Approach of Home Office to nationality case “astonishing and grotesque” rules High Court – Free Movement

Posted October 16th, 2015 in citizenship, DNA, government departments, India, news, paternity by sally

‘The case is R (Bondada) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2015] EWHC 2661 (Admin), a challenge to a refusal by British officials to recognise the British citizenship of a lady who was a survivor of domestic violence looking to rebuild her life.’

Full story

Free Movement, 16th October 2015

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Judge attacks government’s ‘grotesque’ conduct in denying woman UK passport – The Guardian

Posted October 16th, 2015 in citizenship, DNA, government departments, India, news, paternity by sally

‘The government tried to deny a passport to the daughter of a British citizen in conduct described as “grotesque” by a high court judge.’

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The Guardian, 15th October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Queen intervenes to settle title feud opening way to title pretenders – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 12th, 2015 in DNA, evidence, news, peerages & dignities, precedent, Privy Council by tracey

‘DNA evidence could be used for the first time to resolve a feud over a hereditary title after the Queen personally intervened in the case.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 11th October 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Colin Pitchfork parole hearing: How to assess a killer’s risk – BBC News

Posted September 7th, 2015 in DNA, mental health, murder, news, recidivists, rehabilitation, sexual offences, statistics by sally

‘Thirty years ago, brutal child killer Colin Pitchfork became the first person to be convicted using DNA profiling.’

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BBC News, 6th September 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Call for open discussion of gene-editing in treatment of human embryos – Technology Law Update

Posted September 3rd, 2015 in DNA, embryology, health, news by sally

The rapid development of the powerful new CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology raises as many questions as it answers. Now a group of leading research organisations has thrown open the discussion to public debate. Is it now time, they ask, to the use these techniques to treat patients by altering the genes of reproductive cells and embryos to tackle genetic disease?
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Technology Law Update, 2nd September 2015

Source: www.technology-law-blog.co.uk

Lynette White: Civil action after failed police corruption trial – BBC News

Posted June 24th, 2015 in corruption, DNA, evidence, murder, news, police, trials by sally

‘A date has been set for High Court civil action following the collapse of the UK’s biggest police corruption trial.’

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BBC News, 23rd June 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Rape victim falsely accused of lying by police wins £20,000 payout – The Guardian

‘A rape victim falsely accused of lying by detectives has won £20,000 in damages after suing police under the Human Rights Act. The woman, who cannot be named, was 17 when a man raped her in Winchester in April 2012 after a night out with friends. Her mother reported the attack hours later and the victim told officers her T-shirt may contain her attacker’s DNA.’

Full story

The Guardian, 22nd May 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Gaughran v Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (Secretary of State for the Home Department intervening – WLR Daily

Posted May 15th, 2015 in criminal records, DNA, human rights, law reports, Northern Ireland, police by tracey

Gaughran v Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (Secretary of State for the Home Department intervening: [2015] UKSC 29; [2015] WLR (D) 214

‘The policy in Northern Ireland, England and Wales of retaining indefinitely the DNA samples and other information obtained from persons who were arrested and subsequently convicted of an offence was proportionate and justified, and was within the margin of appreciation afforded to member states. A convicted person’s the right to respect for his private life guaranteed by article 8 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms was therefore not infringed when the police refused to give him an assurance that his DNA samples would be destroyed.’

WLR Daily, 13th May 2015

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Retention of offenders’ DNA profiles not illegal, supreme court rules – The Guardian

Posted May 14th, 2015 in appeals, DNA, human rights, news, police, privacy, proportionality by tracey

‘Retaining DNA profiles of convicted adults indefinitely is not an illegal breach of their privacy, the supreme court has ruled in a test case involving a Northern Ireland drink driver. he judgment by the UK’s highest court sets a significant precedent in making a clear distinction between information that police forces may keep on those who have been convicted, as opposed to those who were merely suspects.’

Full story

The Guardian, 13th May 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Worcestershire man jailed for historical rape – BBC News

Posted May 13th, 2015 in DNA, news, rape, sentencing by tracey

‘A man has been jailed for the “degrading” rape of a woman in her home more than 23 years ago.’

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BBC News, 12th May 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Regina v Bryon – WLR Daily

Posted April 30th, 2015 in appeals, burglary, crime, DNA, evidence, law reports by sally

Regina v Bryon [2015] WLR (D) 180

‘While DNA evidence taken from a moveable object was on its own insufficient for a prosecution case to go to a jury, DNA evidence combined with admissible evidence of a previous conviction for a similar offence was a sufficient basis.’

WLR Daily, 22nd April 2015

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Unease over police trial of hi-tech DNA machines amid fears that civil liberties could be infringed – The Independent

Posted April 22nd, 2015 in contamination, detention, DNA, forensic science, news, police by sally

‘Police forces across the UK are trialling technology that allows officers to analyse DNA samples in custody suites, amid fears that civil liberties could be infringed and evidence compromised.’

Full story

The Independent, 21st April 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Man jailed for four years for assault on disabled pensioner Alan Barnes – The Guardian

Posted April 7th, 2015 in assault, DNA, drug abuse, news, robbery, sentencing by sally

‘A drug addict whose attack on a disabled pensioner caused outrage around the world should use his four-year jail sentence to “do some thinking”, his victim has said.’

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd April 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Justice watchdog sued by wrongly convicted man who spent 17 years in prison for attempted rape – The Independent

‘A man who spent 17 years in prison for attempted rape before having his conviction quashed on the basis of a DNA test is suing the miscarriage of justice watchdog for negligence. It is claimed the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) repeatedly failed to undertake forensic analysis of the victim’s clothing, instead relying on the assurances of the same police force that investigated the case.’

Full story

The Independent, 15th March 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Rapist who preyed on women in crimes spanning nearly 30 years faces jail – The Guardian

Posted March 11th, 2015 in DNA, evidence, kidnapping, news, photography, rape, sexual offences by tracey

‘A rapist who preyed on women walking alone is facing jail after admitting crimes spanning nearly 30 years. Mechanic Clive Howard attacked five women in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire between 1986 and 2014. Police believe there may be more victims and are appealing for women targeted by Howard to come forward.’

Full story

The Guardian, 11th March 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Are murderers born or made? – BBC News

Posted March 9th, 2015 in child abuse, crime prevention, criminal responsibility, DNA, murder, news by tracey

‘Murders are tragic but rare. But what drives some people to kill? Michael Mosley has been looking into research exploring the minds of murderers.’

Full story

BBC News, 9th March 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Bar Council backs MoJ U-turn on funding for DNA parentage testing – The Bar Council

Posted February 27th, 2015 in DNA, family courts, legal aid, paternity, press releases by tracey

‘The Ministry of Justice’s decision to reinstate funding for DNA tests that determine parentage in family court cases was the right thing to do, says the Bar Council after Justice Minister Simon Hughes announced funds for between £500,000 and £1m a year to pay for tests.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 23rd February 2015

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Three-parent babies: Britain becomes first country to allow technique after House of Lords approves new regulations – The Independent

Posted February 25th, 2015 in DNA, embryology, health, legislation, news, pregnancy by sally

‘The UK has become the first country in the world to legalise so-called three-parent babies after the House of Lords backed the idea despite objections from church leaders and pro-life groups.’

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The Independent, 24th February 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

In re Z (Children) (DNA Profiles: Disclosure) – WLR Daily

In re Z (Children) (DNA Profiles: Disclosure) [2015] EWCA Civ 34; [2015] WLR (D) 76

‘On a purposive construction of sections 19 and 22 in Part II of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, biometric material seized and retained by the police could not be used or disclosed for any purpose other than criminal law enforcement, nor could a court order its disclosure for an unconnected purpose. Such a construction was compatible with the right to respect for a person’s private and family life under article 8 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.’

WLR Daily, 5th February 2015

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

DNA tests to cut courtroom battles – Ministry of Justice

Posted February 18th, 2015 in delay, divorce, DNA, family courts, news by sally

‘DNA tests in family courts will be provided across England from later this year, Justice Minister Simon Hughes has announced.’

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Ministry of Justice, 17th February 2015

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