Most gay hate crimes go unreported, Stonewall survey finds – The Independent

“More than three-quarters of gay, bisexual and lesbian victims of hate crime did not report it to the police, a survey found.”

Full story

The Independent, 15th October 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Criminal compensation reforms would shift burden of proof on to victims – The Guardian

“Victims of miscarriages of justice will have to prove their innocence in future or endure damaged reputations, human rights groups and Labour’s parliamentary frontbench are warning.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Human Rights Act must stay, says CPS director Keir Starmer – The Independent

“Repealing the Human Rights Act would be ‘retrograde step’ that would hurt the victims of crime and witnesses alike, the outgoing director of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has warned.”

Full story

The Independent, 13th September 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Criminal law – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 9th, 2013 in appeals, barristers, criminal justice, defence, incitement, judges, news, sentencing, terrorism by sally

“Defendants being charged with a number of terrorism-related offences – First defendant’s trial counsel’s conduct at trial being criticised by judge and prosecution counsel on numerous occasions during trial.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 8th October 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Truth about dangerous mental patients let out to kill – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 7th, 2013 in criminal justice, homicide, inquiries, mental health, news, recidivists, statistics by sally

“The NHS trust that left a dangerous schizophrenic to kill a Birmingham schoolgirl allowed six other patients to kill people last year alone, The Telegraph has learnt.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 5th October 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Justice: Closing Down Sale – everyone must go! – LegalVoice

Posted October 3rd, 2013 in criminal justice, legal aid, legal profession, news by sally

“More than 400 defence lawyers packed into Camden Town Hall last night to discuss the next steps to fight the Ministry of Justice’s Transforming Legal Aid proposals, reports Gemma Blythe. The Justice: Closing down sale meeting (organised by the London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association) featured speakers including Greg Powell, past president of the LCCSA; Des Hudson, chief executive of the Law Society; Bill Waddington, chair of the Criminal Law Solicitors Association; Nigel Lithman QC of the Criminal Bar Association; and Carol Storer OBE, director of the Legal Aid Practitioners Group.”

Full story

LegalVoice, 2nd October 2013

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Cautions to be scrapped for serious offenders, says Chris Grayling – The Guardian

“Serious offenders will no longer receive a mere ‘slap on the wrist’, the justice secretary has said, as he announced an overhaul of the cautions system.”

Full story

The Guardian, 29th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Less money, less justice? – LegalVoice

Posted September 26th, 2013 in criminal justice, law firms, legal aid, legal profession, news, remuneration by sally

“Blaming over-zealous police or irresponsible prosecutors for miscarriages of justice makes for a simple and straightforward narrative, writes Daniel Newman. As with most things, though, the reality is more complicated, and defence lawyers may also have a role to play. This being the case, the neat binary opposition we so rely on in criminal justice is somewhat obscured.”

Full story

LegalVoice, 26th September 2013

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Transforming legal aid – why do the survey? – Legal Aid Handbook

Posted September 24th, 2013 in criminal justice, law firms, legal aid, news by sally

“Vicky Ling and Andrew Otterburn have been commissioned by the Law Society and MoJ to carry out a survey of firms to try to assess the impact that the government’s revised proposals will have on criminal defences practices.”

Full story

Legal Aid Handbook, 23rd September 2013

Source: www.legalaidhandbook.com

Michael Le Vell case: the accuser deserves anonymity – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted September 20th, 2013 in anonymity, criminal justice, news, rape, sexual offences, victims by sally

“The recent trial and acquittal of Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell raises some worrying thoughts as regards the young girl in the case. Her anonymity is preserved as the law states that of all those who allege rape should be; Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992, as amended by the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, Sch 2. However, there have been press reports of her identity being leaked on Twitter and it is apparently common knowledge in certain circles.”

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 19th September 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

The Bar Standards Board responds to new proposals for criminal legal aid – Bar Standards Board

Posted September 6th, 2013 in barristers, competition, consultations, criminal justice, legal aid, press releases by sally

“The Bar Standards Board responds to new proposals for criminal legal aid.”

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 5th September 2013

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Are Britain’s barristers living on borrowed time? – Daily Telegraph

“It’s a profession that’s been associated with glamour, intrigue and financial gain. But imminent changes to our legal system have criminal lawyers fearing for their livelihoods. Why? And who stands to lose the most? Julia Llewellyn Smith reports.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 20th August 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Make better use of magistrates, says justice minister – The Guardian

Posted August 14th, 2013 in consultations, criminal justice, magistrates, news, speeches by sally

“Four in 10 people sent to crown court to be sentenced could have been dealt with by magistrates, saving valuable time and money, the justice minister will say on Wednesday.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th August 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Sentencing in Serious and Complex Frauds – Dyers Chambers

Posted July 31st, 2013 in banking, commercial agents, conspiracy, criminal justice, fraud, news, sentencing by sally

“Giles Bedloe, who acted as junior counsel in SFO v Williams reviews the recent statements of the Court of Appeal in Attorney General’s Reference Nos. 7 & 8 of 2012 and R v Levene [2013] EWCA 709.”

Full story (PDF)

Dyers Chambers, 11th July 2013

Source: www.dyerschambers.com

Military ‘justice’ is screaming out for reform – The Guardian

Posted July 29th, 2013 in armed forces, courts martial, criminal justice, human rights, news by sally

“The practice of trying the military – such as Danny Nightingale – in a court martial rather than a civilian court is anachronistic.”

Full story

The Guardian, 29th July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Tchenguiz and another v Director of the Serious Fraud Office (Deutsche Bank AG, third party); Rawlinson & Hunter Trustees SA and others v Director of the Serious Fraud Office (Deutsche Bank AG, third party) – WLR Daily

Tchenguiz and another v Director of the Serious Fraud Office (Deutsche Bank AG, third party); Rawlinson & Hunter Trustees SA and others v Director of the Serious Fraud Office (Deutsche Bank AG, third party) [2013] EWHC 2128 (QB); [2013] WLR (D) 302

“The Criminal Justice Act 1987 did not prevent the Serious Fraud Office from disclosing, pursuant to a court order in civil proceedings, documents which in the course of an investigation had been provided to it by third parties in response to notices under section 2 of the Act.”

WLR Daily, 18th July 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

The implications for access to justice of the Government’s proposed legal aid reforms – Joint Committee on Human Rights

“The Joint Committee on Human Rights, chaired by Dr Hywel Francis MP, is today launching an inquiry into the implications for access to justice of certain of the Government’s proposals to reform legal aid, as set out in its Consultation Paper Transforming Legal Aid: delivering a more credible and efficient system.”

Full press release

Joint Committee on Human Rights, 18th July 2013

Source: www.parliament.uk

Bar Council: Parliament must have chance to scrutinise EU justice opt out – The Bar Council

Posted July 16th, 2013 in criminal justice, EC law, news, parliament, treaties by sally

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has called on the Government to allow Parliament to scrutinise its intention to opt-out of more than 130 EU criminal justice measures properly. This comes as a Motion to Approve the opt-out has been scheduled for Monday 15 July, rather than full parliamentary scrutiny.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 12th July 2013

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Roundtable report – LegalVoice

Posted July 11th, 2013 in criminal justice, legal aid, news, parliament by sally

“A roundtable meeting took place yesterday at the House of Commons, speakers included Andy Slaughter MP, Sadiq Khan MP, Emily Thornberry MP, Lord Willy Bach and Jeremy Beecham. Gemma Blythe reports.”

Full story

LegalVoice, 10th July 2013

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Criminal solicitors “losing moral compass” – and not just because of falling legal aid pay – Legal Futures

“Defence lawyers bear partial responsibility for miscarriages of justice, and better ethics training and spending time with ordinary people are as likely to reverse ‘moral decline’ as boosting pay, according to new research.”

Full story

Legal Futures, 10th July 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk