GHB: Killer drug to be made a Class B substance – BBC News
‘A drug used in attacks by the UK’s most prolific rapist and the serial killer Stephen Port will be reclassified.’
BBC News, 30th March 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: drug offences
Two members of Freshwater Five lose appeal against drugs convictions – The Guardian
‘Two members of the Freshwater Five convicted more than a decade ago of attempting to smuggle £53m of cocaine into the UK have lost an appeal against their convictions.’
The Guardian, 25th March 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Sutton Coldfield pharmacist jailed over £1m black market pills sale – BBC News
‘A pharmacist who illegally sold addictive prescription pills valued at more than £1m on the black market has been jailed for 12 months.’
BBC News, 2nd March 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Police boss wants to trial giving cannabis to prisoners – The Independent
‘Prisoners should be given cannabis to help deal with addiction problems and tackle violence, according to a police and crime commissioner (PCC) in Wales.’
The Independent, 28th February 2021
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Police watchdog castigates forces over use of stop and search – The Guardian
‘Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary has castigated police forces over stop and search, saying that 35 years after the power was introduced they were still unable to explain why black people are more likely to be targeted.’
The Guardian, 26th February 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Today in Focus Podcast: Freshwater – The Guardian
‘Today [23 February], the Freshwater Five case is in front of the court of appeal after the disclosure of new evidence that the defence says points to the men’s conviction being unsafe. Why has it taken a decade to get to this point?’
The Guardian, 23rd February 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Victims of human trafficking: can they be criminals as well? – EIN Blog
‘Human trafficking is internationally recognised as threatening human rights and the fundamental values of democratic societies. States have taken action to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking and to provide support to victims of what is the third largest illicit money-making venture in the world. But what happens when the victims of trafficking commit a crime themselves? Should they be prosecuted? What factors are relevant in this assessment? And which arm of the State should the assessment of whether someone is a victim of trafficking be entrusted to? This is the first time the European Court of Human Rights has tackled these questions. The Court found that the UK had breached its obligations under articles 4 and 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights by prosecuting two Vietnamese children who were potential victims of trafficking.’
EIN Blog 24th February 2021
Source: www.ein.org.uk
Forensic science rationing is putting justice at risk, says outgoing regulator – The Guardian
‘Police forces are having to ration forensic toxicology work, especially samples from suspected drug drivers, because there is not enough capacity in the system to handle the volume of work, the outgoing forensic science regulator has said.’
The Guardian, 16th February 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Three guilty of crossbow killings at Brierley Hill cannabis farm – BBC News
‘An accountant and his father have been convicted of mistakenly killing their relative with a crossbow and murdering a cannabis farm burglar seconds later.’
BBC News, 11th February 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Confiscation & honouring the unchallenged basis of plea in R v Mohammed Zia Munir: Francesca Levitt examines for Lexis Nexis – 5SAH
‘The appellant was sentenced on an unchallenged, written basis of plea to the effect that he was a mere custodian of drugs on behalf of another. In these circumstances the court was bound to apply the provisions of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA 2002) consistently with the facts of the basis of plea. On his basis, the appellant could not be said to have received the drugs for his own benefit and therefore he did not obtain property within the meaning of POCA 2002, s 76(4).’
5SAH, 11th February 2021
Source: www.5sah.co.uk
EncroChat: UK drugs boss captured as police crack coded messages – BBC News
‘A drugs boss who ran a multi-million pound enterprise in the UK has been jailed after detectives hacked into his encrypted messaging accounts.’
BBC News, 4th February 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Couple jailed for trafficking teens to sell drugs – BBC
‘A drug dealer and his care worker girlfriend have been jailed for trafficking teenagers to sell drugs for a county lines operation.’
BBC News, 28th January 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
PSED, breach and ‘subsequent compliance’ – Nearly Legal
‘An appeal on the issue of whether a Council landlord’s initial failure to have regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty on commencing possession proceedings could be remedied by later performance of that duty.’
Nearly Legal, 2nd January 2021
Source: nearlylegal.co.uk
And he’s not there… – Nearly Legal
‘A breach of lease case in the Upper Tribunal which, despite the names, appears to be between two unrelated people. So I shall call them L – the leaseholder – and F – the freeholder – to avoid multiple Gibbins related confusion.’
Nearly Legal, 13th December 2020
Source: nearlylegal.co.uk
Public school boy jailed after being caught trying to swallow 50 packets of cocaine and heroin – Daily Telegraph
‘A former public schoolboy and professional rugby player was in jail last night (Sun) after trying to swallow 50 packets of crack cocaine and heroin.’
Daily Telegraph, 6th December 2020
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Milton Keynes murder: Chainmail-wearing killer found guilty – BBC News
‘A drug dealer who wore a chainmail vest to protect himself has been found guilty of murdering a rival.’
BBC News, 20th October 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Nationwide Organised Crime Gang sentenced – Crown Prosecution Service
‘Eighteen members of a gang who ran a county lines drugs operation stretching from north Wales and Merseyside as far as Anglesey, Cornwall and Scotland have been sentenced to a total of nearly 147 years’ imprisonment, with individual sentences ranging from 4 to 21 years at Mold Crown Court.’
Crown Prosecution Service , 11th September 2020
Source: www.cps.gov.uk
Judge makes formal complaint over Covid custody waits – BBC News
‘A judge has claimed he was put under “improper and undue influence” to keep a defendant in custody.’
BBC News, 11th September 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Rapper Ceon Broughton wins appeal against manslaughter conviction following festival death of Louella Fletcher-Michie – Garden Court Chambers
‘Ceon Broughton, a rapper jailed over the death of his partner Louella Fletcher-Michie from a drug overdose at Bestival has won his appeal against his manslaughter conviction. Broughton’s conviction in 2019 and seven-year prison sentence for manslaughter was quashed on 18 August 2020 by the Court of Appeal. The appeal was heard before The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales Lord Burnett, Mr Justice Sweeney and Mr Justice Murray.’
Garden Court Chambers, 18th August 2020
Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk
Jaden Moodie: ‘Chances missed’ to protect boy groomed by dealers – BBC News
‘A boy who was “butchered” in a drugs turf war after being groomed by drug dealers had been arrested in a crack den months earlier but police did not contact child exploitation staff, a report has found.’
BBC News, 26th May 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
