News of World features editor sentenced over hacking – BBC News

‘Ex-News of the World features editor Jules Stenson has been given a four-month suspended jail sentence for his part in the phone-hacking scandal.’

Full story

BBC News, 6th July 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Tom Crone: News of the World lawyer faces investigation by Bar – The Independent

‘Tom Crone, the lawyer responsible for the legal affairs of the News of the World during the height of the phone-hacking scandal, is being investigated by the barristers’ regulator.’

Full story

The Independent, 28th June 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Independent reviewer recommends redraft of UK surveillance laws – OUT-LAW.com

‘Existing UK surveillance laws should be scrapped and replaced by a “comprehensive and comprehensible new law…drafted from scratch”, the barrister appointed to review UK terrorism legislation has said.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 16th June 2015

Source: www.out-law.com

What to look out for in Britain’s new surveillance bill – The Guardian

‘The government intends wholesale reform, but will it perpetuate a dark history of invasion of privacy or follow the US example, and end invasive surveillance?’

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The Guardian, 5th June 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Andy Coulson: Prosecutors face questions after perjury charges against former News of the World editor dropped – The Independent

Posted June 5th, 2015 in conspiracy, interception, media, news, perjury, prosecutions by tracey

‘Prosecutors are facing questions about their decision to bring perjury charges against Andy Coulson after the judge dismissed the case against the ex-tabloid editor halfway through his trial.’

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The Independent, 4th June 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Emergency surveillance law faces legal challenge by MPs – BBC News

‘The High Court is to hear a legal challenge to the government’s emergency surveillance law brought by two MPs.’

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BBC News, 4th June 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Gulati v MGN Ltd – WLR Daily

Gulati v MGN Ltd [2015] EWHC 1482 (Ch); [2015] WLR (D) 232

‘Damages for infringement of privacy rights should compensate not merely for distress but also, if appropriate, for a loss of privacy or autonomy arising out of the infringement as such, which might include, if appropriate, a sum to compensate for damage to dignity or standing so far as that was meaningful and not already compensated under the distress element.’

WLR Daily, 21st May 2015

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

The police ask to look at our private messages once every 120 seconds – The Independent

‘Police officers in the UK ask for permission to monitor use of emails, text messages and internet searches once every two minutes, a new report has disclosed.’

Full story

The Independent, 1st June 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Phone hacking: massive privacy damages – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted May 27th, 2015 in compensation, damages, interception, media, news, privacy by sally

‘For some years in the early and mid 2000s, a routine form of news-gathering in the Mirror Group was phone hacking – listening to voicemails left for celebrities by their friends, and then dishing up revelations in their papers. And this judgment amounts to a comprehensive pay-back time for the years of distress and upset sustained by those celebrities, as the ins and outs of their private lives were played out for the Mirror Group’s profit. The damages awarded well exceeded those previously payable, as justified in the tour de force of a judgment by Mann J.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 22nd May 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Phone hacking at Trinity Mirror ‘widespread’ for a decade, says judge – The Guardian

Posted May 22nd, 2015 in compensation, interception, media, news, privacy, telecommunications, victims by sally

‘Phone hacking at the tabloid publisher Trinity Mirror was “widespread and frequent” for a decade, a high court judge has ruled as he ordered the company to pay a record £1.2m in privacy damages to eight victims, including the actor Sadie Frost and ex-footballer Paul Gascoigne.’

Full story

The Guardian, 21st May 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Phone hacking: Paul Gascoigne wins damages from Mirror Group – BBC News

Posted May 21st, 2015 in appeals, damages, interception, media, news, privacy, telecommunications by sally

‘Former footballer Paul Gascoigne has won £188,250 in phone-hacking damages from Mirror Group Newspapers.’

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BBC News, 21st May 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

GCHQ conducted illegal surveillance, investigatory powers tribunal rules – The Guardian

‘GCHQ, Britain’s national security surveillance agency, has been ordered to destroy legally privileged communications it unlawfully collected from a Libyan rendition victim.’

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The Guardian, 29th April 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

News focus: law and justice pledges – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The general election manifestos are in – here’s our quick-fire summary of their headline pledges on law and justice.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 20th April 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

MoD accused of refusing former detainee Yunus Rahmatullah justice – The Guardian

Posted March 31st, 2015 in intelligence services, interception, news, privilege, torture by sally

‘The government has refused to give an undertaking not to take advantage of any intercepted communications between a former detainee, who is suing the Ministry of Defence, and his lawyers.’

Full story

The Guardian, 30th March 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Jury were right to clear Sun quartet – they shouldn’t have been on trial – The Guardian

‘Yet another jury has cleared more Sun journalists who were charged with offences related to the paying of public officials.’

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The Guardian, 20th March 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Access all areas? – New Law Journal

‘Overriding lawyer-client & confidential communications is incompatible with the rule of law, as Nicholas Griffin QC, Robert O’Sullivan QC & Gordon Nardell QC explain.’

Full story

New Law Journal, 27th February 2015

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

Press regulator to look at Daily Telegraph and HSBC allegations – The Guardian

‘The press regulator is to look at allegations that the Daily Telegraph allowed commercial pressures to dictate editorial decisions following Peter Oborne’s resignation over its coverage of HSBC.’

Full story

The Guardian, 24th February 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judges to rule on police requests for journalists’ phone records – Daily Telegraph

‘Police to be told they need to obtain the permission of a judge if they want to obtain details of a journalist’s phone calls or emails.’

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Daily Telegraph, 21st February 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

UK admits unlawfully monitoring legally privileged communications – The Guardian

‘The regime under which UK intelligence agencies, including MI5 and MI6, have been monitoring conversations between lawyers and their clients for the past five years is unlawful, the British government has admitted.’

Full story

The Guardian, 18th February 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

UK government issues first definition of computer hacking by spies – The Guardian

Posted February 9th, 2015 in codes of practice, computer crime, intelligence services, interception, news by sally

‘Code of practice sets out rules and safeguards surrounding use of computer hacking outside UK by security services.’

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The Guardian, 6th February 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk