What The Coronavirus Bill Could Mean For Mental Health – Each Other

‘The UK government’s Emergency Coronavirus Bill paves the way for widespread changes to legislation that could potentially have an alarming impact on our human rights, especially in the area of mental health.’

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Each Other, 24th March 2020

Source: eachother.org.uk

Emergency coronavirus legislation passed by MPs without opposition – The Guardian

‘Emergency legislation giving sweeping powers to ban gatherings and forcibly quarantine suspected coronavirus patients was passed by MPs on Monday night, despite continued worries about civil liberties and the potential effect on vulnerable people.’

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The Guardian, 23rd March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Teenager jailed for 24 years over murder of Lancashire sales assistant – The Guardian

Posted March 25th, 2020 in imprisonment, internet, mental health, murder, news, sentencing, young offenders by sally

‘A teenager who lured a “gentle, kind-hearted” sales assistant to a remote beauty spot on a date and stabbed him to death has been locked up for a minimum of 24 years.’

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The Guardian, 24th March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Victory in false imprisonment action challenging the lawfulness of Home Office Iraqi removal exercise – Garden Court Chambers

‘QA, an Iraqi national and a vulnerable at risk adult was detained on 27 March 2017 to enable his inclusion in a new Iraqi documentation and removal exercise. Following detention he was held for 4 months, whilst repeated attempts were made to remove him, over which time he consistently expressed suicidal thoughts, engaged in self-harm and attempted suicide on at least two occasions.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 2nd March 2020

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Judge orders dialysis treatment where refusal by 34-year-old man was manifestation of his mental disorder – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 17th, 2020 in consent, medical treatment, mental health, news by sally

‘A 34-year-old man’s refusal of dialysis was a manifestation of his mental disorder and so he should be ordered to undergo treatment at times when he does not consent to it, a Court of Protection judge has found.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 16th March 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Charities call for inquiry into deaths linked to benefits cuts – The Guardian

‘Some of the UK’s best known mental health charities and the Royal College of Psychiatrists have jointly called for an independent inquiry into the deaths of scores of vulnerable people who were reliant on welfare benefits.’

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The Guardian, 11th March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Police watchdog drop investigation into Scotland Yard’s contact with Caroline Flack before her death – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 5th, 2020 in media, mental health, news, police, suicide by tracey

‘The police watchdog has dropped its investigation into the Metropolitan Police’s contact with Caroline Flack before her death.’

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Daily Telegraph, 4th March 2020

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Judge attacks S&G for “wholly unacceptable” failure – Legal Futures

A High Court judge has strongly criticised Slater & Gordon (S&G) for a “wholly unacceptable” failure to give him a crucial letter when applying for an urgent injunction in a police misconduct case.

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Legal Futures, 4th March 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

DWP criticised for ‘incredible secrecy’ over deaths of benefit claimants – The Guardian

‘The head of an influential cross-party committee of MPs has criticised the “incredible secrecy” surrounding the government’s handling of the deaths of vulnerable benefit claimants following the case of Errol Graham, a severely ill man who died of starvation after his benefits were cut off.’

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The Guardian, 1st March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Thimmaya v Lancashire NHS Foundation Trust: The incompetent expert – Hailsham Chambers

‘As all legal practitioners know, good experts win cases. Conversely, bad experts can not only lose cases, but sometimes they can cause a bad case to enter
or remain in existence, wasting time, effort and money. Such was the case in Thimmaya v Lancashire NHS Foundation Trust, where, in a judgment that will understandably alarm the medico-legal world, the County Court decided that a third party costs order should be made against the Claimant’s expert witness, in the sum of £88,801.68.’

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Hailsham Chambers, 21st February 2020

Source: www.hailshamchambers.com

Artist felt indeterminate jail term was like death sentence, inquest told – The Guardian

Posted February 26th, 2020 in imprisonment, inquests, mental health, news, sentencing by sally

‘An artist who died in a private prison told members of her family the indeterminate term she was serving was “like a death sentence”, a jury has heard.’

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The Guardian, 24th February 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

CJC sets out rule changes to help vulnerable witnesses – Litigation Futures

‘The Civil Justice Council (CJC) has set out detailed changes it believes should be made to the Civil Procedure Rules to help vulnerable parties and witnesses, including an amended overriding objective.’

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Litigation Futures, 25th February 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

How People In Immigration Detention Try To Cope With Life In Limbo – Each Other

Posted February 19th, 2020 in deportation, detention, immigration, mental health, news, telecommunications by sally

‘The Home Office has received heavy criticism in recent weeks after it emerged people held in immigration detention centres were struggling to access mobile phone reception and could not reach lawyers to challenge their imminent deportation.’

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Each Other, 18th February 2020

Source: eachother.org.uk

Anorexic woman’s death prompted independent review – BBC News

‘The care of a severely anorexic woman prompted 14 recommendations for change, an inquest has heard.’

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BBC News, 14th February 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

British woman repeatedly trafficked for sex after Home Office failures – The Guardian

‘A young and highly vulnerable British sex trafficking victim was re-trafficked by county lines drug gangs on multiple occasions after the Home Office repeatedly refused to fulfil its legal obligation to provide her with safe accommodation.’

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The Guardian, 16th February 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Barristers warn of strain on defendants after Caroline Flack death – The Guardian

‘The death of the Love Island presenter Caroline Flack has prompted questions about the way the justice system deals with allegations of domestic abuse and the strains imposed on defendants.’

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The Guardian, 16th February 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Solicitor faked email to cover inaction – Legal Futures

‘A solicitor claiming to have become overwhelmed by pressure of work has been struck off after dishonestly misleading clients that she had made court applications.’

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Legal Futures, 14th February 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Branston murders: Man jailed for killing mother and her partner – BBC News

Posted February 14th, 2020 in families, imprisonment, mental health, murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘A man who strangled his mother and battered her partner with a hammer to see “how he would feel if he killed” has been jailed for at least 32 years.’

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BBC News, 13th February 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Bar Council wellbeing schemes ignored by barristers – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 13th, 2020 in barristers, bullying, mental health, news by tracey

‘Bar Council efforts to stamp out bullying and improve mental health in the profession are not working, uptake figures suggest, as discontent at the organisation grows.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 12th February 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Capacity Issues in the Employment Tribunal – Littleton Chambers

Posted February 11th, 2020 in disabled persons, employment tribunals, mental health, news by sally

‘Employment tribunals have particular expertise in dealing with matters relating to disability, including mental health conditions, and are generally well-equipped to ensure that litigants with mental health conditions are able to participate in proceedings to the fullest extent possible.’

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Littleton Chambers, 10th February 2020

Source: www.littletonchambers.com