Hotak v Southwark London Borough Council (Equality and Human Rights Commission and others intervening); Kanu v Southwark London Borough Council (Equality and Human Rights Commission and others intervening); Johnson v Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (Equality and Human Rights Commission and others intervening) – WLR Daily

Hotak v Southwark London Borough Council (Equality and Human Rights Commission and others intervening); Kanu v Southwark London Borough Council (Equality and Human Rights Commission and others intervening); Johnson v Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (Equality and Human Rights Commission and others intervening) [2015] UKSC 30; [2015] WLR (D) 224

‘When considering whether a homeless person had priority need for housing as a “vulnerable” person under section 189(1)(c) of the Housing Act 1996 the correct comparator for assessing vulnerability was an ordinary person if made homeless rather than an ordinary actual homeless person and, in making that assessment, account could be taken of third party support, including support from family members.’

WLR Daily, 13th May 2015

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

No prosecution for police involved in death of man in psychiatric care – The Guardian

‘Prosecutors have decided not to take action against police involved in the death in 2010 of a man who was restrained by officers at a psychiatric hospital.’

Full story

The Guardian, 29th May 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Relatives of dementia sufferers who die in care homes having to wait months to bury loved ones thanks to new Government rules – The Independent

‘Relatives of dementia sufferers who pass away in care homes are being forced to wait months to bury loved ones because of new rules.’

Full story

The Independent, 28th May 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Stacey Hyde cleared of murder in retrial – The Guardian

‘A young woman who faced a retrial for the murder of man with a history of domestic violence has been acquitted after a jury heard how she acted in self-defence. Stacey Hyde, 22, was ordered to face a second trial by the director of public prosecutions, Alison Saunders, after the court of appeal quashed her original murder conviction last year.’

Full story

The Guardian, 21st May 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Rape victim falsely accused of lying by police wins £20,000 payout – The Guardian

‘A rape victim falsely accused of lying by detectives has won £20,000 in damages after suing police under the Human Rights Act. The woman, who cannot be named, was 17 when a man raped her in Winchester in April 2012 after a night out with friends. Her mother reported the attack hours later and the victim told officers her T-shirt may contain her attacker’s DNA.’

Full story

The Guardian, 22nd May 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Court approves caesarean for mentally-ill woman – BBC News

Posted May 21st, 2015 in birth, consent, medical treatment, mental health, news by sally

‘Doctors can perform a caesarean section on a mentally-ill woman who is in the latter stages of pregnancy without her consent, a judge has ruled.’
Full story

BBC News, 20th May 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Theresa May pledges £15m to keep mentally ill people out of police cells – The Guardian

Posted May 20th, 2015 in budgets, detention, mental health, news, police by sally

‘The home secretary, Theresa May, is to pledge up to £15m of new funding to provide health-based alternatives for the 4,000 people a year who spend time in detention in police cells under the Mental Health Act.’

Full story

The Guardian, 20th May 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Student restrained by police died from neglect, inquest finds – The Guardian

‘A student who was detained under the Mental Health Act died as a result of neglect by police officers and ambulance staff who forcibly restrained him and left him handcuffed for hours on a hospital floor, an inquest jury has found.’

Full story

The Guardian, 15th May 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Women in prison equals children without mothers, say justice groups – The Independent

‘12,000 women are sentenced each year in the UK – leaving about 20,000 children without mothers, according to Women in Prison’

Full story

The Independent, 16th May 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Alexa-Marie Quinn murder: Father Carl Wheatley found guilty – BBC News

Posted May 14th, 2015 in child abuse, diminished responsibility, mental health, murder, news by tracey

‘A man has been found guilty of murdering his four-year-old daughter by beating her to death.’

Full story

BBC News, 13th May 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Body-in-boot killer Aaron Mann ‘quit mental health treatment’ – BBC News

Posted May 14th, 2015 in domestic violence, mental health, murder, news, reports by tracey

‘A man who kept his partner’s body in a car boot after killing her had ended mental health treatment days before, a review revealed.’

Full story

BBC News, 15th May 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

In re MN (An Adult) (Court of Protection: Jurisdiction) – WLR Daily

In re MN (An Adult) (Court of Protection: Jurisdiction): [2015] EWCA Civ 411; [2015] WLR (D) 208

‘The function of the Court of Protection was to take, on behalf of adults who lacked capacity, the decisions which, if they had capacity, they would take themselves. The Court of Protection was thus confined to choosing between available options, including those which there was good reason to believe would be forthcoming in the foreseeable future and, in the final analysis, could not compel a public authority to agree to a care plan which the authority was unwilling to implement.’

WLR Daily, 7th May 2015

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Wellbeing at the Bar report – The Bar Council

Posted May 12th, 2015 in barristers, mental health, reports by tracey

‘The Wellbeing at the Bar Programme was developed to look in greater detail at the unique aspects of a barristers’ working environment and how this impacts on psychological health and wellbeing.’

Full report

The Bar Council, 11th May 2015

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Stress taking its toll on barristers, survey shows – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 12th, 2015 in barristers, mental health, news by tracey

‘One in eight barristers are “emotionally exhausted” and more than half do not sleep properly. These are among the shocking findings of the most comprehensive survey of barristers’ wellbeing yet conducted, published by the Bar Council today.’

Full story

Law Society Gazette, 11th May 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Parents of autistic man criticise decision to prosecute him – Daily Telegraph

‘George Ostle’s parents say if Lord Janner was not fit to stand trial then neither was their autistic son who has the mental age of a ten-year-old.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 6th May 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Teenager found not guilty of raping his mother after she said it was just a dream – The Guardian

Posted May 1st, 2015 in alcohol abuse, incest, mental health, news, rape, young persons by tracey

‘A teenager has been found not guilty of raping his mother as she slept after she told a jury she had dreamed the attack. The boy, who cannot be named, was 14 when his mother woke up and accused him of trying to rape her. Despite calling the police to report the alleged incident, when the case reached trial this week the mother claimed she was “99.9% sure” she had dreamed it after a night out drinking.’

Full story

The Guardian, 30th April 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Child abuse inquiry judge to investigate Lord Janner allegations – The Guardian

‘A high court judge is to investigate whether child sexual abuse allegations against Lord Janner were the subject of an establishment cover-up.’

Full story

The Guardian, 29th April 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Mental Capacity Law Newsletter – 39 Essex Chambers

Posted April 29th, 2015 in deprivation of liberty safeguards, mental health, news, Scotland by sally

Mental Capacity Law Newsletter (PDF)

39 Essex Chambers, April 2015

Source: www.39essex.com

Lord Janner’s alleged victims seek formal review of DPP decision – The Guardian

‘A group of people who say they were abused by Lord Janner are seeking a formal review of the decision not to prosecute the former Labour MP following child sex abuse claims.’
Full story

The Guardian, 28th April 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Alison Saunders: I was right not to charge Lord Janner with child sex abuse – Daily Telegraph

‘Director of Public Prosecutions claims she made correct decision not to bring case against Labour peer as she urges critics to challenge her in court ‘

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 23rd April 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk