Black female Met Police firearms officer who won £40k at tribunal has all charges against her dropped – The Independent

‘PC Carol Howard was arrested and bailed for more than a year over eight different allegations, including assault, witness intimidation and possession of an indecent image of a child.’

Full story

The Independent, 23rd September 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Children being denied justice by legal cuts, says children’s commissioner – The Guardian

Posted September 24th, 2014 in budgets, children, HM Courts Service, housing, legal aid, news, young persons by sally

‘Vulnerable teenagers are being deprived of justice because cuts to legal aid are preventing them from getting representation, a report by the children’s commissioner said on Wednesday.”

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The Guardian, 24th September 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Criminals could appeal after Home Office admits potentially misleading DNA evidence presented to juries – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 24th, 2014 in appeals, crime, crime prevention, DNA, juries, news by sally

‘Forensic expert Peter Gill, who raised the issue with the Home Office in April said the recognition that subjective interpretations of DNA evidence were potentially biased and unscientific and could lead to a number of appeals.’

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Daily Telegraph, 23rd September 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Prison book restriction ‘harms studying’ – BBC News

Posted September 24th, 2014 in education, libraries, Ministry of Justice, news, prison officers, prisons by sally

‘Restrictions on the number of books prisoners in England and Wales can have in their cells is inhibiting inmates’ ability to learn, a charity warns.’

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BBC News, 24th September 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Feeling the pressure on prisoner release – The Guardian

Posted September 24th, 2014 in budgets, criminal justice, delay, judges, news, parole, prisons by sally

‘David Calvert-Smith leads a parole board confronted by an unprecedented backlog of hearings and little option but to keep inmates waiting in overcrowded prisons.’

Full story

The Guardian, 24th September 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Dave Lee Travis found guilty of indecent assault – BBC News

Posted September 23rd, 2014 in bail, news, retrials, sexual offences by sally

‘Former Radio 1 DJ Dave Lee Travis has been found guilty of indecently assaulting a researcher working on TV’s Mrs Merton Show in 1995.’

Full story

BBC News, 23rd September 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

You’ve got a law degree, but will you make a good lawyer? – The Guardian

Posted September 23rd, 2014 in legal education, news, solicitors by sally

‘It’s not just the academic side of studying law that’s important – you need to build the skills employers value.’

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The Guardian, 23rd September 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ombudsman reins in insurer claims of alcohol abuse – The Guardian

Posted September 23rd, 2014 in alcohol abuse, insurance, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘How much booze is too much? The UK’s financial ombudsman has revealed that some insurers are unfairly accusing their customers of alcohol abuse, or labelling them alcoholics, even though medical evidence showed they only had one or two drinks.’

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd September 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

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Posted September 23rd, 2014 in news by sally

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Changes to Practice Direction 21 – Material to be Served and Filed in Relation to Child/Protected Party Settlement Claims – Zenith PI Blog

Posted September 23rd, 2014 in children, civil procedure rules, news, practice directions, service by sally

‘With the 75th Update to the Civil Procedure Rules (coming into force 1 October 2014), amendments to Practice Direction 21 (Children and Protected Parties) address the inconsistencies between the rules and practice direction in respect of the material that must be served and filed in relation to child/protected party settlement claims.’

Full story

Zenith PI Blog, 23rd September 2014

Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com

More than 25,000 people caught viewing child porn online – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 23rd, 2014 in complaints, internet, news, police, pornography by sally

‘Operation Notarise, which started this year, has led to 660 arrests. However, the National Crime Agency says that it will never be able to pursue all of those caught up in the inquiry.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 23rd September 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Man who killed partner and son lays claim to her estate – The Guardian

Posted September 23rd, 2014 in diminished responsibility, homicide, mental health, news, wills by sally

‘A killer who is laying claim to the £80,000 estate of his partner whom he stabbed to death has told a court he is not motivated by money.’

Full story

The Guardian, 22nd September 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bar Council urges government rethink on end of insolvency LASPO exemption – Litigation Futures

Posted September 23rd, 2014 in barristers, insolvency, news, reports, time limits by sally

‘The Bar Council has urged the government to reconsider its plans to end the Jackson reforms exemption currently applied to insolvency litigation.’

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Litigation Futures, 23rd September 2014

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Mother prosecuted for forging document to win daughter school place – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 23rd, 2014 in education, fines, forgery, news, sentencing by sally

‘Lura Pacheco, 34, was fined £500 and sentenced to 100 hours’ community service after first prosecution for ‘education tourism’.’

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd September 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

The Monstering of Human Rights – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted September 23rd, 2014 in human rights, media, news, speeches by sally

‘On Friday 19 September I spoke at a very interesting conference at the University of Liverpool on Human Rights in the UK Media: Representation and Reality. My talk was entitled The Monstering of Human Rights.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 22nd September 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Don’t be misleading or aggressive to your customers – that’s obvious, isn’t it? – Technology Law Update

Posted September 23rd, 2014 in complaints, consumer protection, news, regulations by sally

‘From 1 October 2014 consumers will have new rights to complain that they have been subjected to misleading or aggressive sales practices or demands for payment, thanks to the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading (Amendment) Regulations 2014.’

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Technology Law Update, 23rd September 2014

Source: www.technology-law-blog.co.uk

Don’t date before divorce, judge tells women – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 23rd, 2014 in divorce, judges, news, women by sally

‘Mr Justice Mostyn said women who begin new relationships soon after their marriage break-up risk harming their divorce settlement.’

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd September 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Essex and Suffolk school laptop thefts: Trio to pay £1 – BBC News

Posted September 23rd, 2014 in burglary, conspiracy, news, proceeds of crime by sally

‘Three men who stole over 250 laptops and caused damage worth £200,000 at schools across Essex and Suffolk have been ordered to pay back just £1 each.’

Full story

BBC News, 23rd September 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Q&A: How would ‘English votes for English laws’ work? – The Independent

Posted September 23rd, 2014 in constitutional reform, devolution issues, news, parliament by sally

‘Q) What is the concept of English votes for English laws?

A) Basically it’s a smart way of politically packaging the conundrum known as the “West Lothian question” that has been ignored by politicians of all persuasions since it was first posed in the 1970s and Westminster began devolving powers to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. At its heart is this question: Why should Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish MPs be able to make laws that will not affect the people they represent. For example why should they decide how NHS money is spent when it won’t have any impact on their own constituents?’

Full story

The Independent, 22nd September 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Watchdog investigates Met police over handling of discrimination complaints – The Guardian

‘Scotland Yard is being investigated by a human rights watchdog for deleting references to discrimination from internal reports to avoid problems at tribunals.’

Full story

The Guardian, 22nd September 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk