Dad Elliott Appleyard who treated daughter as ‘wife’ jailed – BBC News

Posted January 28th, 2019 in child abuse, children, families, news, rape, sentencing, sexual offences by sally

‘A father who repeatedly raped and abused his teenage daughter has been jailed for 20 years.’

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BBC News, 25th January 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Closed judgments: security, accountability and court processes – UK Human Rights Blog

‘A new practice direction reveals some valuable progress in the management of closed judgments, but leaves uncertainty and, very worryingly, indicates that some judgments will be destroyed.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 25th January 2019

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Review proposes enhancements to Modern Slavery Act reporting – OUT-LAW.com

‘More clarity is needed over which organisations are required to comply with modern slavery reporting requirements, while the reports themselves need a consistent structure and far stronger enforcement, an independent review has recommended.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 25th January 2019

Source: www.out-law.com

Lay users “must be at heart of court process”, says think tank – Litigation Futures

Posted January 28th, 2019 in courts, legal aid, litigants in person, news by sally

‘Greater efforts need to be made to put lay court users at the centre of the legal system so they understand the process, know what to expect, and can therefore participate fully, according to an influential justice think tank.’

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Litigation Futures, 28th January 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Philip Green ends ‘gagging order’ legal action against Telegraph – The Guardian

‘Sir Philip Green and his business empire, Arcadia, have ended their legal claim against the Telegraph after the newspaper reported allegations of sexual and racial harassment against him.’

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The Guardian, 28th January 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Family courts next to test video hearings – Legal Futures

Posted January 28th, 2019 in consultations, family courts, judiciary, live link evidence, news, pilot schemes by sally

‘A test in the family courts will be the next step in exploring fully video hearings, against a backdrop of widespread concern about the technology among judges, it has emerged.’

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Legal Futures, 28th January 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

No order for costs following withdrawn forfeiture application – UK Police Law Blog

Posted January 28th, 2019 in appeals, costs, drug offences, forfeiture, news, police, proceeds of crime by sally

‘In Bennett v Chief Constable of Merseyside [2018] EWHC 3591 (Admin), the High Court confirmed that a district judge was correct to make no order for costs against the police after it withdrew its Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (‘POCA’) s.298 application for cash forfeiture. In considering the decision of the district judge, the High Court reaffirmed three points: the starting point is that no order for costs should be made provided that the public authority has acted reasonably and properly; in determining whether the police acted reasonably and properly, the court should scrutinise the behaviour of the police with care; and it may be justifiable to award costs against the police, particularly where the successful private party would suffer substantial hardship if no order for costs were made in their favour.’

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UK Police Law Blog, 27th January 2019

Source: ukpolicelawblog.com

Melania Trump: Telegraph apologises and pays damages – BBC News

Posted January 28th, 2019 in damages, defamation, media, news by sally

‘The Daily Telegraph has apologised “unreservedly” to Melania Trump and agreed to pay her “substantial damages” for an article it published last week.’

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BBC News, 26th January 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Half of magistrates courts in England and Wales closed since 2010 – The Guardian

Posted January 28th, 2019 in budgets, computer programs, courts, magistrates, news, statistics by sally

‘More than half of all magistrates courts in England and Wales have closed since 2010, forcing defendants, witnesses, police, lawyers and justices of the peace to travel sometimes more than 50 miles to access local justice.’

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The Guardian, 27th January 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Driver jailed after mother lost unborn baby in Somerton crash – BBC News

‘A driver who caused a crash in which a mother lost her unborn child has been jailed for more than three years.’

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BBC News, 25th January 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Barrister who failed to pass on fees to colleague suspended – Legal Futures

‘A public access barrister who failed to pass on fees payable to a colleague has been suspended by a Bar disciplinary tribunal.’

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Legal Futures, 25th January 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Sports coach sexual relations law criticised over delay – BBC News

‘A proposed law to make it illegal for sports coaches to have sexual relations with 16 and 17-year-olds in their care has been “bogged down in bureaucracy”, an ex-sports minister has said.’

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BBC News, 28th January 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Women still have to use their frozen eggs in 10 years – or lose them. Why? – The Guardian

Posted January 28th, 2019 in assisted reproduction, news, pregnancy, time limits by sally

‘The original legal time limit may have been related to technology, but that has changed now, and so should the law.’

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The Guardian, 28th January 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com