Tania Clarence sentenced: Husband of depressed New Malden mother who killed children criticises medics for ‘pressuring family to submit to operations’ – The Independent

Posted November 19th, 2014 in disabled persons, families, homicide, mental health, news, sentencing by sally

‘The husband of a depressed mother who killed her three young disabled children has criticised medical professionals for the “constant pressure” placed on the family to “submit the children to operations and other interventions”.’

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The Independent, 18th November 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

2014 Update: Focusing on Legal Status, Disability and Flexible Working – Cloisters

‘Once employment protection was focused upon conventional patterns of work – open-ended, regular full-time jobs with a single employer. Our norms have now moved on. Recent developments reflect this. It has never been more important to pinpoint the underlying prerequisites for the existence of a contract of employment.’

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Cloisters, 20th November 2014

Source: www.cloisters.com

Disabled man forced off bus by refusal to move pram sparks equality test case – The Guardian

‘A woman’s refusal to move a pushchair with a sleeping baby from a bay on a bus used by wheelchair passengers – causing a disabled man to have to leave the vehicle – is at the centre of a test-case legal battle in the court of appeal.’

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The Guardian, 11th November 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Firms’ disability access ‘unlawful’ – BBC News

Posted November 10th, 2014 in disabled persons, equality, news, taxis, transport by sally

‘The government is writing to a string of high street chains urging them to improve after a BBC London investigation revealed a “depressing” failure to accommodate disabled people.’

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BBC News, 10th November 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Quadriplegic’ conman Alan Knight jailed for four and a half years – BBC News

Posted November 7th, 2014 in disabled persons, forgery, news, sentencing, theft by tracey

‘A fraudster who allegedly pretended to be a quadriplegic and in a coma for two years to evade justice has been jailed for four and a half years.’

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BBC News, 7th November 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Prisons struggling with old, sick and disabled people, says charity – The Independent

Posted October 28th, 2014 in disabled persons, elderly, news, prisons, reports by sally

‘Prisons are struggling to cope with the growing numbers of old, sick and disabled people behind bars, according to a prison charity.’

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The Independent, 28th October 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

High Court judge rejects challenge to withdrawal of wheelchair bus service – Local Government Lawyer

‘A city council has successfully defended a High Court challenge to its decision to withdraw a wheelchair bus service.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 23rd October 2014

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Men jailed over deaf blind man Chelmsford train track attack – BBC News

Posted October 24th, 2014 in assault, disabled persons, grievous bodily harm, news, sentencing by sally

‘Two men have been sent to prison for throwing a deaf blind man and his brother on to railway tracks.’

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BBC News, 23rd October 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Disability hate crime convictions drop, says CPS – BBC News

Posted October 23rd, 2014 in crime, disabled persons, harassment, hate crime, news, prosecutions, reports by sally

‘Prosecutors have pledged to do more to tackle disability hate crime after a drop in the number of convictions.’

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BBC News, 23rd October 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

No murder trial for mother who suffocated disabled children – The Guardian

‘A mother who admitted suffocating her three disabled children before trying to kill herself will not face trial for murder, a court has heard.’

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The Guardian, 13th October 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

European Convention on Human Rights: What has it ever done for us? – The Independent

‘As the Tories attempt to dilute the treaty’s authority in the UK, James Cusick takes a look at the difference it has made.’

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The Independent, 3rd October 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Care home restraint seven times level previously thought – Daily Telegraph

‘At least seven times as many elderly and disabled people are being routinely restrained or locked up in care homes and hospitals as previously thought, new Government figures suggest. Councils have faced a surge in applications for legal clearance to deprive patients of their liberty following a landmark Supreme Court ruling earlier this year upholding the right of those deemed to lack mental capacity to the same basic freedoms as everyone else.’

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Daily Telegraph, 2nd October 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Disability hate crime: Attacks on people with disabilities ‘must be taken more seriously’ – The Independent

‘The former director of public prosecutions has said attacks on disabled people are not being recognised as hate crime, letting criminals off with lighter sentences.’

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The Independent, 21st September 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

DCLG opens technical consultation on house building standards – OUT- LAW.com

‘The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) opened a consultation last week on a series of proposed changes to the existing system of housing standards, which seek to reduce and simplify the rules house builders must comply with.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 15th September 2014

Source: www.out-law.com

Victims’ Rights, the EU Charter, and Passport Confiscation – the Human Rights Roundup – UK Human Rights Blog

‘In recent news, the government outlines proposals for increased rights for the victims of crime, as well as for the revocation and confiscation of passports for ISIS fighters returning to the UK. In other news, the legality of the EU Charter comes back to haunt Chris Grayling once again.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 15th September 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Cadet paralysed in fatal skydiving accident sues MoD for £300,000 – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 15th, 2014 in accidents, armed forces, damages, disabled persons, inquests, news, personal injuries by tracey

‘ An Army cadet partly paralysed during a skydiving jump which killed a comrade is suing the Ministry of Defence for more than £300,000. Tim Herlihy, 24, of Stourbridge, was left with incomplete paraplegia after suffering injuries including six burst vertebrae during the accident in 2011 when he collided in mid air with another cadet.’

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Daily Telegraph, 12th September 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

A practical approach to advising vulnerable clients – The Future of Law

‘A vulnerable person is anyone aged 18 and over who needs assistance because of mental or other disability, age or illness, is unable to take care of him or herself and is unable to protect themselves against significant harm or exploitation.’

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The Future of Law, 5th September 2014

Source: www.blogs.lexisnexis.co.uk

Bedroom tax and human rights FTT miscellany – NearlyLegal

Posted August 26th, 2014 in appeals, benefits, disabled persons, human rights, news, social security, tribunals by tracey

‘No less than four FTT bedroom tax appeal decision have come my way lately. Three of them concern successful appeals on human rights Article 14 discrimination or Article 8 family life grounds. One is a clear room size decision with an interesting footnote on tenancy agreements.’

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NearlyLegal, 24th August 2014

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Understanding Serious Brain Injury – No. 5 Chambers

Posted August 7th, 2014 in accidents, disabled persons, news, personal injuries, rehabilitation by sally

‘At any time, as those who have suffered a serious injury to the brain or have been close to someone who has will know, your life can be turned upside down in less than a fated second. The first news of a serious traumatic event is shocking, thoughts often turn to simply holding onto life and then anxiety over the serious permanent disability which may follow; in the mind of those involved it is very much the physical disabilities which are at the forefront.’

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No. 5 Chambers, 16th July 2014

Source: www.no5.com

Dewsbury couple win spare bedroom housing benefit fight – BBC News

Posted August 7th, 2014 in benefits, disabled persons, housing, news by sally

‘A couple from West Yorkshire who went to court to challenge a cut to their housing benefit have won their case.’

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BBC News, 7th August 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk