Violence against women soars by 40% as police chief brands crime rate a ‘national emergency’ – The Independent

‘Crimes involving violence against women and girls have surged by almost 40 per cent in England and Wales in recent years, according to a new report.’

Full Story

The Independent, 23rd July 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘Not acceptable in a democracy’: UN expert condemns lengthy Just Stop Oil sentences – The Guardian

‘The lengthy multi-year sentences handed to Just Stop Oil activists are “not acceptable in a democracy”, a UN special rapporteur has said, as the government faced growing pressure to reverse the previous administration’s “hardline anti-protest” approach.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 19th July 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

BT fined more than £17m over ‘catastrophic’ 999 call failure – The Guardian

Posted July 23rd, 2024 in emergency services, fines, news, telecommunications by sally

‘BT has been fined more than £17m for missing 14,000 emergency calls after technical faults caused the emergency call handling service to be disrupted for nearly 11 hours last summer.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 22nd July 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Rethinking the UK’s approach to dying: lessons from an end-of-life helpline – Mental Capacity Law and Policy

Posted July 22nd, 2024 in assisted suicide, charities, health, news, reports, suicide by sally

‘The Charity Compassion in Dying has published a comprehensive and powerful report based on analysis of calls and emails received on its information line, together with a YouGov poll, outlining how talking about end of life decision-making in the United Kingdom is not currently working.’

Full Story

Mental Capacity Law and Policy, 22nd July 2024

Source: www.mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.org.uk

Uyghur v NCA – and how it could affect law firms – Law Society’s Gazette

‘In its recent judgment in World Uyghur Congress v National Crime Agency, the Court of Appeal addressed the application of the money laundering provisions of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) in the context of international supply chains. The appeal court’s clarification of the scope of the ‘adequate consideration’ exemption under POCA has wide-reaching implications not only for businesses with global supply chains but for all professional services firms in the UK.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 19th July 2024

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

King’s Speech: New laws will strengthen employee protections – OUT-LAW.com

Posted July 22nd, 2024 in bills, employment, equality, government departments, news by sally

‘New legislation will give employees greater protections, but the government must consider the implications of any new rights to ensure they do not cut across employers’ regulatory or other obligations, experts have said.’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 19th July 2024

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Time to reset legal regulation and ethics, says consumer panel head – Legal Futures

‘The new Lord Chancellor, Shabana Mahmood, needs to recognise the need for an overhaul of the legal regulatory regime, the new chair of the Legal Services Consumer Panel has argued.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 22nd July 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Newborn baby made homeless by Home Office in frenzy to clear asylum backlog – The Guardian

‘A father with a newborn baby and a mother with two children are among the asylum seekers made homeless by the Home Office after it wrongly withdrew their claims, it can be revealed.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 20th July 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Cut ‘unsustainable’ probation workload in England and Wales, urges watchdog – The Guardian

Posted July 22nd, 2024 in early release, Ministry of Justice, news, prisons, probation, statistics by sally

‘Ministers should consider reducing the caseload of the probation service by up to 40,000 offenders if they are to ease the overcrowding crisis in prisons, a watchdog has told the Guardian.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 22nd July 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Law and religion roundup – Law & Religion UK

‘Further to the notices relating to Jonathan Fletcher posted by the Diocese of Southwark and the Metropolitan Police, it is perhaps timely to include a link to the Attorney General’s Note, Contempt of court and social media.’

Full Story

Law & Religion UK, 14th July 2024

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

Captain Matthew Flinders: a legal history – Law & Religion UK

Posted July 19th, 2024 in burials and cremation, Church of England, news by michael

‘From his initial burial to the final interment in the church of St Mary and the Holy Rood, Donington, the remains of Captain Flinders have been been covered by different tranches of legislation: that relating to the churchyard in which he was first buried; that concerning the custody of the body during and after the infrastructure project; and finally, the ecclesiastical provisions governing burial within the church.’

Full Story

Law & Religion UK, 12th July 2024

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

Solicitor used client money to keep PI firm afloat – Legal Futures

‘A solicitor who “repeatedly” transferred money from client to office account to prop up his firm has been struck off by the Solicitor Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT).’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 19th July 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Insurers win costs orders against Anexo over credit hire – Legal Futures

Posted July 19th, 2024 in costs, insurance, law firms, news by michael

‘His Honour Judge Saunders in Central London County Court held that Direct Accident Management Ltd (DAML) was the “real party” to litigation to recover the credit hire charges and should bear the risk of unsuccessful claims.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 19th July 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Number of Bar students continues to grow – Legal Futures

Posted July 19th, 2024 in barristers, legal education, news, statistics, universities by michael

‘The number of students on Bar vocational courses has continued to grow since the pandemic, new figures from the Bar Standards Board (BSB) have shown. The figures also highlighted large gaps in achievement between those with first-class university degrees and those with lower seconds, as well as between course providers.’

Full Report

Full Story

Legal Futures, 19th July 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Statutory officers and good governance: the new Code of Practice – Local Government Lawyer

Posted July 19th, 2024 in codes of practice, local government, news by michael

‘LLG, CIPFA and SOLACE have this week published the Code of Practice on Good Governance for Local Authority Statutory Officers. Philip McCourt explains its purpose.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 19th July 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Back to basics – Local Government Lawyer

Posted July 19th, 2024 in local government, news, planning by michael

‘Simon Ricketts analyses two High Court rulings this month which provide reminders as to some development management procedural fundamentals.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 19th July 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

High Court rules for first time on water neutrality – Local Government Lawyer

Posted July 19th, 2024 in local government, news, planning, water by michael

‘The High Court has dismissed the first challenge to an Inspector’s decision which refused planning permission for a development on grounds of water neutrality. Matt Lewin explains why.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 17th July 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Ofcom to ban inflation-linked mid-contract price rises on phones, pay-TV and broadband – The Guardian

Posted July 19th, 2024 in complaints, consumer protection, news, ombudsmen, telecommunications by michael

‘Phone companies, broadband providers and subscription TV services will be banned from imposing inflation-linked price increases in the middle of contracts from next year, the telecoms regulator has confirmed.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 19th July 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Suspended surgeon harmed hundreds of women – BBC News

‘The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service’s hearing concluded on Thursday [18 July] that a six-month suspension was “appropriate”.’

Full Story

BBC News, 18th July 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Just Stop Oil protesters jailed after M25 blocked – BBC News

‘Five environmental activists who organised protests that brought part of the M25 to a standstill over four days have been jailed.’

Full Story

BBC News, 18th July 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk