Social housing and religion: R (Z & Anor) – Law & Religion UK

‘A non-Jewish woman, Z, had four children, including a son with autism. She was at the top of Hackney Council’s list for a four-bedroom home in the area. The co-defendant, the Agudas Israel Housing Association (AIHA), was founded in 1986 to provide social housing for Orthodox Jews in north London: it does not accept applications from anyone outside the Orthodox community. Six four-bedroom properties owned by AIHA became available but Ms Z was not allowed to apply for one of them. She sought judicial review of that refusal, arguing that it was unlawful and discriminatory for the AIHA to refuse her a home. As we noted, in R (Z & Ors) v Hackney London Borough Council & Anor [2019] EWHC 139 (Admin), a Divisional Court dismissed her claim, holding that a Jewish housing association might legitimately refuse to rent houses to those who were not Orthodox Jews. Z appealed.’

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Law & Religion UK, 5th July 2019

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Inheritance tax: Rules on gifts to loved ones ‘should be simplified’ – BBC News

Posted July 8th, 2019 in inheritance tax, news, statistics, taxation by sally

‘Fewer people should have to pay tax on gifts given just before death, under proposals for a major overhaul of the inheritance tax system.’

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BBC News, 5th July 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Helen’s Law: Killers who conceal victims’ remains face parole refusal – BBC News

Posted July 8th, 2019 in bereavement, disclosure, families, murder, news, parole, victims by sally

‘Murderers who refuse to reveal the location of their victims’ bodies could be denied parole under a new law.’

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BBC News, 6th July 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Tribunal rejects paralegal’s disability discrimination claim – Legal Futures

‘An employment tribunal has comprehensively rejected a disability discrimination claim brought by a paralegal who worked for well-known personal injury firm Ralli.’

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Legal Futures, 5th July 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Man in south Wales jailed for abusing 150 children online – The Guardian

‘An aspiring barrister has been jailed for 10 years after recording more than 150 children carrying out sex acts he told them to perform.’

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The Guardian, 5th July 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

CPS cancels meeting on rape victims’ phone data due to legal action – The Guardian

‘Police chiefs and prosecutors have been accused of treating a coalition of women’s groups with contempt after cancelling a meeting to discuss concerns over requests to hand over mobile phone records in rape investigations.’

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The Guardian, 6th July 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK slavery network ‘had 400 victims’ – BBC News

‘Members of a gang behind the biggest modern-day slavery network ever exposed in the UK have been jailed.’

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BBC News, 5th July 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Man hit dog with hammer, strangled it with washing line then dumped it in river because it was ‘following him around and getting on his nerves’ – The Independent

Posted July 8th, 2019 in animal cruelty, dogs, news, suspended sentences by sally

‘A dog owner who hit his German Shepherd on the head with a hammer and strangled her with a washing line for “getting on his nerves” has been spared jail.’

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The Independent, 5th July 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Case Comment: R (DA & Ors) v Secretary of State for Work & Pensions [2019] UKSC 21 Part Two – UKSC Blog

Posted July 8th, 2019 in appeals, benefits, equality, families, human rights, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘In order to make good an art 14 claim, a claimant has to establish that (a) the Jones_Jcircumstances fall within the ambit of a substantive Convention right, (b) the claimant has a relevant status for the purposes of art 14, (c) they have been treated differently from others in a similar situation, by reason of their status; if so the burden is then on the state to demonstrate (d) whether the difference in treatment is objectively justified. In a Thlimmenos claim, the third question becomes “they have been treated the same as others in a relevantly different situation”. The way in which those issues were resolved by Lord Wilson for the majority is summarised above, but the court’s analysis of status and justification is worth some closer consideration.’

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UKSC Blog, 2nd July 2019

Source: ukscblog.com

Green bicycle mystery: Case ‘worthy of Sherlock Holmes’ – BBC News

Posted July 8th, 2019 in barristers, bicycles, evidence, legal history, murder, news, victims, women by sally

‘It was a murder trial that captivated a nation: a well-spoken former Army officer represented by the most famous barrister of the day stands accused of killing a vivacious, independent young woman.’

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BBC News, 8th July 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Case Comment: R (DA & Ors) v Secretary of State for Work & Pensions [2019] UKSC 21 Part One – UKSC Blog

Posted July 8th, 2019 in appeals, benefits, equality, families, human rights, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘In these joined appeals, the Supreme Court considered whether the “revised benefit Jones_Jcap” – the effect of which is to restrict the maximum amount of benefits payable to couples and lone parents to £23000 in London and £20000 elsewhere – discriminated against the lone parents of young children, and against the children themselves. The Supreme Court decided by a majority of 5-2 that it did not, though there were various differences of opinion even amongst the majority.’

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UKSC Blog, 2nd July 2019

Source: ukscblog.com

BA faces record £183m fine over data breach – The Guardian

‘British Airways is set to be fined more than £183m by the Information Commissioner’s Office over a customer data breach, the company said.’

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The Guardian, 8th July 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

New Judgment: Tillman v Egon Zehnder Ltd [2019] UKSC 32 – UKSC Blog

‘This appeal considered whether the doctrine of restraint of trade is engaged by a restriction on post-employment shareholding, the proper construction of the phrase ‘interested in’ in a non-competition covenant, and the correct approach to severance of a non-competition covenant.’

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UKSC Blog, 3rd July 2019

Source: ukscblog.com

Injunctions against persons unknown – Falcon Chambers

Posted July 5th, 2019 in civil procedure rules, injunctions, news, trespass by sally

‘People have entered onto your client’s land – or are threatening to do so. Your client wants them to leave – or not to arrive. Your advice is sought. In practice, self-help is out of the question. Section 6 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 prohibits the use or threat of violence against person or property for the purpose of securing entry to any premises without lawful excuse. A right to possession or occupation of the premises is no excuse, unless your client is a “displaced residential occupier” or “protected intending occupier”. But in any event, you cannot encourage the use of self-help, because of the risk of disorder that it may entail. A legal remedy is required.’

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Falcon Chambers, June 2019

Source: www.falcon-chambers.com

High Court rules baby can be given blood without mother’s consent – BBC News

Posted July 5th, 2019 in blood products, children, consent, medical treatment, news, parental rights by sally

‘A High Court judge has ruled that a “gravely ill” baby should have a blood transfusion, even though his mother does not consent on religious grounds.’

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BBC News, 4th July 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

New Judgment: London Borough of Lambeth v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government & Ors [2019] UKSC 33 – UKSC Blog

Posted July 5th, 2019 in local government, news, planning, Supreme Court by sally

‘This appeal considered whether a condition restricting the use of the premises should be implied into a planning permission granted by the appellant; alternatively, whether the planning permission should be interpreted as containing such a condition.’

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UKSC Blog, 3rd July 2019

Source: ukscblog.com

The New Electronic Communications Code clarified – Falcon Chambers

Posted July 5th, 2019 in codes of practice, contracts, news, telecommunications, valuation by sally

‘The Upper Tribunal has recently provided helpful clarification of the workings of several aspects of the new Electronic Communications Code (“the Code”) introduced by the Digital Economy Act 2017, which came into force on 28 December 2017.’

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Falcon Chambers, June 2019

Source: www.falcon-chambers.com

Jury finds failure to adequately assess risk of self harm and suicide contributed to death of Rocky Stenning at HMP Chelmsford – Garden Court Chambers

Posted July 5th, 2019 in death in custody, inquests, news, prisons, self-harm, suicide by sally

‘The jury returned a narrative conclusion at the inquest into the death of Rocky Stenning, finding that the failure to adequately assess his risk of self harm and suicide whilst he was at HMP Chelmsford contributed to his death. They also noted that restricting Rocky’s access to a telephone, the length of the prison sentence he received and other known triggers as identified in the Ministry of Justice’s suicide and self-harm policy, affected Rocky’s mental ill health.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 3rd July 2019

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

When is a Highway “Maintainable at Public Expense”? – Zenith PI Blog

‘The claimant brought an action against the defendant for personal injury following a tripping incident on a path in Abram Park, Wigan. At trial the judge found that the path was in a dangerous and defective state but also found that the path was not a highway “maintainable at public expense” for the purposes of section 36 of the Highways Act 1980 and as such the defendant did not owe a duty under section 41 of the Act.’

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Zenith PI Blog, 28th June 2019

Source: zenithpi.wordpress.com

FOI requests to 20 councils found more than half did not prosecute single letting agent over four-year period, landlords group claims – Local Government Lawyer

‘Local authorities are failing in their duty to prosecute rogue letting agents, the National Landlords Association has claimed after its research found that more than half of 20 councils did not prosecute a single letting agent in the four-year period from 2014/15 to 2017/18.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 4th July 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk