Lord chief justice: security services cannot be above the law – The Guardian

‘The accountability of MI5 and MI6 and the question of whether they are fully subject to the rule of law lie at the heart of attempts by the media to sweep away the secrecy surrounding a major terrorism trial, the lord chief justice said on Monday. In a series of remarks that disclosed publicly for the first time the role that the UK’s security and intelligence agencies played in imposing secrecy on the trial of Erol Incedal, a London law student, Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd told the court of appeal that public confidence in the way they do their work was a key issue in the case.’

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The Guardian, 12th October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Cardiff Three: ex-officers sue South Wales police over miscarriage of justice saga – The Guardian

Posted October 13th, 2015 in miscarriage of justice, news, police, Wales by sally

‘Eight former police officers involved in the Cardiff Three miscarriage of justice murder case have cast doubt on the freed men’s innocence as they sue their own force over the saga.’

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The Guardian, 12th October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legalising cannabis in the UK ‘would raise hundreds of millions’ – The Independent

Posted October 13th, 2015 in crime, criminal justice, drug offences, news, reports, taxation by sally

‘Legalising cannabis would raise taxes worth hundreds of millions of pounds and produce large savings for the criminal justice system, a private analysis for the Treasury has concluded.’

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The Independent, 13th October 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Anti-Muslim crimes get own category in statistics – BBC News

Posted October 13th, 2015 in crime, harassment, hate crime, news, religious discrimination, statistics by sally

‘Anti-Muslim hate crimes will be recorded as a separate category by all police forces in England and Wales, the prime minister has said.’

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BBC News, 13th October 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Julian Assange: Scotland Yard ends 24-hour guard on Ecuadorian embassy – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 13th, 2015 in costs, embassies, extradition, news, police, proportionality by sally

‘Police officers have stopped guarding the embassy in London where the Wikileaks founder took refuge, saying it is no longer “proportionate.” ‘

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Daily Telegraph, 12th October 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Top actor wins legal ban on “revenge porn” material – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 13th, 2015 in harassment, injunctions, internet, news, pornography by sally

‘A top actor has won a High Court ruling preventing sexually explicit material and “revenge porn” from being published.’

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Daily Telegraph, 12th October 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Black people ‘three times more likely’ to be Tasered – BBC News

Posted October 13th, 2015 in firearms, news, police, race discrimination, reports by sally

‘Black people are three times more likely than white people to be involved in Taser incidents, Home Office figures disclosed to the BBC suggest.’

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BBC News, 13th October 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Brecon Beacons SAS selection deaths ‘unacceptable’ – BBC News

Posted October 12th, 2015 in armed forces, health & safety, inquests, inquiries, news by sally

‘The deaths of three reservists on an SAS selection march were unacceptable, the armed forces minister has said.
Military chiefs have been ordered to carry out two inquiries after the deaths of three men on the Brecon Beacons in 2013.’

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BBC News, 12th October 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ex-Scout leader jailed for abusing boys on trips to Norfolk Broads – The Guardian

Posted October 12th, 2015 in abuse of position of trust, child abuse, news, sentencing, sexual offences by sally

‘A former Scout leader who sexually abused boys on trips to the Norfolk Broads in offences spanning nearly 30 years has been sentenced to more than 10 years in prison.’

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The Guardian, 12th October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Parents’ wish to treat child’s cancer with Chinese medicine overruled by Family Court – UK Human Rights Blog

‘JM (a child), Re [2015] EWHC 2832 (Fam), 7 October 2015. Mostyn J, ruling in the Family Division that a child should receive surgical treatment for bone cancer against the wishes of his parents, has referred to Ian McEwan’s “excellent” novel The Children Act (Jonathan Cape 2014), which is about a 17 year old Jehovah’s Witness refusing a blood transfusion. The judge noted however that the book was in fact “incorrectly titled.” ‘

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UK Human Rights Blog, 11th October 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Civil Restraint Orders in IPEC: Perry v Brundle – NIPC Law

‘This case note discusses the power of a judge of the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court to make an extended civil restraint order under para 3.2 (1) (b).’

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NIPC Law, 12th Ocotber 2015

Source: www.nipclaw.blogspot.co.uk

Trial judge and costs. Ooops – Nearly Legal

‘I’ve heard about a few costs decisions by trial judges recently which might be considered, to put it politely, interesting, or brave, in the Yes Minister sense. So it was with some interest that I read the Court of Appeal decision in Begum v Birmingham City Council [2015] EWCA Civ 386.’

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Nearly Legal, 8th October 2015

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Appealing energy price controls: guidance for beginners from the CMA – Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers

Posted October 12th, 2015 in appeals, competition, consultations, energy, judicial review, news by sally

‘The CMA recently published its final determinations in two appeals brought by British Gas and Northern Powergrid against Ofgem’s electricity price controls for the next 8 years (decisions here and here). The appeals were the first under section 11C of the Electricity Act 1989 and the CMA’s decisions will therefore be the first port of call for any practitioners considering appeals against not only price controls but also any modifications made by Ofgem to electricity distributors’ licences.’

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Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers, 9th October 2015

Source: www.competitionbulletin.com

Speech by President of the Queen’s Bench Division: Justice for the 21st Century – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

‘Sir Brian Leveson, President of the Queen’s Bench Division gave the Caroline Weatherill Lecture “Justice for the 21st Century” in the Isle of Man on 9 October 2015.’

Full speech

Courts and Tribunals Judicairy, 12th October 2015

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Court estate consolidation plans based on flawed data – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 12th, 2015 in consultations, courts, delay, Law Society, local government, news, solicitors, statistics by sally

‘Lawyers and justice campaigners have raised fresh concerns about the government’s court closure programme, alleging that the proposals are based on out-of-date travel times and other dubious data.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 12th October 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Finance & Divorce Update October 2015 – Family Law Week

‘Edward Heaton, Principal Associate and Jane Booth, Associate, both of Mills & Reeve LLP analyse the news and case law relating to financial remedies and divorce during September 2015.’

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Family Law Week, 11th October 2015

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

New fast-track eviction powers could breach human rights, warns watchdog – The Guardian

‘Government proposals to legally require landlords to check the immigration status of their tenants risk a serious breach of human rights, an official watchdog has warned.’

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The Guardian, 12th October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

£4m payout for man who suffered brain damage in crash – The Guardian

Posted October 12th, 2015 in accidents, compensation, insurance, news, personal injuries, road traffic by sally

‘A man in his 20s who suffered severe brain damage in a car crash when he was a teenager is to get more than £4m compensation, lawyers say.’

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The Guardian, 12th October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Queen intervenes to settle title feud opening way to title pretenders – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 12th, 2015 in DNA, evidence, news, peerages & dignities, precedent, Privy Council by sally

‘DNA evidence could be used for the first time to resolve a feud over a hereditary title after the Queen personally intervened in the case.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 11th October 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Surge in number of child abuse cases involving witchcraft accusations – The Independent

Posted October 12th, 2015 in child abuse, news, statistics, witchcraft by sally

‘An increasing number of child abuse cases involving accusations of witchcraft and exorcism are being reported to police.’

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The Independent, 11th October 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk