Paul O’Hara jailed for whole-life term over second girlfriend’s murder – BBC News

Posted July 1st, 2014 in domestic violence, murder, news, recidivists, sentencing by sally

‘A man has been given a whole-life prison sentence for murdering his girlfriend a year after his release for killing a previous partner.’

Full story

BBC News, 30th June 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Son sues mother after she squanders £50,000 July 7 compensation payout – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 1st, 2014 in appeals, compensation, families, news by sally

‘Adam Gray, whose father died in the London Underground bombings, took legal action against his mother, Louise, who lavished the money on home renovations, seven chihuahuas and meals at the Ritz.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 30th June 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Barristers lay out plans for range of new entities – Legal Futures

Posted July 1st, 2014 in alternative business structures, barristers, news by sally

‘Barristers are looking at creating a wide range of legal businesses – with solicitors, paralegals and others – once the Bar Standards Board’s (BSB) application to become an entity regulator is approved, it has emerged.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 1st July 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bad reviews and a future of bunk beds – NearlyLegal

Posted July 1st, 2014 in appeals, homelessness, housing, judgments, news by sally

‘This second appeal to the Court of Appeal from a s.204 Housing Act 1996 appeal raises three important questions. Unfortunately, the answers to them are rather brief and rather negative. The issues are i) whether a s.202 review of a s.184 decision can come to a finding which is substantially worse for the applicant that the original s.184 decision; ii) whether a review officer should conduct a hazard assessment (Housing Act 2004) when considering whether it is reasonable for an applicant to occupy their accommodation; and iii) how far should a review officer look to the future when considering whether the applicant is homeless.’

Full story

NearlyLegal, 30th June 2014

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

High Court upholds refusal of residential consent at site designated for mixed-use scheme – OUT-LAW.com

Posted July 1st, 2014 in housing, local government, news, planning by sally

‘A High Court judge has upheld Reading Council’s decision to refuse consent for a plan to build a residential development on a site designated in local planning documents for a mixed-use scheme.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 30th June 2014

Source: www.out-law.com

Legal aid child residence tests breach international rights, say MPs and peers – The Guardian

‘Depriving children of legal representation by introducing a residence test is in breach of their international rights, a parliamentary committee has warned.’

Full story

The Guardian, 30th June 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

More than 1,000 children under 10 stopped and searched in five years – The Guardian

Posted July 1st, 2014 in children, inquiries, news, reports, statistics, stop and search by sally

‘More than 1,000 children under the age of 10 – and some as young as four – have been stopped and searched by the police in England and Wales over the past five years, according to official figures.’

Full story

The Guardian, 1st July 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Rolf Harris guilty of indecent assaults – BBC News

Posted June 30th, 2014 in child abuse, news, sexual grooming by sally

‘Veteran entertainer Rolf Harris has been found guilty of indecently assaulting four girls.’

Full story

BBC News, 30th June 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Benefits Street did not breach Ofcom guidelines despite complaints – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 30th, 2014 in benefits, children, complaints, media, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘Controversial Channel 4 show Benefits Street did not breach broadcasting guidelines despite complaints, Ofcom rules.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 30th June 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

The Special Educational Needs (Personal Budgets) Regulations 2014 – Education Law Blog

‘These regulations will come into force on 1 September 2014. They basically extend the current pilot scheme for personal budgets to all local authorities and apply it to the new Education Health and Care Plans regime. I posted back in 2012 about the pilot scheme and these new regulations make very few changes to the substance of that scheme.’

Full story

Education Law Blog, 28th June 2014

Source: www.education11kbw.com

Judges use Great British Bake Off-style test to rule on £2.8m Snowball case – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 30th, 2014 in food, news, VAT by sally

‘Two judges taste a range of snacks ‘in moderation’ at tax tribunal hearing and decide that Snowballs are cakes and thus VAT zero-rated.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 27th June 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Project pits women’s success stories against “negative narrative of diversity debate” – Legal Futures

Posted June 30th, 2014 in barristers, diversity, equality, legal profession, news, solicitors, statistics, women by sally

‘A five-year project to celebrate the achievements of women lawyers has been launched, culminating at the centenary of the Act of Parliament which abolished the bar on their entry into the profession.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 27th June 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Homeless review officer can substitute less favourable decision: Court of Appeal – Local Government Lawyer

Posted June 30th, 2014 in appeals, homelessness, housing, local government, news by sally

‘A local authority’s review officer was entitled to substitute a less favourable decision than the original decision in relation to a homeless applicant because circumstances had changed, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 27th June 2014

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Andy Coulson and Clive Goodman face re-trial – BBC News

‘Andy Coulson and Clive Goodman are to face a re-trial on a charge that they bought royal telephone directories from police officers.’

Full story

BBC News, 30th June 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Yarl’s Wood: deported asylum seekers to give evidence to parliament – The Guardian

‘Deported asylum seekers who have made allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour by staff at the Yarl’s Wood detention centre are to be called before an ongoing parliamentary inquiry.’

Full story

The Guardian, 28th June 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The English law of causation and the passing-on defence – Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers

Posted June 30th, 2014 in causation, competition, damages, defences, news by sally

‘One of the big questions of English competition law is whether there is such a thing as a “passing-on defence” – – i.e. whether the damages suffered by a purchaser of a cartelized product are reduced or mitigated if he “passes on” some of the overcharge to his own customers. Two follow-on damages actions were due to be heard this term, arising out of the synthetic rubber cartel and the gas insulated switchgear cartel, both of which raised the question of passing-on but both of which have now settled.’

Full story

Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers, 30th June 2014

Source: www.competitionbulletin.com

CPS fraud couple ordered to pay back £300,000 – BBC News

Posted June 30th, 2014 in assets recovery, Crown Prosecution Service, fraud, news, sentencing, taxis by sally

‘A couple who were jailed for conning the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) out of more than £1m have been ordered to pay back in excess of £300,000 by a court.’

Full story

BBC News, 27th June 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

High Court refuses permission for judicial review of Woolwich affordable housing reduction – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 30th, 2014 in appeals, housing, judicial review, local government, news, planning by sally

‘A High Court judge has refused Greenwich Council’s application for judicial review of a planning inspector’s decision to allow the removal of the affordable housing requirement attached to a planning permission, according to a report in Planning Magazine.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 27th June 2014

Source: www.out-law.com

New laws needed for tug-of-love dogs, says divorce expert – The Independent

Posted June 30th, 2014 in custody, dispute resolution, divorce, dogs, news by sally

‘For centuries, the dog has held the title of man’s best friend, but what happens when the same animal is also the woman’s best friend? A legal academic has called for the UK to revolutionise the way in which pets are treated in divorce custody battles.’

Full story

The Independent, 29th June 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Bedtimes introduced for young offenders – BBC News

Posted June 30th, 2014 in codes of practice, enforcement, news, prisons, young offenders by sally

‘All young offenders will face strict bedtimes for the first time, Justice Secretary Chris Grayling has announced.’

Full story

BBC News, 28th June 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk