Female genital mutilation: Prosecute health professionals who fail to report signs of FGM, MPs say – The Independent

‘Doctors and nurses who fail to report that girls in their care have suffered female genital mutilation (FGM) should be prosecuted in an effort to tackle the scandal of “this horrific abuse”, MPs say in a report published today.’

Full story

The Independent, 3rd July 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Serious Crime Bill: “Cinderella clause” and “Paedophile Manual” – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted July 3rd, 2014 in bills, child cruelty, crime, crime prevention, news, sexual offences by sally

‘Here is a summary of the various minor provisions of the Serious Crime Bill. This is partly a tinkering exercise, but creates two new offences that are far from uncontroversial.’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 2nd July 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Criminalising Forced Marriage – The Deterrent Effect – Family Law Week

Posted June 27th, 2014 in crime, families, forced marriages, marriage, news, prosecutions, victims by tracey

‘Danish Ameen, barrister of 18 St John Street Chambers, considers the impact of the criminalisation of forced marriage which came into effect on the 16th June 2014.’

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Family Law Week, 26th June 2014

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Regina v Langley – WLR Daily

Posted June 19th, 2014 in crime, disqualification, driving licences, firearms, law reports, sentencing by sally

Regina v Langley [2014] WLR (D) 238

‘Older authorities on sentencing had to be considered in the light of the requirement in section 125 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 that definitive sentencing guidelines had to be followed. Further, the power in section 147 of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 to impose a disqualification from driving was exercisable in relation to a conspiracy to rob where the defendant was the getaway driver.’

WLR Daily, 12th June 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Currency market rigging could become criminal offence – The Guardian

Posted June 12th, 2014 in crime, financial regulation, news by sally

‘Rigging the foreign exchange, bond and commodity markets could become a criminal offence, the government will warn the City on Thursday as part of its latest effort to clean up the financial markets after a wave of scandals and allegations relating to key benchmarks.’

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The Guardian, 11th June 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Why are special courts that can help drug users at risk of being scrapped? – The Guardian

Posted June 10th, 2014 in courts, crime, drug abuse, magistrates, news by sally

‘Launched as a pilot programme a decade ago, dedicated drug courts were widely promoted as one of the best hopes of halting addiction-fuelled crime. According to supporters, however, specialist courts are now in danger of being disbanded through lack of official support. The West London drugs court, in Hammersmith, sits only half a day a week and is no longer staffed exclusively by specially trained magistrates.’

Full story

The Guardian, 10th June 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Professionals who do legal work for gangsters face prosecution under new offence – The Independent

‘Crooked accountants, lawyers and other professionals who profit from crime but are beyond the reach of the law will be targeted under measures to be announced in tomorrow’s Queen’s Speech.’

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The Independent, 3rd June 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

New crackdown on corrupt lawyers who help criminals – BBC News

‘Lawyers, couriers and accountants could be jailed if they turn a blind eye to criminal activity they profit from, under Home Office plans.’

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BBC News, 3rd June 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Regina (Best) v Chief Land Registrar – WLR Daily

Posted May 22nd, 2014 in adverse possession, crime, land registration, law reports, squatting by sally

Regina (Best) v Chief Land Registrar [2014] EWHC 1370 (Admin); [2014] WLR (D) 211

‘The criminalisation of people who were trespassers through living in a relevant residential building by pursuant to section 144(1) of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 had not prevented time running for applications for registration of title by adverse possession.’

WLR Daily, 7th May 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Hate crime: Report finds significant progress in reducing hate crime – Home Office

‘The Hate Crime Action Plan documents the government’s work to tackle hate crime.
A report on the progress made in the past 2 years has been published. Achievements include: better education of secondary school pupils, improved recording by police and work with major internet service providers in the UK and USA to reduce the harm caused by hate material on the internet. The report also discusses the spike in anti-Muslim sentiment following the murder of Lee Rigby.’

Full text

Home Office, 7th May 2014

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Top police officer blames £11,000 crime spree on brain injury – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 6th, 2014 in crime, fraud, news, personal injuries, police by tracey

‘A senior police officer who carried out a series of frauds on high street stores and travel companies blamed her crime spree on a brain injury as she was jailed for two and a half years.’

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Daily Telegraph, 6th May 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Pre-signing abortion forms is illegal, General Medical Council admits – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 6th, 2014 in abortion, consent, crime, doctors, documents, illegality, news by tracey

‘More than 60 doctors who pre-signed abortion forms without knowing anything about the women concerned did break the law, the head of the General Medical Council admitted last night as pressure grew on police to investigate.’

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Daily Telegraph, 5th May 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Dhooharika v Director of Public Prosecutions (Commonwealth Lawyers Association intervening) – WLR Daily

Posted May 1st, 2014 in contempt of court, crime, law reports, media, Privy Council by sally

Dhooharika v Director of Public Prosecutions (Commonwealth Lawyers Association intervening) [2014] UKPC 11; [2014] WLR (D) 179

‘The common law offence of scandalising the court, a species of contempt of court which although abolished by statute in England and Wales continued to exist in many parts of the common law world, was “reasonably justifiable in a democratic society” within the meaning of section 12 of the Constitution of Mauritius.’

WLR Daily, 16th April 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

The Nanny State – legislating on health and morality – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted May 1st, 2014 in crime, health, human rights, news, public interest by sally

‘“The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant… Over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign.”

The above principle laid down by John Stuart Mill is a cornerstone of liberal political and jurisprudential thought. Mill argued that, provided you cause no harm to others, you should be free to do what you like with your own body and life. This is what the right to personal autonomy and self-determination means; and it is a right which is being steadily, and quietly, eroded. If liberty, as Mill said, consists in the freedom to do everything which injures no one else, then we are already not free – and if the current trend of legislating on public health and morals continues the residual liberty we do enjoy will be diminished.’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 30th April 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

900,000 crimes, including rape, not pursued by police in 2013 – The Independent

Posted May 1st, 2014 in crime, news, police, rape, reports, statistics by sally

‘Nearly a million criminal offences including rape have gone unrecorded by police in a single year, according to a damning report that could see the 20-year decline in recorded crime reversed when accurate statistics are calculated.’

Full story

The Independent, 1st May 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

What is Crime?: The Limits Of Criminalisation Conference – Speech by Senior Presiding Judge, Lord Justice Gross

Posted April 29th, 2014 in crime, drug abuse, health, judges, news, speeches, terrorism by sally

What is Crime?: The Limits Of Criminalisation Conference (PDF)

Speech by Senior Presiding Judge, Lord Justice Gross

Judiciary of England and Wales, 31st March 2014

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Fiddled crime figures lead to under-reporting of rapes and other serious offences, says report – The Independent

Posted April 9th, 2014 in crime, news, police, rape, statistics by sally

‘The culture of fiddling crime statistics is ingrained within the upper echelons of the police service where target-chasing has led to the under-reporting of serious crimes including rape, according to a report by MPs out today.’

Full story

The Independent, 9th April 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Gardener took £200,000 from woman of 89 – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 18th, 2014 in anonymity, crime, elderly, news, powers of attorney by tracey

‘A handyman who took hundreds of thousands of pounds from a wealthy widow with dementia after gaining power of attorney must not be named, a court rules.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 17th March 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Mafia boss living in Uxbridge wins extradition battle – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 18th, 2014 in appeals, crime, extradition, news, prisons by tracey

‘A former Mafia boss wanted in Italy for extortion and other crimes has won his battle against extradition, after a ruling in an entirely unconnected case expressed concern over the conditions of Italian prisons.’

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Daily Telegraph, 17th March 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

TV licence law change plan in motion – BBC News

Posted March 18th, 2014 in BBC, bills, crime, licensing, media, news by tracey

‘A proposal to end the criminal offence of failing to buy a TV licence is
being considered for inclusion in a bill before Parliament.’

Full story

BBC News, 18th March 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk