Fifth of CPS cases are alleged sex crimes or domestic abuse – The Guardian

‘Alleged sex crimes and domestic abuse offences now account for one in five cases pursued by the Crown Prosecution Service, it has been revealed.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 10th October 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

LGO criticises failure of council to assess vulnerable young children at risk of harm – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has accused a council of not doing enough to safeguard a family who made multiple appeals for help to protect their younger children from threats of violence made by their teenage son.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 4th October 2017

Source: localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Revised Practice Direction 12J – Child Arrangements and Contact Orders: Domestic Abuse and Harm – Family Law

‘Sir James Munby, President of the Family Division, has issued a revised Practice Direction 12J of the Family Procedure Rules 2010 which came into force on 2 October 2017. The Practice Direction applies to any family proceedings in the Family Court or the High Court and specifically applies to any application made for a Child Arrangements Order or should any question arise about where a child should live, or about contact between a child and a parent or other family member and the court considers that an order should be made.’

Full Story

Family Law, 3rd October 2017

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Plans for domestic violence register could save women’s lives – Daily Telegraph

‘An MP is to try to introduce a law to create a register of those convicted of domestic violence and make police warn new partners of a repeated offender’s violent past.’

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Daily Telegraph, 1st October 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Family court changes to protect children ‘lifesaving’ – BBC News

Posted October 2nd, 2017 in children, contact orders, custody, domestic violence, family courts, homicide, news by sally

‘New family court guidance to protect children from violent parents during custody disputes is “lifesaving,” domestic violence campaigners say.’

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BBC News, 29th September 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

An Oxford medical student stabbed her boyfriend with a bread knife. So why did she not go to prison? – The Secret Barrister

‘Lavinia Woodward, the 24-year old Oxford student who pleaded guilty to stabbing her boyfriend with a bread knife, was sentenced yesterday at Oxford Crown Court for unlawful wounding. The case caused a splash back in May when, having entered her plea, the defendant was told by the judge that she was unlikely to receive an immediate custodial sentence, in part due to her promising medical career. Thus was born the tale of the rich, blonde, white Oxford student who was “too clever” to be sent to prison. “Too clever” appears in all headlines in quotation marks, notwithstanding that no-one in court, not least the judge, ever used these words; rather this is one of the those splendid auto-generated media myths, where one tabloid shorthand was adopted by all until everyone came to accept that these words must have been said.’

Full Story

The Secret Barrister, 26th September 2017

Source: thesecretbarrister.com

Domestic Abuse – revised guidance issued – what does it say?- Transparency Project

Posted September 28th, 2017 in domestic violence, family courts, news, practice directions by sally

‘Children at risk of psychogical or physical abuse must not have contact with parent, judges told (sic)

This was the headline in The Times that arose from the publication by the President of the Family Division of a revised Practice Direction 12J (PD12J). PD12J is the part of the family court rules that sets out how the court should deal with allegations of domestic abuse.’

Full Story

Transparency Project, 24th September 2017

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Ofsted reports on the inspection of services for children living with domestic abuse – Family Law

‘Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, and HM Inspectorate of Probation have published a report examining the multi-agency response to children living with domestic abuse, along with inspections of local area services.’

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Family Law, 20th September 2017

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

The President of the Family Division has issued a circular dealing with domestic abuse and containing a new PD12J, which comes into force on 2 October 2017 – Family Law

Posted September 14th, 2017 in domestic violence, family courts, news, practice directions by tracey

‘The President of the Family Division has issued a circular dealing with domestic abuse and containing a new PD12J, which comes into force on 2 October 2017.’

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Family Law, 14th September 2017

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Crown Prosecution Service – Family Law

‘In D (Appeal: Failure of Case Management) [2017] EWHC 1907 (Fam) the Court of Appeal recently considered the mother’s application for an appeal which raised issues about judicial case management and in particular the court’s approach to the cross examination of an alleged victim by an alleged abuser.’

Full Story

Family Law, 7th September 2017

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

CPS to issue guidance on handling cases of abuse against men – The Guardian

Posted September 7th, 2017 in Crown Prosecution Service, domestic violence, gender, news, sexual offences, victims by tracey

‘Prosecutors are to be given additional legal advice on handling criminal cases in which men are victims of sexual and domestic abuse. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has published its first public statement recognising the specific needs and experiences of male victims of offences including rape, domestic abuse, harassment, stalking and child sexual abuse.’

Full CPS statement

Full Story

The Guardian, 6th September 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK couple sentenced for using BB gun to punish their children – The Guardian

Posted September 6th, 2017 in child abuse, domestic violence, news, sentencing, suspended sentences, weapons by sally

‘A husband and wife have been sentenced for shooting their children with a BB gun as punishment for not doing their chores satisfactorily.’

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The Guardian, 5th September 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ayeeshia-Jayne Smith death: Social workers ‘missed danger signs’ – BBC News

Posted September 6th, 2017 in child abuse, domestic violence, murder, news, social services by sally

‘Social workers missed signs of danger around a toddler who was stamped to death and focused too much on the condition of the mother who killed her, a serious case review has found.’

Full Story

BBC News, 5th September 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Domestic abuse survivors to ‘regain their voices’ under plans to reform voter anonymity – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 4th, 2017 in anonymity, domestic violence, electoral register, legislation, news, victims by sally

‘Domestic abuse victims are to “regain their voices” with a new law which will make it easier for them to register to vote anonymously, campaigners have said.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 3rd September 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Man jailed for murdering niece who was also partner – BBC News

Posted September 4th, 2017 in domestic violence, imprisonment, incest, murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘A man has been jailed for life for murdering a woman who was his niece and also his partner.’

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BBC News, 1st September 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Mother and boyfriend of five-month boy with ‘catastrophic brain injury’ found guilty of his death – Daily Telegraph

‘A mum-of-nine and her boyfriend have been convicted of causing the death of her baby boy who suffered a “catastrophic” brain injury.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 3rd August 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Stalker jailed for manslaughter of former partner who killed herself – The Guardian

‘A man whose campaign of threats and harassment caused his former partner to kill herself has been jailed for manslaughter.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 28th July 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Authorities ‘missed opportunities’ to stop two teenage brothers from Brighton joining al-Qaeda in Syria – The Independent

Posted July 28th, 2017 in children, domestic violence, Islam, news, social services, terrorism by tracey

‘Authorities failed to stop the radicalisation of two teenage boys who were killed while fighting for al-Qaeda in Syria despite monitoring them for years, an investigation has found.’

Full Story

The Independent, 27th July 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Family court delay risking lives, says charity – BBC News

Posted July 27th, 2017 in children, delay, domestic violence, family courts, news by tracey

‘Domestic violence campaigners say they are very concerned plans to protect children from violent parents during custody battles have been delayed. Changes to family court guidelines were announced in January, but still have not been signed off by the government.’

Full Story

BBC News, 27th July 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Finance and Divorce Update, July 2017 – Family Law Week

Posted July 7th, 2017 in divorce, domestic violence, families, financial provision, news, statistics by tracey

‘Sue Brookes, Senior Associate with Mills & Reeve LLP analyses the news and case law relating to financial remedies and divorce during June 2017.’

Full Story

Family Law Week, 6th July 2017

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk