John Jenkins: Aylesbury conman builder jailed in absence – BBC News

Posted February 26th, 2014 in construction industry, fraud, news, sentencing, warrants by sally

‘A builder who conned a “vulnerable and lonely” Hertfordshire widow out of £532,695 has been jailed for six years in his absence.’

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BBC News, 26th February 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Rule committee set to introduce blanket £10m costs management exemption – Litigation Futures

Posted February 26th, 2014 in budgets, civil procedure rules, costs, news, practice directions by sally

‘The Civil Procedure Rule Committee (CPRC) looks set to introduce an exemption from costs management for all civil cases that are worth in excess of £10m – even though Sir Rupert Jackson himself is opposed to any exceptions. Newly released papers from the 6 December meeting of the CPRC reveal that it fell into line with the joint recommendation of the Master of the Rolls, Lord Dyson, and the deputy head of civil justice, Lord Justice Richards.’

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Litigation Futures, 26th February 2014

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Grayling defends JR intervention reforms – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 26th, 2014 in bills, costs, disclosure, judicial review, news by sally

‘Justice secretary Chris Grayling has told MPs his plans for judicial reviews will stop pressure groups using individuals as “financial human shields” to bring cases.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 25th February 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Judge asks attorney general to intervene in VHCCs – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The attorney general is considering intervening to appoint an amicus curiae to assist the court on legal arguments expected to be made on behalf of defendants facing trial without representation in court, the Gazette can reveal.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 25th February 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Manuela Sykes in dementia care court victory – BBC News

Posted February 26th, 2014 in anonymity, care homes, Court of Protection, mental health, news, social services by sally

‘An 89-year-old woman who suffers from dementia and says she is “miserable” in a care home has won the first stage in a court fight to live in her own home. A Court of Protection judge has ruled Manuela Sykes can return to her flat where she has lived for 60 years on a one-month trial basis.’

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BBC News, 25th February 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Aaron De Silva guilty of Joseph Griffiths murder – BBC News

‘A prolific burglar has been convicted of murdering a grandfather whom he stabbed to death in his London home.’

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BBC News, 25th February 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Freemasons’ millions aren’t true charity, rules judge – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 26th, 2014 in charities, news, VAT by sally

‘Freemasons will be denied a multi-million pound tax break after a judge ruled that their governing body was not sufficiently “philanthropic” to be exempt from VAT, despite being the second largest charitable donor in the country.’

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Daily Telegraph, 25th February 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Papers about Profumo scandal man ‘should be public’ – BBC News

‘A decision to keep documents relating to a man who was at the centre of the Profumo sex scandal hidden should be overturned, a leading lawyer has said. The Information Commissioner is to be asked to overrule a decision by the National Archives to keep the documents about the trial of Stephen Ward hidden.’

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BBC News, 25th February 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Prisoners paid compensation for socks and stereos – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 26th, 2014 in compensation, complaints, news, ombudsmen, prisons, statistics by sally

‘ Taxpayers’ money is being wasted on paying prisoners compensation for damaged stereos and missing socks, a watchdog has revealed. Jail staff need to take greater care of prisoners’ property to avoid complaints being made and redress having to be paid to inmates, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) said.’

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Daily Telegraph, 25th February 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Stafford Hospital: Hunt to decide whether to dissolve NHS Trust – BBC News

Posted February 26th, 2014 in administrators, hospitals, inquiries, news, ombudsmen, standards by sally

‘Managers at scandal-hit Stafford Hospital are waiting to hear whether Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt will dissolve the trust that runs it. Administrators want Mr Hunt to scrap the Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust and move services to other hospitals. Local people are planning a legal challenge if that decision is taken.’

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BBC News, 26th February 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Hyde Park bomb: NI Police Federation ‘appalled at grubby deal’ – BBC News

‘The chairman of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland has said he is appalled at the government’s “grubby secret deal” on IRA “on-the-run” cases. He was speaking after the case of a man accused of the IRA Hyde Park bomb collapsed following what victims’ families called “a monumental blunder”. Donegal man John Downey denied killing four soldiers in the 1982 bomb. The case collapsed because government officials mistakenly told him he was no longer a wanted man.’

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BBC News, 26th February 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Mark Duggan’s mother lodges legal challenge against judge – The Guardian

‘The mother of Mark Duggan, whose fatal shooting by police provoked the 2011 riots, has lodged a legal challenge against the judge who presided over the inquest into her son’s death, which ended with a jury making a majority ruling that he was lawfully killed.’

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The Guardian, 26th February 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Man jailed for killing pedestrian with punch – The Guardian

Posted February 26th, 2014 in closed circuit television, homicide, news, sentencing by sally

‘A man has been jailed for four and a half years after killing a pedestrian with a punch to the head following a row with a cyclist about riding on the pavement.’

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The Guardian, 26th February 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lee Rigby’s murderers – are whole life terms inevitable? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted February 25th, 2014 in human rights, murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale were convicted of murdering Fusilier Lee Rigby last year. Sentencing was adjourned, however, until such time as the domestic courts had ruled on the legality of the whole life tariff following the Strasbourg ruling in Vinter v UK.’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 25th February 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Landlords win legal battle over Game – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 25th, 2014 in appeals, insolvency, landlord & tenant, news, rent by sally

‘Court of Appeal ruling gives high street landlords more protection in administrations’

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Daily Telegraph, 24th February 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Family set blames legal aid cuts for closure – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 25th, 2014 in barristers, legal aid, news by sally

‘Barristers at a leading family law set with 28 members have voted to dissolve the chambers, blaming the impact of legal aid cuts.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 24th February 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Decision to block Prince Charles’s letters challenged – BBC News

Posted February 25th, 2014 in appeals, attorney general, disclosure, freedom of information, news, royal family, veto by sally

‘A move by the government to block the release of letters from Prince of Wales to ministers are being challenged in the Court of Appeal.’

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BBC News, 24th February 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Dave Lee Travis faces retrial over sexual assault allegations – The Guardian

Posted February 25th, 2014 in bail, news, retrials, sexual offences by sally

‘The former BBC Radio 1 DJ Dave Lee Travis said he was living a nightmare after being told he will face a retrial over allegations he sexually assaulted two women.’

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The Guardian, 24th February 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Reforming judicial review: cutting pointless delay or preventing legitimate challenge? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted February 25th, 2014 in bills, costs, human rights, judicial review, news, public interest by sally

‘For law students who slept their way through their first Latin 101 lessons in ‘ultra vires’, public law and judicial review may have seemed very detached from the realities of everyday life; less relevant to the man on the Clapham Omnibus than the rigours of a good criminal defence or protection from eviction offered by landlord and tenant law.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 24th February 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Stephen Worton jailed for £58,000 benefits fraud – BBC News

Posted February 25th, 2014 in benefits, fraud, news, sentencing, social security by sally

‘A benefits cheat filmed riding an elephant in India, walking unaided and getting into a van while claiming he was too ill to work has been jailed.’

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BBC News, 24th February 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk