70% of shelved child abuse inquiries could be reopened following complaints by victims – The Independent

Posted February 6th, 2014 in child abuse, complaints, criminal justice, news, prosecutions, sexual grooming, victims by sally

‘Dozens of historic child abuse inquiries could be restarted following complaints by victims of being let down by the criminal justice system.’

Full story

The Independent, 5th February 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

In the matter of an application of Raymond Brownlee for Judicial Review (AP) (Northern Ireland) – Supreme Court

In the matter of an application of Raymond Brownlee for Judicial Review (AP) (Northern Ireland) [2014] UKSC 4 (YouTube)

Supreme Court, 29th January 2014

Source: www.youtube.com/user/UKSupremeCourt

Is a cheque book better than a defence statement? – Six Pump Court

‘There has recently been a subtle movement away from the traditional approach deployed by the State to tackle economic crime and its consequences. Whilst the criminal justice system is wheeled out and deployed in the more serious or headline capturing cases, there appears to have been a concerted attempt by the government to impose economic penalties and fines upon individuals and companies involved in financial misfeasance through the civil or regulatory route and thus sidestepping the more traditional criminal one.’

Full story (Word)

Six Pump Court, 29th January 2014

Source: www.6pumpcourt.co.uk

Bar Council chairman: further legal aid cuts would be false economy – The Guardian

Posted January 29th, 2014 in barristers, budgets, criminal justice, fees, legal aid, miscarriage of justice, news by sally

‘There will be too few experienced barristers to deal with complex criminal cases if the government pushes through proposals for further cuts to legal aid, the new chairman of the Bar Council has warned.’

Full story

The Guardian, 28th January 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Law and Democracy – Six Pump Court

Posted January 22nd, 2014 in courts, criminal justice, news by sally

‘The basis of the English criminal law is to protect property. An illustration of this fundamental principle of English jurisprudence was enshrined most notoriously in the Black Act of the eighteenth century which was introduced in an atmosphere of considerable social disquiet by the ruling classes in order to quell the unrest directed at the chattels and property of the ruling classes and which was perceived at that time as a challenge to the then social order.’

Full story (Word)

Six Pump Court, 16th January 2014

Source: www.6pumpcourt.co.uk

Defence of marital coercion used by Vicky Pryce to be abolished – The Guardian

‘The defence of marital coercion, unsuccessfully used by Chris Huhne’s former wife Vicky Pryce at her trial last year, is to be abolished.’

Full story

The Guardian, 17th January 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Sir Keir Starmer: Legal system ‘not fit for purpose’ – BBC News

Posted January 8th, 2014 in criminal justice, news, victims by sally

‘The justice system in England and Wales “is not fit for purpose for victims”, the former chief prosecutor has said.’

Full story

BBC News, 8th January 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Crime and punishment: Why throwing away the key doesn’t work – The Independent

Posted January 6th, 2014 in criminal justice, imprisonment, news, prisons, sentencing by sally

‘It is not liberal weediness to baulk at whole-life sentences. It’s knowing that, without a hairline of hope, those in prison become more dangerous.’

Full story

The Independent, 5th January 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Victims put first in the criminal justice system – Ministry of Justice

Posted December 10th, 2013 in codes of practice, criminal justice, press releases, victims by tracey

‘People who fall prey to criminals will now receive more support than ever before to help bring offenders to justice and move on with their lives, Justice Secretary Chris Grayling has announced.’

Full press release

Victims’ Code

Ministry of Justice, 10th December 2013

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

Legal Aid cuts challenge democratic notion of justice – The Lawyer

Posted December 3rd, 2013 in criminal justice, law firms, legal aid, news by sally

‘New research highlights the impact of Government cuts on lawyers entering criminal practice.’

Full story

The Lawyer, 2nd December 2013

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Police launch criminal investigation into cancer scandal – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 27th, 2013 in cancer, criminal justice, delay, hospitals, inquests, medical treatment, news, police by tracey

‘Police launch a criminal investigation into the alleged manipulation of cancer waiting lists at a hospital.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 26th November 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Criminal bar ‘slowly being destroyed’, says judge – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 25th, 2013 in barristers, budgets, criminal justice, legal aid, news by tracey

‘Dispensing justice will become “impossible” if the “erosion” of the criminal bar continues, a Crown court judge warned at the end of a multi-million-pound drugs and firearms trial.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 23rd November 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Stalking laws ‘not being implemented’ – BBC News

Posted November 22nd, 2013 in crime, criminal justice, news, stalking by tracey

‘The MP who chaired an inquiry that led to stalking being made a specific criminal offence has warned the new laws are not being implemented.’

Full story

BBC News, 21st November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Government response and progress update to Equality and Human Rights Commission report ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’ – Home Office

“In July 2012, the government published its response to the EHRC recommendations from its inquiry into disability related harassment. Our response set out our commitment to tackle disability related harassment and how we planned to take forward work to address the issues identified, including through ‘Challenge it, Report it, Stop it’, the government’s plan to tackle hate crime. This update provides an overview of the government’s specific achievements to address hate crime and disability-related harassment to date. Over the last year we have made significant progress in a number of areas to identify gaps and improve our response to disability equality, change negative attitudes and provide support for disabled people and disabled people’s organisations.”

Full text

Home Office, 14th November 2013

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Moss v The Queen – WLR Daily

Posted November 15th, 2013 in appeals, criminal justice, homicide, law reports, Privy Council, sentencing by tracey

Moss v The Queen: [2013] UKPC 32;   [2013] WLR (D)  434

“A criminal court normally had a duty to give a convicted defendant the opportunity to make representations before sentence upon him was passed, however little there might appear to be available to be said on his behalf, and an omission to do so was a serious breach of procedural fairness. The Privy Council so held in allowing an appeal by the defendant, Dominique Moss, against a sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment imposed by the Court of Appeal of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas (Hall CJ, Ganpatsingh and Osadebay JJA) on 28 October 2004 when it had allowed his appeal against his conviction for murder on 6 April 2004 (Isaacs J and a jury) and substituted a conviction for manslaughter.”

WLR Daily, 13th November 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Mental Health & Learning Disabilities in the Criminal Courts – CrimeLine

Posted November 13th, 2013 in criminal justice, learning difficulties, mental health, news by tracey

“Information for magistrates, district judges and court staff. This information pack, produced by the Prison Reform Trust, will also be of considerable assistance to defence and prosecution lawyers.”

Full text

CrimeLine, 13th November 2013

Source: www.crimeline.info

Niqabs in the witness box: yes or no? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted November 8th, 2013 in criminal justice, freedom of expression, juries, news, witnesses, women by tracey

“Niqab-wearing defendants should be obliged to remove their veils before giving evidence say 90% of my colleagues in a poll conducted by the Bar Council for The Times (although personally I’d like to see what the participation rate was for that). Former justice secretary, Ken Clarke, agrees, likening wearing a full-face veil in the witness box to giving evidence ‘in a bag’. The Lord Chief Justice says that trial judges should be able to decide whether a defendant may give evidence wearing a face-veil or not, but promises to provide guidance.”

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 7th November 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Transforming Legal Aid: Next Steps – Consultation Response by Garden Court Chambers – Garden Court Chambers Blog

Posted November 7th, 2013 in barristers, consultations, criminal justice, fees, law firms, legal aid, news, solicitors by tracey

“Garden Court Chambers have formulated the below response to the Ministry of Justice consultation document ‘Transforming Legal Aid: Next Steps.’ The response reiterates Chambers’ strong opposition to the cuts to legal aid.”

Full story

Garden Court Chambers Blog, 1st November 2013

Source: www.gclaw.wordpress.com

Crime victims should have better support, says new top prosecutor – The Guardian

Posted November 5th, 2013 in criminal justice, Crown Prosecution Service, news, victims by sally

“Victims will be provided with better explanations of how their cases are being handled in order to boost public confidence in the criminal justice system, the new director of public prosecutions (DPP) has pledged.”

Full story

The Guardian, 4th November 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bar Council responds to legal aid consultation: MoJ is putting cuts before justice – The Bar Council

Posted November 1st, 2013 in barristers, consultations, criminal justice, legal aid, news by sally

The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has today responded to the Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ) second consultation on legal aid cuts, launching a profound and reasoned criticism on the Department for putting instant savings above the long-term health of the justice system.

Full story

The Bar Council, 1st November 2013

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk