Civil partnership conversion for landmark gay couple – BBC News
‘Chris and Henry Flanagan-Kane were the first gay men in the UK to get a civil partnership back in 2005.’
BBC News, 7th December 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: homosexuality
Killer drug GHB ‘should be reclassified’, says official report – BBC News
‘A drug that was weaponised by the UK’s most prolific rapist and the serial killer Stephen Port should be reclassified, says an official report.’
BBC News, 20th November 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Four convicted after investigation into homophobic behaviour at West Ham vs Brighton game – The Independent
‘West Ham said they have a “zero-tolerance approach” to any kind of discrimination after four men were convicted of public order offences following an investigation into homophobic behaviour at a Premier League game.’
The Independent, 4th October 2020
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Woman wins UK legal fight over unlawful deportation to Uganda – The Guardian
‘The Home Office has lost a case in the court of appeal against a 27-year-old lesbian asylum seeker it was found to have unlawfully removed from the UK and was forced to fly back to the UK in the summer of 2019.’
The Guardian, 28th September 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
London bus attack couple join campaign to make misogyny a hate crime – The Guardian
‘A couple who were victims of a violent, homophobic attack on a London bus are calling for misogyny to become a hate crime, as a report reveals that women are three times more likely to experience sexual violence and threats than men.’
The Guardian, 10th September 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
A Force to be Reckoned with by John Bowers QC – Littleton Chambers
‘In his article “A Force to be Reckoned with” for the New Law Journal, John Bowers QC reflects on 20 years since the ground breaking case that lifted the ban on gay men and women serving in the military. John acted for one of the applicants in this case, alongside David Pannick QC, Laura Cox, the late Peter Duffy and others.’
Littleton Chambers, 20th August 2020
Source: littletonchambers.com
Challenging the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities – Doughty Street Chambers
‘The recent appointment of Dr Tony Sewell as head of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities has been cause for concern for racial justice campaigners. In an article in Prospect magazine, Dr Sewell stated that he believed institutional racism has given black children “the discourse of the victim” and he has recently had to apologise for making “wrong and offensive” comments about gay men.’
Doughty Street Chambers, 12th August 2020
Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk
Race equality chief faces legal challenge over appointment – The Guardian
‘The academic chosen to lead the prime minister’s new racial equality commission, despite having cast doubt on the effects of institutional racism and making homophobic comments in the past, is facing a legal challenge to his appointment.’
The Guardian, 11th August 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
Religious fostering service given permission on one ground to appeal rejection of judicial review challenge over Ofsted report – Local Government Lawyer
‘A High Court judge has given a Christian fostering service permission to appeal on one ground following his dismissal earlier this month of its judicial review challenge to a report by Ofsted.’
Local Government Lawyer, 29th July 2020
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Gay Conversion Therapy Is Torture, The UK Must Ban It – Each Other
‘Conversion therapy is a set of pseudo-scientific practices which aim to change, suppress, or divert a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. It is based on the assumption that “being lesbian, gay, bi or trans is a mental illness that can be “cured”.’
Each Other, 16th July 2020
Source: eachother.org.uk
Inquest into Stephen Port’s victims set to begin in new year – The Guardian
‘Families of the victims of serial killer Stephen Port have been assured that everything possible will be done to ensure the long-awaited inquests into their deaths go ahead in the new year despite the coronavirus pandemic.’
The Guardian, 10th July 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
Sunderland Christian foster service ‘must allow gay carers’ says High Court – Local Government Lawyer
‘A Christian Foster service has been told it must allow gay parents to sign up as carers, the High Court has ruled.’
Local Government Lawyer, 9th July 2020
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
LGBT asylum seekers routinely see claims rejected in Europe and UK – The Guardian
‘People seeking asylum in the UK and Europe on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity are routinely seeing their claims rejected because of a widespread “culture of disbelief” and an “impossible burden of proof”, researchers have said.’
The Guardian, 9th July 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
Church minister who wrote Sinitta’s ‘So Macho’ wins claim over alleged homophobia – Daily Telegraph
‘Rev George Hargreaves was shunned at work by a colleague who ignored him after being outraged by a perceived homophobic remark he had made.’
Daily Telegraph, 2nd June 2020
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘How do I convince the Home Office I’m a lesbian?’ – BBC News
‘More than 1,500 people seek asylum in the UK on sexuality grounds every year.
The Home Office’s decision on whether to grant or refuse it depends on whether the interviewer finds the asylum-seeker’s account authentic and believable – but each interviewer may have his or her own assumptions about what an authentic and believable account should look like.’
BBC News, 26th February 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Pickets, prayers and protests: using anti-social behaviour legislation to curb protest – UK Police Law Blog
‘Two recent cases have required the High Court and Court of Appeal to consider in detail the use by local authorities of different powers contained in the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (“ASBCPA”) to limit or prevent protests that have contained a strong religious or moral element. To what extent are the courts prepared to sanction the use of these powers in relation to types of activities that perhaps would not immediately spring to mind when the words “anti-social behaviour” are heard? The answer, in two words, is “very prepared”, judging by the decisions in the cases of Dulgerhiu v London Borough of Ealing [2019] EWCA Civ 1490 and Birmingham City Council v Asfar [2019] EWHC 3217 (QB).’
UK Police Law Blog, 27th January 2020
Source: ukpolicelawblog.com
Call for law change over increase in homophobic hate crimes in London – BBC News
‘Homophobic hate crimes in London have increased by 55% in five years, prompting calls for changes to the law. Latest figures show there were 3,111 hate crimes based on sexual orientation in the 12 months up to October. Shaun Bailey, the Conservative candidate for mayor of London, called for new laws and tougher sentencing for homophobic attacks.’
BBC News, 10th January 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Manchester rapes: How Reynhard Sinaga found his victims – BBC News
‘Reynhard Sinaga is thought to be the UK’s most prolific rapist ever. For several years, until he was caught in 2017, he preyed on young men enjoying a night out.’
BBC News, 6th January 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Reynhard Sinaga: Britain’s ‘most prolific rapist’ jailed for life – BBC News
‘A man convicted of 159 sex offences and said to be Britain’s most prolific rapist can be identified for the first time after the end of his latest trial.’
BBC News, 6th January 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Teenager sentenced for attack on gay couple ‘who refused to kiss’ on bus – The Independent
‘A 16-year-old boy has been sentenced for an attack on a female couple on a London bus.’
The Independent, 19th December 2019
Source: www.independent.co.uk
