8th February 2016

Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com

Update to Sexual offences definitive guideline – Sentencing Council

Posted February 8th, 2016 in codes of practice, news, sentencing, sexual offences, young offenders by tracey

‘The sentencing guideline on the sentencing of sexual offences has been updated to take account of legislative changes to sections 48, 49, and 50 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. The changes relate to a change in terminology and now use the term “sexual exploitation of a child” to replace references to “child prostitution” and “child pornography”. The changes are on pages 89 to 94 of the guideline.’

Full guideline

Sentencing Council, 5th February 2016

Source: http://sentencingcouncil.judiciary.gov.uk

PM calls for rethink of treatment of pregnant women in prison – Ministry of Justice

Posted February 8th, 2016 in children, pilot schemes, pregnancy, press releases, prisons, statistics, women by tracey

‘Treatment of pregnant women and female prisoners with babies to be reformed including tagging, problem-solving courts and alternative resettlement units.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 8th February 2016

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

Profession gets to work on Jackson’s vision of a contingent legal aid fund – Litigation Futures

‘The Bar Council, Law Society and Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) have already begun talks on forming a working party that will take forward Lord Justice Jackson’s call for a contingent legal aid fund (CLAF), it has emerged.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 5th February 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Judge complains of “too many swindlers” after wrongly questioning status of solicitor – Legal Futures

Posted February 8th, 2016 in appeals, bias, internet, judges, landlord & tenant, Law Society, news, solicitors by tracey

‘A judge who wrongly questioned the status of a solicitor after doing his own research on the Law Society’s website, has been criticised by the Court of Appeal.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 5th February 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Speech by Lord Justice Jackson – The Case for a CLAF – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

‘Lord Justice Jackson gave the keynote speech at the Solicitors’ Costs Conference on 2 February 2016.’

Full speech

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 4th February 2016

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

BSB publishes its response to the CMA legal services market study’s statement of scope – Bar Standards Board

Posted February 8th, 2016 in barristers, competition, legal services, licensing, news by tracey

‘The BSB is pleased to make public its response to the Competition and Market Authority’s (CMA’s) “Statement of Scope” for its legal services market study.’

Full response

Bar Standards Board, 5th February 2016

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Lowestoft man jailed for raping 12-year-old he met online – BBC News

Posted February 8th, 2016 in child abuse, internet, news, rape, sentencing, sexual offences by tracey

‘A man who raped a 12-year-old girl he had groomed on social media has been jailed for eight years.’

Full story

BBC News, 6th February 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

MPs to use Human Rights Act to claim anonymity if arrested by police – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 8th, 2016 in anonymity, disclosure, human rights, inquiries, media, news, parliament, police, privacy by tracey

‘MPs will use human rights laws this week to prevent politicians being named the House of Commons after their arrest.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 7th February 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Lord Bramall inquiry: Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe called to account by MPs – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 8th, 2016 in armed forces, child abuse, inquiries, news, police, select committees by tracey

‘Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, Britain’s most senior police officer, will explain his conduct over the beleaguered child sex abuse inquiry for the first time later this month after being called to give evidence to MPs.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 7th February 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Rapes linked to online dating up by more than 450% in five years – The Independent

Posted February 8th, 2016 in internet, national crime agency, news, rape, sexual offences, statistics by tracey

‘The number of rape allegations linked to online dating websites has increased sixfold in five years, according to Britain’s leading crime-fighting body.’

Full story

The Independent, 8th February 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Lord Brittan abuse inquiry ‘fully justified’, review finds – BBC News

‘The Metropolitan Police investigation of a rape allegation against the late Lord Brittan was “fully justified”, a review has concluded.’.

Full story

BBC News, 7th February 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Prisons which release most criminals who reoffend will be named and shamed, David Cameron pledges – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 8th, 2016 in news, prisons, recidivists by tracey

‘David Cameron also wants to create six “reform prisons” whose governors would be given more freedom to implement reforms and control spending.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 8th February 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Criminals with UK children cannot be automatically deported, says EU court – The Guardian

Posted February 5th, 2016 in children, criminal records, deportation, EC law, families, news by tracey

‘The EU’s top court has told the home secretary, Theresa May, she cannot deport a Moroccan mother with a British-born son simply because she has a criminal record.’

Full story

The Guardian, 4th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk