New dog laws: What pet owners need to know from today – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 20th, 2014 in complaints, dogs, fines, injunctions, local government, news, police, prosecutions by sally

‘A breakdown of the new legal powers police have to help prevent dog attacks.’

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Daily Telegraph,

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Ched Evans conviction to be fast-tracked by watchdog investigating miscarriages of justice – The Independent

Posted October 20th, 2014 in miscarriage of justice, news, ombudsmen, rape by sally

‘The watchdog which investigates possible miscarriages of justice has said it is fast-tracking an application by Ched Evans to review his rape conviction.’

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The Independent, 19th October 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Internet trolls face four times longer in jail, Chris Grayling pledges – The Guardian

‘Internet trolls who spread “venom” on social media could be jailed for up to two years, the justice secretary Chris Grayling has said as he announced plans to quadruple the maximum prison sentence.’

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The Guardian, 19th October 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Martin Foran wins second miscarriage of justice appeal – BBC News

Posted October 17th, 2014 in appeals, miscarriage of justice, news, police, robbery by sally

‘A terminally-ill man has won a second miscarriage of justice appeal over robberies he was mistakenly convicted of in the 1970s and 80s.’

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BBC News, 17th October 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Background’ trade marks may be valid even if never used as registered , UK court rules – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 17th, 2014 in appeals, EC law, news, trade marks by sally

‘Wordless logo trade marks that are never used in isolation can defeat a legal challenge brought on the basis that they have never been used, a UK court has ruled.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 16th October 2014

Source: www.out-law.com

Court of Appeal: employer not in breach of duty of care by beginning disciplinary proceedings – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 17th, 2014 in appeals, disciplinary procedures, duty of care, employment, news, universities by sally

‘A university did not breach its duty of care towards an employee by beginning disciplinary proceedings against her after what the employee argued was an inadequate investigation, the Court of Appeal in England and Wales has ruled.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 16th October 2014

Source: www.out-law.com

Munchausen, MMR and mendacious “warrior mothers” – UK Human Rights Blog

‘A Local Authority and M (By his litigation friend via the Official Solicitor) v E and A (Respondents) [2014] EWCOP 33 (11 August 2014). And now the Court of Protection has published a ruling by Baker J that a a supporter of the discredited doctor Andrew Wakefield embarked on an odyssey of intrusive remedies and responses to her son’s disorder, fabricating claims of damage from immunisation, earning her membership of what science journalist Brian Deer calls the class of “Wakefield mothers.” ‘

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UK Human Rights Blog, 15th October 2014

Source: http://ukhumanrightsblog.com

Regina (Detention Action) v Secretary of State for the Home Department – WLR Daily

Posted October 17th, 2014 in appeals, asylum, detention, immigration, law reports, news, time limits by sally

Regina (Detention Action) v Secretary of State for the Home Department: [2014] EWCA Civ 1270; [2014] WLR (D) 426

‘All those subject to the Detained Fast Track policy, operated by the Secretary of State, for the detention of some asylum seekers while their asylum claims were being determined would now have four clear working days from allocation of a lawyer to substantive interview.’

WLR Daily, 9th October 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Lord Chancellor should be “very senior lawyer” – Legal Futures

Posted October 17th, 2014 in barristers, judiciary, lord chancellor, news, parliament, rule of law by sally

‘The Lord Chancellor should be a “very senior lawyer”, Nicholas Lavender QC, chairman of the Bar Council, has said. Justice secretary Chris Grayling told the House of Lords constitution committee this week that there were “no disadvantages” to the Lord Chancellor being, like him, a non-lawyer.’

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Legal Futures, 17th October 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Father wins custody battle after being falsely accused of sexually abusing his daughter – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 17th, 2014 in child abuse, custody, news by sally

‘A father has won custody of his daughter after his former partner falsely accused him of sexually abusing their child. The man was investigated by police and social workers after the woman said her daughter had made “disclosures of sexual abuse”. But Judge Jane Miller has ruled that the girl, now nine, should live with her father after concluding the woman’s allegations were untrue.’

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Daily Telegraph, 16th October 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

David Walliams settles phone-hacking damages claim – The Guardian

‘Actor and comedian David Walliams has settled his phone-hacking damages claim. Walliams, who is best known for the sketch show Little Britain but is also an author and a trustee of Comic Relief, accepted substantial undisclosed damages and his legal costs from News Group Newspapers, publisher of the now-defunct News of the World.’

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The Guardian, 16th October 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Plymouth burns death Taser policeman avoids prosecution – BBC News

Posted October 17th, 2014 in disciplinary procedures, homicide, misfeasance in public office, news, police by sally

‘A police officer who Tasered a petrol-soaked man who then caught fire and died will not face criminal charges. He was being investigated for gross negligence manslaughter and misconduct in a public office over Andrew Pimlott’s death in Plymouth last year.’

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BBC News, 16th October 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Hospital safety standards shocking, say inspectors – BBC News

Posted October 17th, 2014 in budgets, health & safety, hospitals, news, quality assurance, standards, statistics by sally

‘Safety standards in hospitals in England are “shocking”, inspectors say. The warning by the Care Quality Commission came as it released the results for the first 82 hospital inspected under a new regime. The system has been designed to be tougher and was overhauled following the Stafford Hospital scandal.’

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BBC News, 16th October 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Grayling gives green light for staff to use force against inmates in new jail – The Guardian

‘Chris Grayling is to defy an appeal court judgement and order that staff should be able to use force to restrain teenage inmates for “the purposes of good order and discipline” at his proposed £85m privately run “super-child jail.” The proposed rule for the justice secretary’s 320-place “secure college” comes despite a court of appeal ruling in 2008 which banned the use of force after it was linked to the deaths and injury of several children in custody, including the death of a 14-year-old Gareth Myatt.’

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The Guardian, 16th October 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Home Office told to disclose advice behind decision on intercept evidence – The Guardian

‘The Home Office has been ordered to release secret legal advice justifying its decision to prevent intercept evidence being used in criminal trials. The ruling by an information tribunal could shine a light on the way intelligence agencies gather and store material as well as on their relationship with law enforcement organisations. The appeal for the advice to be disclosed was made by the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law which submitted a Freedom of Information request to uncover the reasoning behind a 2009 report, entitled “Intercept as Evidence”.’

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The Guardian, 16th October 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Authors’ concerns after court rules writer can’t publish sex abuse memoir – Daily Telegraph

‘Leading authors have expressed their “grave concern” at a court ruling which has prevented a writer from publishing a book dealing with the sexual abuse he suffered as a child. The author’s ex-wife has obtained a temporary injunction stopping the memoir’s release until the issue has been decided at trial. She argued that reading it would cause their 11 year-old son, who suffers from a number of disabilities, severe psychological harm.’

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Daily Telegraph, 16th October 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Director of Public Prosecutions responds to Supreme Court on assisted suicide policy – Crown Prosecution Service

‘The Director of Public Prosecutions has today clarified the CPS Policy on cases of encouraging or assisting suicide in light of the recent comments of the Supreme Court in the case of Nicklinson and others.’

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Crown Prosecution Service, 16th October 2014

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Phone hacking: Rebekah Brooks’s husband loses £600,000 costs claim – The Guardian

‘Rebekah Brooks’s husband Charlie has lost his bid to recover the £600,000 in legal fees he incurred as a result of being a co-defendant in the phone-hacking trial.’

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The Guardian, 15th October 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Are murder laws sexist? – BBC News

Posted October 16th, 2014 in defences, murder, news, provocation, sex discrimination by sally

‘In much of the UK, men on trial for killing their partner are no longer allowed to use the excuse of provocation. But are judges following the spirit of the law designed to eliminate sexism from the judicial process?’

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BBC News, 15th October 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Tasers used by police more than 10,000 times last year – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 16th, 2014 in firearms, news, police, statistics by sally

‘New figures show the controversial weapons were drawn or fired 10,488 times in England and Wales in the 12 months to the end of June.’

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Daily Telegraph, 15th October 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk