Ringleader of gang responsible for £113m fraud jailed for 11 years – The Guardian

Posted September 22nd, 2016 in computer crime, conspiracy, fraud, gangs, money laundering, news, sentencing by sally

‘The head of a fraud ring has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for his part in a £113m scam, which funded purchases including a fleet of customised Porsches and shopping sprees at Harrods.’

Full story

The Guardian, 21st September 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Enid Blyton gift shop has golliwog advert promoting ‘English freedom’ banned by watchdog – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 22nd, 2016 in advertising, complaints, news, racism by sally

‘An advert for an Enid Blyton gift-shop tea towel featuring a golliwog clutching a pint of ginger beer has been banned by the advertising watchdog.’

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Daily Telegraph, 21st September 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

UK failing on many human rights measures, report claims – The Guardian

Posted September 22nd, 2016 in children, human rights, news, prisons, refugees, reports, stop and search, United Nations by sally

‘The UK has failed to meet many human rights recommendations made by the United Nations and should do more to prevent prison overcrowding, tackle hate crimes and restrict stop and search powers, a coalition of 175 civil society organisations claims.’

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The Guardian, 22nd September 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Hunt saboteurs should learn it’s a ‘dangerous world out there’ says lawyer after huntsman is cleared of ramming protester – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 22nd, 2016 in demonstrations, grievous bodily harm, hunting, news by sally

‘Hunt saboteurs should learn that it’s a “dangerous world out there” and stop standing in the way of riders, according to the lawyer of a huntsman cleared of ramming a protester.’

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Daily Telegraph, 21st September 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Staff were ‘desensitised’ to self-harm at psychiatric hospital where boy, 15, died – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 22nd, 2016 in children, hospitals, inquests, mental health, news, self-harm by sally

‘Staff working for one of England’s largest mental health trusts had become “desensitised” to the level of self-harm at a psychiatric hospital, a coroner has said as she ruled that “neglect” contributed to the death of a 15-year-old boy.’

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd September 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

High Court calls for change in bereavement law to benefit cohabitees – The Guardian

Posted September 22nd, 2016 in accidents, bereavement, cohabitation, damages, news by sally

‘Under the Fatal Accidents Act 1976 those who live together but are not married are not entitled to damages for bereavement. The High Court has found that though this did not directly engage the right to family life and privacy under Article 8, the difference in treatment between cohabitees and those who were married or in a civil partnership could not be justified and consideration should be given to reforming the law.’

Full story

The Guardian, 21st September 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Stop and search still targets black people, police watchdog says – The Guardian

Posted September 22nd, 2016 in inquiries, news, police, race discrimination, racism, reports, stop and search by sally

‘Police stops of black people are still at an “eye-watering” level compared with white people, the official police watchdog said today and promised a fresh inquiry into every force’s use of the controversial powers.’

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The Guardian, 21st September 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Housing shortage means many women ‘feel safer behind bars’ – BBC News

Posted September 22nd, 2016 in housing, landlord & tenant, news, prisons, probation, release on licence, reports, women by sally

‘A former inmate has told the BBC many women feel “safer in prison” due to a lack of suitable housing for female ex-offenders.’

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BBC News, 22nd September 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Conviction: Murder at the Station review – a gripping search for truth – The Guardian

Posted September 22nd, 2016 in BBC, media, murder, news by sally

‘Did Roger Kearney really kill his lover in 2008, or is he serving a life sentence on little direct evidence? This BBC two-parter allows the viewer to judge both sides of the argument.’

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The Guardian, 22nd September 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Many online child sex crimes using Facebook and Twitter ‘not recorded by police’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 22nd, 2016 in child abuse, internet, news, police, reports, Scotland, sexual offences by sally

‘Sex criminals are using social media networks like Facebook and Twitter to carry out attacks against Scottish children including rape but many are not recorded by the police, according to a disturbing official report.’

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd September 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Government ‘committed’ to Alan Turing gay pardon law – BBC News

Posted September 22nd, 2016 in homosexuality, news, pardons by sally

‘Proposals to introduce new legislation which would pardon gay men convicted under historical gross indecency laws will be brought forward “in due course”, the government has said.’

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BBC News, 22nd September 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The Human Rights Act protects our soldiers – as well as those they protect – The Guardian

Posted September 22nd, 2016 in armed forces, human rights, news, war by sally

‘Tom Tugendhat is wrong. Limiting human rights to our borders will strip soldiers of hard-won protections, and values that distinguish them from the enemy.’

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The Guardian, 21st September 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Woman who posed as man to trick friend into sex appeals against sentence – The Guardian

Posted September 21st, 2016 in appeals, consent, news, sentencing, sexual offences, transgender persons by tracey

‘Court of appeal will consider Gayle Newland’s legal challenge against eight-year prison term next month.’

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The Guardian, 21st September 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Decades-old legal test not suitable for assessing if investment advice met professional standards, says High Court – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 21st, 2016 in banking, duty of care, financial advice, financial regulation, insurance, negligence, news by tracey

‘A long-standing legal test, that helps to determine whether professionals meet their duty of care to clients is not appropriate for determining whether UK investment advisers have sufficiently communicated with investors to be said to have provided suitable advice, the UK High Court has said.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 20th September 2016

Source: www.out-law.com

How often must we investigate torture? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted September 21st, 2016 in appeals, armed forces, detention, human rights, Iraq, news, torture, war by tracey

‘Al-Saadoon & Ors v. Secretary of State for Defence [2016] EWCA Civ 811, 9 September 2016. This post concerns the extent of any obligations imposed on the UK to investigate violations of non-refoulement (under Article 3, ECHR) and arbitrary deprivation of liberty (Article 5, ECHR). The non-refoulement issue arose from two individuals whom had been captured by British forces in Iraq claimed they were transferred to American custody and subsequently ill-treated. The Article 5 issue arose from the detention by British forces in Iraq of several individuals who claimed to have had their Article 5 rights violated whilst in British custody.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 20th September 2016

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

CJC accuses government of “unprincipled” move over judicial review costs transparency – Litigation Futures

‘Ministry of Justice (MoJ) plans to require judicial review claimants to share details of how their action is being funded with the defendant and other parties is “a fundamentally unprincipled breach of the principle of equality of arms”, the Civil Justice Council (CJC) has claimed.’

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Litigation Futures, 21st September 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.co.uk

BSB publishes Professional Statement Threshold Standard and Competences for barristers – Bar Standards Board

Posted September 21st, 2016 in barristers, press releases, professional conduct, quality assurance by tracey

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today published a revised version of the Professional Statement, which now includes the Threshold Standard and Competences. It sets out in more detail the skills, knowledge and attributes which barristers are expected to have on “day one” of being issued with a practising certificate.’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 21st September 2016

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

In re W (Children) (Child Arrangements Orders: Non-molestation Orders) – WLR Daily

In re W (Children) (Child Arrangements Orders: Non-molestation Orders):[2016] EWHC 2226 (Fam)

‘The parties married in Russia in September 2010 and came to live in London in August 2014. In June 2016, following the breakdown of the marriage, the father issued applications in the High Court, inter alia, for orders under the court’s inherent powers to locate his step-son, A, aged ten and his son, J, aged two, a prohibited steps order preventing their removal from the jurisdiction and a request to the Russian Embassy and the British Passport Office that no further passports be issued until further order of the court. Location and passport orders were made and the children located. Meanwhile, on 19 July 2016 the mother sought and was granted an ex parte non-molestation order against the father by a district judge in the family court. The order stated that it was to endure until 19 July 2017 and that the order would be considered at a further hearing on a date to be fixed by the court officer on request by the respondent father. The father issued further applications in the family court for child arrangement orders in respect of the children.’

WLR Daily, 10th August 2016

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted September 21st, 2016 in legislation by tracey

The First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) Fees (Amendment) Order 2016

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Research exposes £60k gender pay gap – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 21st, 2016 in gender, news, remuneration, solicitors by tracey

‘Men are earning on average nearly 20% more than women, latest Law Society research suggests, despite the gender pay gap falling to its narrowest since 2008. A survey of private practice solicitors’ salaries shows that male salaried partners at the top end of the earnings bracket make as much as £60,000 more than women in the same category.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 21st September 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk