Mentally-ill patients were ‘Tasered’ more than 50 times – The Independent
“Freedom of Information request reveals extent of stun-gun use by police in psychiatric wards.”
The Independent, 7th May 2013
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Category: mental health
Probation privatisation plan prompts fears over mentally ill offenders – The Guardian
“Government plans to allow private companies to run parts of the probation service, to be unveiled on Wednesday, have sparked concerns about the future supervision of offenders with serious mental health issues.”
The Guardian, 5th May 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Coombs v North Dorset NHS Primary Care Trust and another – WLR Daily
Coombs v North Dorset NHS Primary Care Trust and another: [2013] EWCA Civ 471; [2013] WLR (D) 158
“There was nothing inherent in the structure or wording of the Mental Health Act 1983 or the National Health Service Act 2006, and nothing by way of public policy, to exclude the possibility of a person detained under a provision of the 1983 Act from paying or contributing to the cost of his treatment or care.”
WLR Daily, 30th April 2013
Source: www.iclr.co.uk
The felling of a tree might breach occupier’s right to respect for a home – UK Human Rights Blog
“Lane v Kensington & Chelsea Royal London Borough Council (19 April 2013) – extempore judgement by Sir Raymond Jack QBD.”
UK Human Rights Blog, 25th April 2013
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
Jihadist suspect cannot be extradited to United States because of his mental illness – UK Human Rights Blog
“The Strasbourg Court has ruled that a terrorist suspect detained in the United Kingdom’s Broadmoor hospital should not be extradited to the United States because of the risk that his mental condition would deteriorate there.”
UK Human Rights Blog, 21st April 2013
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
‘The legal status of prisoners in this country is a mark of its humanity’ – LegalVoice
“On 4 April, a matter of days after the cuts to civil legal aid were brought into effect, Chris Grayling has announced the Government’s intention to cut legal aid for prisoners seeking to bring proceedings for judicial review of decisions relating to their treatment or the conditions of their confinement. He complains that £4 million pounds in legal aid is spent annually on such complaints and says that they can be perfectly adequately dealt with by the internal prison complaints system. His justification for the cuts makes neither financial nor constitutional sense and begs the question, what are his true motives?”
LegalVoice, 18th April 2013
Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk
Human rights court blocks extradition of UK-based terror suspect to US – The Guardian
“Extraditing a UK-based terror suspect to an American ‘supermax’ high security prison would constitute ‘inhuman or degrading treatment’, the European court of human rights (ECHR) has ruled.”
The Guardian, 16th April 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Court of Protection Update – Family Law Week
“Sally Bradley and Michael Edwards, barristers at 4 Paper Buildings, look at recent decisions on capacity in the Court of Protection.”
Family Law Week, 12th April 2013
Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk
‘Psychiatric Asbos’ were an error says key advisor – The Independent
“Controversial powers to treat mental health patients in the community while seriously curtailing their freedoms have been criticised by one of their strongest supporters.”
The Independent, 14th April 2013
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Joss Stone death plot: Junior Bradshaw and Kevin Liverpool convicted – BBC News
“Two men have been convicted of plotting to kill singer Joss Stone.”
BBC News, 3rd April 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
James Best: Jailed in the riots for stealing a gingerbread man… dead in the prison that should have protected him – The Independent
“James Best had a history of mental health problems before being jailed after the riots of 2011. Now his brother has warned that the systemic failures which led to his death could happen again.”
The Independent, 1st April 2013
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Gravely ill woman who ran away from home should not be reunited with family, court rules – The Independent
“The Court of Protection has ruled that a 64-year-old woman who disappeared for months after she ran away with a neighbour and subsequently suffered a massive stroke should not be reunited with her family despite their fervent wish to see her again.”
The Independent, 27th March 2013
Source: www.independent.co.uk
In the teeth of it … – NearlyLegal
“In El-Dinnaoui v Westminster CC [2013] EWCA Civ 231, the Court of Appeal found that the offer of a flat on the 16th floor of a block to a household which contained a person with fear of heights was perverse. The offer of accommodation was ‘in the teeth’ of the medical evidence. How could the case have got this far, one might well ask? At heart in this case, there is something interesting about the reception by homelessness officers about medical evidence (see comments at the end). The final point by way of introduction is a hat-tip to Debra Wilson at Anthony Gold who, I’m told, took Mr El-Dinnaoui’s appeal pro bono (and won).”
NearlyLegal, 22nd March 2013
Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk
Inquest to open into death of prisoner convicted of stealing gingerbread man – The Guardian
“The inquest into the death in prison of a man convicted of stealing a gingerbread man during the riots in 2011 opens in London on Monday. James Best, 37, had a history of mental illness and physical problems, which his foster family say were not addressed by the prison.”
The Guardian, 17th March 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Psychiatric wards ‘neglect’ duty to parents – BBC News
“Psychiatric hospitals must consider the children of those who are given compulsory mental health treatment, according to a health watchdog. The Mental Welfare Commission says most healthcare staff are unaware of their responsibilities to help parents to maintain contact with their children.”
BBC News, 7th March 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Nicola Edgington jailed for 37 years for street decapitation, as report blames police blunders for attack – The Independent
“A woman who decapitated a stranger in the street was jailed for at least 37 years today.”
The Independent, 4th March 2013
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Report cites ‘catalogue of failings’ over killing of Kaiya, four – Daily Telegraph
“A report has cited a catalogue of failings by authorities after a mentally ill woman killed her four-year-old daughter.”
Daily Telegraph, 28th March 2013
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Internal Disciplinary Hearings and Injunctions – Littleton Chambers
“Dr Chhabra is a consultant psychiatrist at Broadmoor Hospital. She was alleged by a member of the public to have breached patient confidentiality whilst travelling on a train (an allegation that might cause lawyers who work on trains pause for thought…). Her employer Trust appointed an outside psychiatrist to investigate the allegations under the Trust’s procedures, implementing ‘Maintaining High Professional Standards in the Modern NHS’. The case manager, on reviewing the investigator’s report, decided that the matter should be brought before a disciplinary hearing at which Dr. Chhabra would face allegations of gross misconduct that may have led to dismissal. Separately the Trust referred capability concerns relating to Dr. Chhabra that had also been considered in the investigator’s report, to the National Clinical Assessment Service (‘NCAS’).”
Littleton Chambers, 12th February 2013
Source: www.littletonchambers.com
Armed robber Trevor Hayes’ indeterminate jail term quashed – BBC News
“An Oxfordshire bank robber has had his indeterminate prison sentence overturned after a court heard a brain tumour had changed his personality.”
BBC News, 19th February 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
IPCC investigating police call handlers following death of man – The Guardian
“An investigation has been launched into the behaviour of five police call handlers following the death of a man with mental health problems.”
The Guardian, 19th February 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
