Merrill Academy teacher Leigh White banned for life – BBC News

‘A teacher who kissed and cuddled a pupil has been banned from the profession for life.’

Full story

BBC News, 14th May 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judges criticise impact of legal aid cuts – The Guardian

‘There has been a large increase in unrepresented claimants, outbreaks of courtroom violence, extra litigation and increased costs, according to senior judges who have criticised the impact of legal aid cuts in the family courts.’

Full story

The Guardian, 14th May 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

R (on the application of Fitzroy George) (Respondent) v The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Appellant) – Supreme Court

R (on the application of Fitzroy George) (Respondent) v The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Appellant) [2014] UKSC 28 (YouTube)

Supreme Court, 14th May 2014

Source: www.youtube.com/user/UKSupremeCourt

What can we learn from drug courts? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

‘Why were drug courts set up?

The introduction of drug courts in the UK has followed a slightly different trajectory to other jurisdictions, where drug courts filled an important gap in the range of community-based sanctions available to the courts to deal with drug-related crime.’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 13th May 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Letting agents ‘will have to publish their fees in full’ – BBC News

Posted May 14th, 2014 in bills, consumer protection, fees, landlord & tenant, news, regulations, rent by sally

‘The government has said letting agents in England face a new obligation to display full details of their fees both on their websites and in their offices.’

Full story

BBC News, 14th May 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Andrew Le Sueur: Imagining judges in a written UK Constitution – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘The tide of interest (among those who care about these things) in the idea of a written, codified constitution for the United Kingdom rises and falls. At the moment the tide is quite high, but certainly not high enough to flow into the estuaries of government policy making.’

Full story

UK Constitutional Law Association, 14th May 2014

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

Legal complaint filed against GCHQ ‘hacking’ – BBC News

‘Privacy campaigners are seeking to stop GCHQ using “unlawful hacking” to help its surveillance efforts.’

Full story

BBC News, 13th May 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Man convicted of grooming teenage girls online escapes jail – The Independent

Posted May 14th, 2014 in child abuse, internet, news, rehabilitation, sentencing, sexual grooming by sally

‘A man who groomed girls as young as 12 on social networking sites and watched them strip on Skype has escaped a jail sentence. MPs and charities branded the sentence “appalling”. The case has been referred to Attorney General Dominic Grieve.’

Full story

The Independent, 14th May 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Google ruling, Pfizer boss grilled and World Cup ‘Rio-bocops’ – BBC News

Posted May 14th, 2014 in EC law, freedom of expression, internet, news, privacy by sally

‘There are mixed reactions in the press to a ruling by European judges over what has been dubbed the “right to be forgotten” on the internet.’

Full story

BBC News, 14th May 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

ICC to examine claims that British troops carried out war crimes in Iraq – The Guardian

‘Allegations that British troops were responsible for a series of war crimes after the invasion of Iraq are to be examined by the international criminal court (ICC) at The Hague, the specialist tribunal has announced.’

Full story

The Guardian, 13th May 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Dangerous dogs: owners face tougher sentences for attacks – Home Office

Posted May 13th, 2014 in dogs, news, penalties, sentencing by sally

‘Irresponsible dog owners who allow their dog to attack people or assistance dogs will face tougher prison sentences from today.’

Full story

Home Office, 13th May 2014

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Cheshire West: liberate social policy from the influence of human rights – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted May 13th, 2014 in appeals, care homes, elderly, human rights, mental health, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘Social policy towards those without capacity changed on 19 March 2014. It changed not as a result of a public discussion about the issue but because of a judgment given by the Supreme Court – Cheshire West [2014] UKSC 19. The change was not preceded by a Royal Commission, Green Paper, debate in Parliament or any other engagement with the public, but after seven judges received legal submissions from 17 barristers. The change was not determined by the needs of those in care, but by the requirements of human rights laws.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 13th May 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Legal aid cuts: justice secretary’s lawyers intervene over abandoned case – The Guardian

‘Lawyers for the justice secretary, Chris Grayling, have intervened in an emergency appeal court hearing in an attempt to resolve a dispute over legal aid cuts that has halted all complex fraud trials.’

Full story

The Guardian, 13th May 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Mitchell reaches hire? – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted May 13th, 2014 in appeals, civil procedure rules, disclosure, insurance, news by sally

‘Eleven years on from the House of Lords’ decision in Lagden v O’Connor [2003] UKHL 64 “impecuniosity” remains a hot topic in the world of credit hire. The Court of Appeal case of Zurich v Umerji [2014] EWCA Civ 357 handed down on 25 March 2014 is an important case on credit hire for both Claimants and Defendants. Its impact is likely to resound further in light of the Jackson reforms as clarified by Mitchell v News Group Newspapers [2013] EWCA Civ 1537.’

Full story

Hardwicke Chambers, 2nd May 2014

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

Simon Olsen jailed for murdering former boss Steven Langley – BBC News

Posted May 13th, 2014 in guilty pleas, murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘A former employee has been jailed for life after pleading guilty to murdering the boss of a Kent fishing business.’

Full story

BBC News, 12th May 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Immigration judges block foreign killer’s deportation on ‘human rights’ grounds – Daily Telegraph

‘Somali man convicted of manslaughter defeats bid to remove him from Britain, despite being single man with no children.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 12th May 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Press has no direct role in welfare proceedings in Court of Protection – UK Human Rights Blog

‘Sir James Munby, President of the Court of Protection has ruled that the Daily Mail has no standing to be joined as a party in welfare proceedings in relation to a vulnerable adult who has been declared by the courts as lacking capacity under the Mental Health Act.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 12th May 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Council tax liability and void properties – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted May 13th, 2014 in charities, council tax, housing, local government, news, regulations, taxation by sally

‘Section 4 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (“LGF92”) provides that council tax is payable1 on any dwelling which is not an “exempt dwelling”. A dwelling is an “exempt dwelling” if it is “of a class prescribed by an order made by the Secretary of State”2 and thereby falls into one of 23 categories provided for by the Order.’

Full story

Hardwicke Chambers, 30th April 2014

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

Dog attacks to be punished with longer jail terms for owners – BBC News

Posted May 13th, 2014 in dogs, imprisonment, news, penalties, sentencing by sally

‘Tougher penalties have come into force for dog owners in England and Wales who allow their pets to attack people.’

Full story

BBC News, 13th May 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Boundary disputes: Evidence – The pitfalls and practicalities – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted May 12th, 2014 in appeals, boundaries, costs, evidence, news, trespass by sally

‘Boundary disputes are rarely cost effective and the courts often make orders that make them disproportionately costly for the winner as well as the loser. Two recent cases demonstrate that risk and the importance of fully exploring and considering the available and/or potential evidence as early as possible.’

Full story

Hardwicke Chambers, 7th May 2014

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk