Albanian man taken from UK psychiatric ward to deportation flight – report – The Guardian

Posted July 25th, 2024 in deportation, detention, immigration, mental health, news, reports by sally

‘An Albanian man who was being held in a secure psychiatric unit was taken directly from his hospital bed to a Home Office deportation flight, a report has revealed.’

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The Guardian, 25th July 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Right Care, Right Person before the courts – Mental Capacity Law and Policy

Posted July 24th, 2024 in extradition, human rights, mental health, news by sally

‘It is perhaps slightly surprising that Right Care, Right Person should make its first reported appearance in case-law in the context of an extradition challenge, but in Platt v The High Court of the Republic of Ireland [2024] EWHC 1821 (Admin), it featured in the challenge to the decision to extradite the claimant to Ireland.’

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Mental Capacity Law and Policy, 23rd July 2024

Source: www.mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.org.uk

In depth: How law firms can save stressed staff from themselves – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 17th, 2024 in electronic mail, employment, law firms, mental health, news, solicitors by tracey

‘As LawCare highlights cases of burnout involving lawyers being available 24/7 and checking emails outside work, some firms have hired external resource managers to save staff from themselves.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 16th July 2024

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Inquiry into headteacher’s suicide says ‘macho culture’ of inspections must end – The Guardian

Posted July 15th, 2024 in inquiries, mental health, news, ombudsmen, suicide, teachers by tracey

‘An independent inquiry into the death of the Reading headteacher Ruth Perry has called for an end to England’s “macho culture” of inspections and school accountability.’

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The Guardian, 12th July 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Mental health tragedy lessons not learned – family – BBC News

‘The son-in-law of an 88-year-old man who was killed by a woman with schizophrenia at a supermarket says too many people are being harmed due to a lack of proper risk assessments of mental health patients.’

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BBC News, 11th July 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Multiple homicide: a descriptive study of serial homicide and mass murder in England and Wales – The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology

Posted July 11th, 2024 in homicide, mental health, murder, news, statistics by sally

‘Homicide involving multiple victims is relatively rare in England and Wales. When it does occur, mental illness is assumed to have played a significant role. However, reliable evidence to support this is often lacking. We aimed to describe the prevalence of multiple homicide and its subgroups: serial murder, mass murder and familicide and the presence of mental disorder. Data were obtained from the Home Office, HM Court Service, the Police National Computer and NHS Trusts. In England and Wales 470 killed multiple victims between 1997 and 2018. Most did not have evidence of mental health symptoms at the time of offence (85%) or a recorded history of mental disorder (69%). Mental disorder was also not found in most serial homicides (90%), mass murders (94%), or familicides (70%). A tenth of all multiple homicide perpetrators had been under the care of mental health services a year before the incident. This finding challenges commonly held views about mental disorders and the stigma that is perpetuated when multiple-victim homicides occur. Low prevalence and low levels of contact with mental health services make preventing multiple homicide difficult. Reducing violence across society by adopting a multi-agency public health approach is recommended.’

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The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, 5th July 2024

Source: www.tandfonline.com

Employment and personal injury case brought by trainee naval cadet struck out – 12 King’s Bench Walk

‘Robert Oldham, pupil barrister at 12 King’s Bench Walk, highlights the lessons for practitioners in Townsend v Corporation of Trinity House [2023] EWHC 3403 (KB), a claim for bullying and harassment that was struck out.’

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12 King's Bench Walk, 3rd July 2024

Source: pilawblog.com

‘Significant failing’ in care of Royal Marines recruit who took his own life – The Guardian

Posted July 4th, 2024 in armed forces, inquests, mental health, news, self-harm, suicide, young persons by sally

‘There was a “significant failing” in the care of a teenage Royal Marines recruit who took his own life after struggling on a demanding training course, a coroner has concluded.’

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The Guardian, 3rd July 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Violence and self-harm in women’s jails hits record high as prisons crisis deepens – The Independent

‘The number of assaults and self-harm incidents in women’s prisons in England and Wales has hit record highs, new figures show.’

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The Independent, 27th June 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

As a teenager, John was jailed for assaulting someone and stealing their bike. That was 17 years ago – will he ever be released? – The Guardian

Posted June 21st, 2024 in criminal justice, imprisonment, mental health, news, prisons, sentencing by michael

‘Indeterminate sentences are devastating to mental health, but prisoners with mental illness are less likely to be released. The result is a vicious cycle whereby the most vulnerable inmates often have the least chance of getting out – as John’s case shows.’

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The Guardian, 21st June 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Capacity, sexual relations, silos and public protection – an impossible tangle for the Court of Protection? – Mental Capacity Law and Policy

‘In A Local Authority v ZX [2024] EWCOP 30, HHJ Burrows was confronted, to his considerable (and understandable) disquiet, with the need to determine whether an 18 year old man had capacity to make decisions about engaging in sexual relations with others. His discomfort arose from the fact that the local authority was having to have recourse to the Court of Protection to respond to a situation where the man in question was posing a (largely self-reported, but on the face of it non-trivial) sexual threat to others, but whether neither mental health services nor the criminal justice system could respond.’

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Mental Capacity Law and Policy, 20th June 2024

Source: www.mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.org.uk

Urgent judicial review claim issued over planned closure by council of “vital” mental health services – Local Government Lawyer

Posted June 18th, 2024 in judicial review, local government, mental health, news by tracey

‘A group of claimants are challenging Devon County Council’s decision to close the North Devon Link drop-in services, including on the basis that the local authority failed to have regard to mandatory considerations including its duties under the Care Act 2014 and Health and Social Care Act 2012.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 17th June 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Woman stalked by ex-partner loses bid to have restraining order extended – The Guardian

Posted June 14th, 2024 in domestic violence, mental health, news, restraining orders, stalking, victims by sally

‘A woman who was stalked and held hostage at gunpoint by her ex-partner has warned that she and her family are in danger after a judge refused to strengthen a restraining order against her abuser, despite hearing evidence that her life was under threat.’

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The Guardian, 13th June 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Next government may face claims for compensation from Rwanda flight detainees – The Guardian

‘The next government could have to make costly payouts to dozens of asylum seekers detained for deportation to Rwanda, even if the Rwanda deal falls apart after the general election.’

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The Guardian, 13th June 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Inquest finds inadequate care contributed to death of Frazer Williams who took his life at HMP Guys Marsh – Garden Court Chambers

‘Inadequate diagnosis and treatment of Frazer Williams’ mental health condition was among the probable causes of the 28-year-old’s death at HMP Guy’s Marsh, a jury unanimously found.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 23rd May 2024

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Contact in Domestic Abuse Cases – Becket Chambers

‘This short article focuses upon the Court of Appeal’s recent decision in the case of Re H (A Child: Domestic Abuse) 2024 EWCA Civ 326 in which it considered the father’s appeal against a child arrangements order under which he was to have no face to face contact with his 3 year old son for an indefinite period of time.’

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Becket Chambers, 7th May 2024

Source: becket-chambers.co.uk

UK system for wrongful conviction payouts is lawful, European court rules – The Guardian

‘Most victims of miscarriages of justice will still be denied compensation in Britain after the European court of human rights ruled the government’s test for payouts was lawful.’

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The Guardian, 11th June 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Sixteen years for stealing a flower pot: the film about the IPP jail sentence ‘designed to bury you alive’ – The Guardian

‘Britain’s Forgotten Prisoners is a devastating documentary about the ‘public protection’ sentences that can amount to whole-of-life terms for relatively minor offences. Film-maker Martin Read explains his seven-year quest for justice.’

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The Guardian,12th June 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Vulnerable children locked up and ‘gravely damaged by the state’, former top family judge warns – The Guardian

‘Vulnerable children with complex needs are being locked away in unregulated placements and are being “gravely damaged by the state” while their parents are driven to despair, according to England and Wales’s former top family judge. Sir James Munby terms the lack of provision of safe and therapeutic homes “a shocking moral failure”.’

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The Guardian, 9th June 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Inequity’ in prison mental health care – coroner – BBC News

Posted June 10th, 2024 in coroners, delay, hospitals, inquests, mental health, news, prisons, suicide by tracey

‘Prisoners with mental health emergencies face “inequity” in the way they are treated, a coroner has said.’

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BBC News, 9th June 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk