Call for ticket touting to be criminalised – The Guardian

Posted May 23rd, 2016 in consumer protection, criminal justice, enforcement, fines, news by sally

‘Some of the music industry’s leading players are demanding that ticket touting be made a criminal offence for all UK concerts, plays and sporting events, Guardian Money can reveal.’

Full story

The Guardian, 21st May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Children in care: Call to cut prosecutions for minor offences – BBC News

‘Children in care should not be prosecuted for minor offences, a report looking at their over-representation in the criminal justice system says.’

Full story

BBC News, 23rd May 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Pop-up courts needed to help create more flexible justice system – report – The Guardian

Posted May 19th, 2016 in courts, criminal justice, internet, news, reports by sally

“Pop-up” courts with easily transportable judicial stage sets, remote video screens and online access are needed to develop a more flexible justice system, according to a leading legal thinktank.’

Full story

The Guardian, 18th May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Hillsborough verdict sparks call to rebalance police and criminal justice system – The Guardian

‘A cross-party campaign for radical reform of the police and criminal justice system in light of the Hillsborough inquests verdict has been launched by the shadow home secretary, Andy Burnham.’

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The Guardian, 11th May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Reducing women’s imprisonment: sentencing of mothers – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

‘Ciara O’Neill wrote recently on the Halsbury’s Law Exchange about Michael Gove’s talk on 4 November at the AGM of the Howard League for Penal Reform: “He believes that our sentencing framework needs a complete overhaul…Gove recognised that evidence shows short sentences are more likely than not to lead to recidivism, and that the system needs a more appropriate sentencing framework. This will be based on extensive research into the effectiveness of current sentencing practices.” (“Gove admits the UK sentencing framework needs to be more sensitive, & 7 more things we learned at the 2015 Howard League AGM“).’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 3rd May 2016

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

‘They didn’t know they were victims’: revenge porn helpline sees alarming rise – The Guardian

‘Victims and their loved ones report sense of powerlessness in face of flawed laws and mixed police responses.’

Full story

The Guardian, 8th May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Watchdog savages Government’s ‘disastrous’ privatisation of probation services – The Independent

Posted May 3rd, 2016 in contracting out, criminal justice, news, probation, reports by tracey

‘Serious failings in the Government’s privatisation of the probation services have been exposed in a damning report amid warnings that David Cameron’s “half-baked and reckless” policies have left the criminal justice system in a mess.’

Full story

The Independent, 2nd May 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Hillsborough inquest timeline: the long wait for justice – The Guardian

‘The families of the 96 people fatally injured at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final have been fighting for the truth for 27 years.’

Full story

The Guardian, 26th April 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Revenge pornography victims as young as 11, investigation finds – BBC News

‘Children as young as 11 are among more than 1,000 alleged victims of revenge porn who reported offences in the first year of the new law coming into effect, it has been revealed.’

Full story

BBC News, 27th April 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Fears over credit for guilty plea – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Criminal defence solicitors are expected to oppose proposed replacement guidelines on sentence reductions for early guilty pleas.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 25th April 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Legal aid cuts have led to surge in DIY defence, says charity – The Guardian

‘Miscarriages of justice and long delays in the criminal justice system are becoming more common because a growing number of people are having to represent themselves in court, legal experts have warned.’
Full story

The Guardian, 23rd April 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Doing time: confessions of a crime reporter – The Guardian

Posted April 25th, 2016 in criminal justice, media, news by sally

‘Duncan Campbell has reported on the most infamous cases of the past 50 years, from the Rosemary West trial to the Hatton Garden heist. The veteran journalist recalls a life in crime.’

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd April 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

“Boring” hearings or judges who interrupt? Neuberger knows what he likes – Legal Futures

‘The written advocacy of continental European lawyers makes for “boring” court proceedings, according to the President of the Supreme Court.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 19th April 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Drone pilots could face up to five years in prison if they put aircraft in danger – The Independent

Posted April 18th, 2016 in aircraft, criminal justice, fines, health & safety, news, prosecutions by sally

‘Drone pilots are liable to criminal prosecution if they fail to conduct a flight in a safe manner.’

Full story

The Independent, 18th April 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Tiny proportion of stalking cases recorded by police, data suggests – The Guardian

‘Only a tiny proportion of all stalking cases are recorded by police, figures have suggested, leading to calls for more training for police to recognise the crime and provide support to victims.’

Full story

The Guardian, 18th April 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

CPS responds to HMCPSI/HMIC Digitisation Report – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted April 15th, 2016 in criminal justice, Crown Prosecution Service, internet, press releases by tracey

‘Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary have today published a joint report on the Effectiveness of Digital Systems within the Criminal Justice System. The report highlights that significant progress has been made and the CPS has been at the forefront of that change.’

Full press release

Crown Prosecution Service, 13th April 2016

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Police and prosecutors ‘losing sensitive evidence’ – BBC News

‘Sensitive details held by police and prosecutors in England are being lost because evidence is still being shared on computer discs, watchdogs say.’

Full story

BBC News, 13th April 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

What sort of justice do survivors of sexual war crimes want? – The Guardian

‘Convicting perpetrators of sexual violence in conflict is a milestone but we also need to enable survivors to build their future.’

Full story

The Guardian, 12th April 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Regina v Roberts (Mark) and others- WLR Daily

Regina v Roberts (Mark) and others [2016] EWCA Crim 71

‘In each of the 13 applications before the court, the applicants applied for an extension of time in which to apply for leave to appeal against sentences of imprisonment or detention for public protection (“IPP”)), imposed between 2005 and 2008 under the Criminal Justice Act 2003. Before the sentence of IPP was amended by the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008, the court was required to make the assumption that an offender was dangerous if he had been convicted on an earlier occasion of a specified offence, unless it was unreasonable to do so. Where he was found to be dangerous, and over 18, the court was required to pass a sentence of IPP or life imprisonment; the 2003 Act removed all discretion from the court once it was found that the offender was dangerous. All the applicants had either been detained in custody long after the expiry of the minimum term or had been recalled for breach of licence. The applicants submitted (1) that whatever might have been the position at the time the sentences of IPP were passed, the Court of Appeal had power under section 11 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968 to pass sentences that, in the light of what had happened over the intervening years, now would be the proper sentence; (2) the Court of Appeal should reconsider the assessments made by sentencing judges in the light of R v Lang [2005] EWCA Crim 2864; [2006] 1 WLR 2509, and (3) a time could and had been reached when the length of the imprisonment was so excessive and disproportionate compared to the index criminal offence that it could amount to inhuman treatment under article 3 or arbitrary detention under article 5 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. That was because the detention no longer had any meaningful link to the index offence. A much delayed review of a sentencing decision could therefore be a mechanism the court could employ to avoid a breach of those Convention Rights. As the period now served by each of the applicants was so much longer than any conceivable determinate sentence would have required, the continued detention amounted to preventative detention and was therefore arbitrary. ‘

WLR Daily, 18th March 2016

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Children in care homes ‘excessively criminalised’ – The Guardian

Posted March 30th, 2016 in care homes, children, criminal justice, news, police, statistics, young offenders by sally

‘Children living in care homes are “excessively criminalised” compared with other boys and girls, campaigners have said.’

Full story

The Guardian, 30th March 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk