Curbing the Good Character Direction – Zenith Chambers

Posted April 29th, 2015 in appeals, civil procedure rules, crime, good character, juries, news by sally

‘A specially constituted fivemember Court of Appeal handed down judgment last week in the case of R v Hunter & Others [2015] EWCA Crim 631. The court heard a number of appeals concerning the circumstances in which a good character direction should be given and the extent of such a direction.’

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Zenith Chambers, 20th April 2015

Source: www.zenithchambers.co.uk

Murder numbers at 38-year low but sex offences up 32% – BBC News

Posted April 23rd, 2015 in crime, homicide, murder, news, police, statistics by sally

‘The number of murders and manslaughter cases in England and Wales has fallen to its lowest level for 38 years, police figures suggest.’

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BBC News, 23rd April 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Reported child sexual abuse has risen 60% in last four years, figures show

Posted April 9th, 2015 in child abuse, crime, news, police, sexual grooming, sexual offences, statistics by sally

‘There has been a 60% increase in child sexual abuse reported to the police over the past four years, according to official figures which make public for the first time the scale of the problem in England and Wales.’

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The Guardian, 9th April 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Half a million more people summoned to court over unpaid council tax, after benefits scrapped – The Independent

Posted April 7th, 2015 in benefits, council tax, crime, debts, news, social security by sally

‘Half a million more people were summoned to court last year over unpaid council tax, after benefits protecting low-income families from paying it were scrapped.’

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The Independent, 6th April 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Regina v ABC and others; Regina v Sabey – WLR Daily

Regina v ABC and others; Regina v Sabey [2015] EWCA Crim 539; [2015] WLR (D) 146

‘In a prosecution for misconduct in public office it was necessary for the judge to make clear that the necessary conduct was not simply a breach of duty or a breach of trust and that the level was one where the conduct was calculated to injure the public interest so as to call for condemnation and punishment, the threshold of conduct being so serious that it amounted to an abuse of the public’s trust in the office holder, and being a high threshold. In relation to aiding and abetting the offence it was not necessary to establish that the office holder intended to cross the threshold: means of knowledge available to the defendant to make the necessary assessment of the seriousness of the principal’s conduct was sufficient. In relation to conspiracy to commit the offence it was not necessary that a defendant knew or intended that the misconduct concerned would meet the requisite threshold of seriousness.’

WLR Daily, 26th March 2015

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Council ban legislation creating ‘bizarre’ laws, campaigners say – BBC News

Posted March 30th, 2015 in alcohol abuse, crime, fines, legislation, local government, news, nuisance, public order by sally

‘A law that allows councils in England and Wales to ban certain activities in public is leading to “bizarre new criminal offences”, campaigners say.’

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BBC News, 30th March 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Birdbrained new law could make feeding pigeons a criminal offence – The Independent

Posted March 30th, 2015 in alcohol abuse, crime, local government, news, nuisance, public order by sally

‘A new law that allows councils to ban activities in public spaces is leading to “bizarre new criminal offences”, which could see homeless people, buskers and people who feed pigeons prosecuted.’

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The Independent, 30th March 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Vaginal piercings have always been FGM – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted March 26th, 2015 in consent, crime, female genital mutilation, news by sally

‘In the UK some women choose to have their clitoris pierced to enhance their sexual pleasure. Recent headlines in the UK announced that vaginal piercings are now being classed as female genital mutilation (FGM) under new NHS guidelines. The truth is that vaginal piercings have always fallen within the definition of FGM but the lack of clear guidance to piercing clinics and the absence of clear guidance for health professionals has affected the way that traditionally mutilated girls and women are treated. The new guidelines are part of a package of measures designed to identify those at risk of traditional procedures in a non-discriminatory way as part of necessary intervention that ought to engage all health practitioners in the campaign to eradicate FGM in the UK.’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 25th March 2015

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

New sentencing measures to take effect next month – Ministry of Justice

‘A series of tougher sentencing measures, new criminal offences and a more balanced judicial review system will come into force when the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 takes effect on 13 April.’

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Ministry of Justice, 20th March 2015

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Mark Duggan shooting: armed officers cleared of wrongdoing – The Guardian

Posted March 25th, 2015 in complaints, crime, firearms, freedom of expression, gangs, news, police, reports by sally

‘The police watchdog has cleared armed officers of any wrongdoing in the killing of Mark Duggan, saying it was likely that he was in the process of throwing away a handgun when he was shot.’

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The Guardian, 25th March 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Nottingham man in court over football stadium drones – BBC News

Posted March 19th, 2015 in aircraft, crime, news by sally

‘A man has been summoned to appear in court over allegations he flew a drone over London landmarks and at several football grounds during matches.’

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BBC News, 18th March 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Uninsured Drivers Agreement: serious breach of European Law – Park Square Barristers

Posted March 19th, 2015 in agreements, crime, damages, EC law, news, uninsured drivers by sally

‘Judy Dawson looks at the recent judgment of the Court of Appeal in Delaney v Secretary of State for Transport and the insurance indemnity issues that arise.’

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Park Square Barristers, 11th March 2015

Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk

What should we do with violent children? One secure home may have the answer – The Guardian

‘The young people locked up in Clayfields House have been convicted of serious crimes, from assault to murder. Under close supervision, many have turned their lives around – but now this unusual prison may be under threat.’

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The Guardian, 18th March 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Police investigate web taunts after man falls to his death – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 17th, 2015 in crime, harassment, internet, news, suicide by sally

‘Bystanders who cruelly taunted a man before he fell from a multi-storey car park could face legal action, police have warned.’

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Daily Telegraph, 16th March 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Barrister disbarred for practising without valid PC – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 26th, 2015 in barristers, crime, disciplinary procedures, disqualification, fines, news by sally

‘A barrister has been disbarred after he was found to have practised for almost 10 months without a valid practising certificate.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 23rd February 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Depression linked to violent crime, study finds – BBC News

Posted February 25th, 2015 in alcohol abuse, assault, crime, drug abuse, mental health, murder, news, sexual offences, violence by sally

‘People with a depressive illness are three times more likely to commit a violent or sex crime than those in the general population, a study suggests.’

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BBC News, 25th February 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Gendercide abortion law is ‘a risk to mothers’ – The Independent

Posted February 19th, 2015 in abortion, crime, gender, health, news, sex discrimination, women by sally

‘Women’s rights campaigners are calling on MPs to vote against criminalising abortion on grounds of a child’s gender because it could drive the problem underground.’

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The Independent, 18th February 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Twitter joke trial law is being used to win easy convictions and must be scrapped, report claims – The Independent

‘The law used to prosecute a man for joking on Twitter about blowing up a snowbound airport should be scrapped since it is used to get easy convictions, according to a report out today.’

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The Independent, 19th February 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Fifth of sex attack victims ‘asleep or unconscious’ – BBC News

Posted February 13th, 2015 in crime, news, sexual offences, statistics by tracey

‘One in five serious sexual assaults targets someone who is unconscious or asleep, an official analysis suggests.’

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BBC News, 12th February 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Revenge porn’ illegal under new law in England and Wales – BBC News

Posted February 12th, 2015 in bills, crime, harassment, internet, news, pornography, telecommunications by sally

‘Posting “revenge porn” images and videos on the internet is becoming a criminal offence in England and Wales.’

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BBC News, 12th February 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk