Inquest finds gross failings in care of woman who drank too much water – The Guardian

Posted April 25th, 2024 in hospitals, inquests, mental health, news, water by tracey

‘An inquest jury has found there were “gross failings in care amounting to neglect” before a woman had a heart attack at a private mental health hospital due to complications from drinking excessive amounts of water.’

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The Guardian, 24th April 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Hybrid orders & section 45A of the Mental Health Act 1983: recent developments – 6KBW College Hill

Posted April 25th, 2024 in chambers articles, hospital orders, mental health, news, sentencing by sally

‘Section 45A of the Mental Health Act 1983 (“MHA”) was inserted by the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997. The idea behind it is that where an offender who suffers from a treatable mental disorder is before the Court, a hybrid sentence can be imposed. The offender is treated, and then in an appropriate case returned to prison to serve the rest of their sentence. If is they are still in hospital when the sentence expires, they remain in hospital, but unrestricted[1]. It came into force on the 1st October 1997.’

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6KBW College Hill, 24th March 2024

Source: blog.6kbw.com

Suspended sentence for struck-off solicitor who misused client funds – Legal Futures

‘A solicitor who used a client’s £132,000 divorce settlement to pay off her tax bill and give money to her daughter has been handed a suspended prison sentence.’

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Legal Futures, 22nd April 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘Outdated and offensive’: police in England and Wales barred from blaming restraint deaths on ‘excited delirium’ – The Guardian

Posted April 22nd, 2024 in death in custody, drug abuse, mental health, news, ombudsmen, police, racism by sally

‘The police watchdog for England and Wales has removed a controversial medical term from its incident forms after claims it plays into racist stereotypes and detracts attention from police brutality.’

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The Guardian, 20th April 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Inquiries Update: Three Things You Need to Know – Inquests and Inquiries Law Blog

‘Achas Burin updates readers on three essential news items concerning the future of Public Inquiries: the commencement of the Lampard Inquiry, the Norton committee reviewing Inquiries and the government consultation on apologies following the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.’

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Inquests and Inquiries Law Blog, 17th April 2024

Source: inquestsandinquirieslawblog.com

Mohammed Abbkr sentenced for setting worshippers alight – BBC News

Posted April 18th, 2024 in attempted murder, hospital orders, mental health, news, sentencing by sally

‘A man who set two worshippers on fire as they left mosques has been sentenced to an indefinite hospital order.’

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BBC News, 17th April 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Man who murdered grandfather feigned mental illness – judge – BBC News

Posted April 17th, 2024 in families, imprisonment, mental health, murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘A man who murdered a grandfather tried to manipulate his psychiatric assessment in order to evade justice, a judge has said.’

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BBC News, 16th April 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Serious care failings were a factor in son killing his father, coroner in Wales rules – The Guardian

Posted April 17th, 2024 in families, homicide, hospital orders, hospitals, inquests, mental health, news, sentencing by sally

‘A string of serious failings in the care provided for a man with schizophrenia who killed his father an hour after absconding from a psychiatric ward contributed to the death, a coroner has ruled.’

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Th Guardian, 16th April 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Council managing its premises is not providing a service for Equality Act 2010 purposes – Nearly Legal

‘FG, R (On the Application Of) v Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (2024) EWHC 780 (Admin). This was a judicial review of RBKC, asserting discrimination under the Equality Act 2010 in RBKC’s failure to make physical adaptations to a flat occupied by RBKC’s tenant, Ms FG, to meet her disability related needs.’

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Nearly Legal, 14th April 2024

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Keynote speech by Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb at the South Eastern Circuit: Mental Health, Diversion and Crime Speeches – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted April 2nd, 2024 in criminal justice, judiciary, mental health, news, sentencing, speeches by tracey

‘Keynote speech by Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb at the South Eastern Circuit: Mental Health, Diversion and Crime.’

Full speech

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Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 21st March 2024

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Watchdog calls for murder law review amid outrage over Nottingham triple killer’s manslaughter pleas – The Independent

‘A watchdog has called for a review of murder laws following an outcry from victims’ families over the decision to allow Nottingham attack killer to plead guilty to manslaughter.’

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The Independent, 25th March 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Black inmates at Wormwood Scrubs ‘disproportionately subjected to use of force’ – The Guardian

Posted March 20th, 2024 in drug abuse, mental health, news, prisons, race discrimination, restraint, statistics by sally

‘Black prisoners are disproportionately subjected to the use of force inside one of Britain’s most notorious jails, a report has found.’

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The Guardian, 19th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK watchdogs say they will take action against ‘threatening’ debt collectors – The Guardian

Posted March 19th, 2024 in consumer protection, debts, mental health, news by tracey

‘UK regulators are warning they will take “robust action” against firms that are putting consumers’ mental health at risk by using threatening tones and inundating already-vulnerable borrowers with letters, calls and emails, about their debts.’

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The Guardian, 18th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘It’s an excuse to overreach’: families’ anger over UK police restraint deaths blamed on disputed condition – The Guardian

‘Acute behavioural disturbance and excited delirium have been cited in police watchdog reports and inquests into 44 deaths – but campaigners say it is pseudoscience.’

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The Guardian, 17th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

HMP Woodhill: Prison staff made insufficient checks on inmate found dead – BBC News

‘Prison staff failed to properly check on a prisoner the morning he was found dead, the prisons ombudsman has ruled.’

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BBC News, 18th March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Courting controversy: the use of trigger warnings in teaching human rights law – The Law Teacher

Posted March 15th, 2024 in education, human rights, legal education, mental health, news, universities by sally

‘This article explores how legal academics approach sensitive topics in human rights law, specifically how content is chosen, curated and discussed with students. It draws on data collected as part of a small pilot study which looked at how human rights academics approach “controversial” topics and how their views on controversy and sensitivity may be reflected in their curriculum. It focuses on the wider debate around trigger warnings in higher education and explores how academics use them. It concludes that, despite their negative reputation, “trigger warnings” can play a necessary and welcome role in navigating sensitive material.’

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The Law Teacher, 1st March 2024

Source: www.tandfonline.com

High Court judge makes care order for teenage boy despite local authority seeking to withdraw its application – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 15th, 2024 in adoption, care orders, children, families, local government, mental health, news by sally

‘A High Court judge has refused to allow a local authority to withdraw its application for a care order, finding that an order would be in the “best interests” of a teenage boy with complex needs.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 14th March 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court of Protection declares lawfulness of care plan setting out arrangements for termination of woman’s pregnancy – Local Government Lawyer

‘A judge sitting in the Court of Protection has declared that a care plan setting out the arrangements for the termination of a woman’s pregnancy was lawful.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 14th March 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Coroner criticises benefits rules after vulnerable claimant’s death – The Guardian

‘A coroner has criticised the Depart­ment for Work and Pensions (DWP) after a woman died from an overdose in the wake of a six-month official investigation that left her with soaring universal credit debts.’

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The Guardian, 10th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Prisoner describes ‘torture’ of indefinite jail term as he makes landmark public parole bid – The Independent

Posted March 11th, 2024 in human rights, imprisonment, mental health, news, parole, prisons by tracey

‘The first IPP prisoner to have his parole bid held in public has revealed how each day is “torture” serving a sentence with no release date.’

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The Independent, 10th March 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk