Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority v First-tier Tribunal (Social Entitlement Chamber) and another (British Pregnancy Advisory Service and Birthrights and another intervening) – WLR Daily

Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority v First-tier Tribunal (Social Entitlement Chamber) and another (British Pregnancy Advisory Service and Birthrights and another intervening) [2014] EWCA Civ 1554; [2014] WLR (D) 520

‘A mother who drank alcohol to excess while she was pregnant, resulting her child being born with permanent damage from foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, was not criminally liable for administering poison to “any other person” so as to inflict grievous bodily harm contrary to section 23 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. Because a foetus was not “any other person” for the purposes of section 23, and the harm had been inflicted on the child while she was in the womb, the child was not entitled to criminal injuries compensation.’

WLR Daily, 4th December 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Foetal alcohol damages case dismissed by Court of Appeal – BBC News

‘A child born with foetal alcohol syndrome is not legally entitled to compensation after her mother drank excessively while pregnant, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

Full story

BBC News, 4th December 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Over the limit? – New Law Journal

Posted November 24th, 2014 in alcohol abuse, news, personal injuries, pregnancy by sally

‘Is the criminalisation of excessive alcohol consumption during pregnancy possible, asks David Locke.’

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New Law Journal, 20th November 2014

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

Woman’s rape was not investigated ‘because she took her clothes off’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 18th, 2014 in alcohol abuse, consent, crime, news, police, rape, victims by sally

‘Police watchdog reveals how police wrongly presumed a rape victim must have “consented” to sex.’

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Daily Telegraph, 18th November 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Alcohol consumed in pregnancy may be deemed to be poisoning – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted November 10th, 2014 in alcohol abuse, criminal injuries compensation, news, poisoning, pregnancy by sally

‘The Court of Appeal heard a landmark test case this week brought on behalf of a child born with foetal alcohol syndrome against the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 7th November 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Foetal alcohol syndrome compensation case goes before Court of Appeal – The Independent

Posted November 5th, 2014 in alcohol abuse, appeals, crime, news, pregnancy, women by sally

‘A six-year-old girl born with disabilities caused by her mother drinking while she was in the womb could be awarded criminal injuries compensation at a case being heard by the Court of Appeal tomorrow.’

Full story

The Independent, 4th November 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Family Drug and Alcohol Court: A Practitioners’ and Judge’s Perspectives – Family Law Week

Posted November 4th, 2014 in alcohol abuse, care orders, courts, drug abuse, family courts, news, rehabilitation by sally

‘Sarah Jennings & Esther Lieu, 3PB, with District Judge Julie Exton look at the Family Drug and Alcohol Court.’

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Family Law Week, 31st October 2014

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Rape: consenting in a digital age – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted October 24th, 2014 in alcohol abuse, consent, internet, news, rape by sally

‘Rape, as everyone knows, is having penetrative sexual activity with someone without that person’s consent and the defendant not reasonably believing that that person is consenting.’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 24th October 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

‘Too many’ mentally ill end up in cells not hospital – BBC News

Posted October 22nd, 2014 in alcohol abuse, hospitals, mental health, news, police, young persons by sally

‘Too many people in the middle of a mental health crisis end up locked in police cells after being turned away from hospitals, says a report.’

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BBC News, 22nd October 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Robert Cerqua guilty of murdering twin Christopher – BBC News

Posted October 21st, 2014 in alcohol abuse, families, murder, news by sally

‘A man has been found guilty of murdering his identical twin brother in a drunken argument on New Year’s Eve.’

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BBC News, 20th October 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

How October 1 will change your life – Daily Telegraph

‘As a number of new laws come into effect this week, we take a look at how your life will be affected.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 1st October 2014

Source: www.telegrpah.co.uk

Ombudsman reins in insurer claims of alcohol abuse – The Guardian

Posted September 23rd, 2014 in alcohol abuse, insurance, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘How much booze is too much? The UK’s financial ombudsman has revealed that some insurers are unfairly accusing their customers of alcohol abuse, or labelling them alcoholics, even though medical evidence showed they only had one or two drinks.’

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd September 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judge condemns Crown Prosecution Service for pursuing sex case – Daily Telegraph

‘Judge Anthony Morris QC had urged prosecutors to pull the sex assault case before the trial had even begun because of lack of evidence.’

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Daily Telegraph, 8th September 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

The 13 obscure UK laws you didn’t know you were breaking – The Independent

‘Forget the urban myths about dying in Westminster or eating mince pies on Christmas Day: these are real rules you could be breaking without even realising it’

Full story

The Independent, 26th August 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Former judge says rape conviction rates will not improve until ‘women stop getting so drunk’ – The Independent

Posted August 27th, 2014 in alcohol abuse, judges, news, rape, sexual offences by sally

‘A former judge has claimed rape conviction statistics will not improve until women “stop getting so drunk”.’

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The Independent, 26th August 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Tackling alcohol-rated offending – are “Sobriety tags” the answer? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted August 14th, 2014 in alcohol abuse, alcoholism, crime, electronic monitoring, news, pilot schemes by sally

‘The first “sobriety tag” has been fitted to a man who had been found guilty of drunken affray. The introduction of the tags, which monitor consumption of alcohol by the wearer, is part of a year-long pilot scheme to tackle alcohol-related reoffending.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 14th August 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Daniel Palmer found guilty of Portuguese man’s murder – BBC News

Posted August 12th, 2014 in alcohol abuse, closed circuit television, DNA, murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘A man has been found guilty of the murder of a Portuguese immigrant who was about to travel home after failing to find work in the UK.’

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BBC News, 11th August 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Drink-driving: Parliamentary group calls for tough new rules – The Independent

Posted August 11th, 2014 in advertising, alcohol abuse, drunk in charge, health & safety, news by sally

‘Tough new rules on drink-driving are expected to be proposed to Parliament on Monday that would bring the UK in line with Europe on the issue.’

Full story

The Independent, 10th August 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘Sobriety tags’ to be worn by offenders of alcohol-linked crime in pilot scheme – The Guardian

‘People who repeatedly commit alcohol-related crime will be forced to wear ankle tags that monitor whether they are still drinking, under a year-long pilot scheme.’

Full story

The Guardian, 31st July 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Alcohol abuse in pregnancy could become a crime, legal papers claim – The Guardian

‘An unprecedented court hearing to decide on the right of a child whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy to receive compensation could pave the way to the criminalisation of pregnant women’s behaviour, according to legal papers lodged with the judge.

Full story

The Guardian, 26th July 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk