Mother of girl whose death was linked to air pollution sues UK government – The Guardian

‘The mother of a nine-year-old girl who became the first person in the UK to have air pollution cited on their death certificate has launched a high court claim against the government.’

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The Guardian, 25th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Horizon scandal: post office operator cleared after years of suffering in silence – The Guardian

Posted January 26th, 2024 in appeals, computer programs, fraud, miscarriage of justice, news, postal service, theft by sally

‘A former post office branch operator who suffered in silence and endured humiliation after being convicted of fraud based on evidence from the faulty Horizon IT system has had her conviction quashed by the court of appeal.’

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The Guardian, 25th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

High Court judge gives guidance on use of intermediaries in Family Court – Local Government Lawyer

‘The High Court has given guidance on the use of intermediaries in the Family Court, in a case concerning a 2-and-a-half year old girl, which was in week 127 at the hearing last month.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 25th January 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Men admit conspiracy to remove genitals – BBC News

Posted January 26th, 2024 in conspiracy, grievous bodily harm, news by sally

‘Two men have admitted being part of an extreme body-modification plot involving pay-per-view website videos.’

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BBC News, 25th January 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Case Comment: TUI Limited v Griffiths [2023] UKSC 48 – UKSC Blog

‘In this case, Catherine McAndrew, a Senior Associate in the Insurance and Reinsurance team at CMS, comments on the Supreme Court’s decision in TUI Limited v Griffiths [2023] UKSC 48, which was handed down on 29 November 2023.’

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UKSC Blog, 26th January 2024

Source: ukscblog.com

Llanelli DJ jailed for urinating on cancer patient and posting video online – The Guardian

Posted January 26th, 2024 in assault, cancer, compensation, imprisonment, news, sentencing by sally

‘A wedding DJ has been jailed for 14 weeks for urinating on a cancer patient and then posting the footage online.’

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The Guardian, 25th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

New CPR rule for pensions rectification claims – Pensions Barrister

Posted January 25th, 2024 in civil procedure rules, news, pensions, rectification by sally

‘David E Grant KC, who is a member of the Pensions Litigation Court Users’ Committee, has written an article about the proposed change to PD57AC (trial witness statements in the business and property courts), which will exempt pensions rectification proceedings from the scope of the PD.’

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Pensions Barristers, 25th January 2024

Source: www.pensionsbarrister.com

“Sufficient interest” in faculty petitions – II – Law & Religion UK

Posted January 25th, 2024 in ecclesiastical law, faculties, jurisdiction, news by sally

‘Re St. Nicholas Leicester [2023] ECC Lei 3 is the third consideration of an on-going faculty application for the introduction of a new altar frontal in the form of a Progress Pride image with a white cross applied to it. Two potential designs have been provided and the petitioners are seeking to have permission for the frontal to be displayed during Sunday worship and on Saturdays when the church is open to the public, Re St. Nicholas Leicester [2023] ECC Lei 1 (28 January 2023).’

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Law & Religion UK, 25th January 2024

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

High Court refuses leave to appeal $11bn arbitration ruling – Legal Futures

Posted January 25th, 2024 in appeals, arbitration, barristers, fraud, news, privilege, professional conduct, solicitors by sally

‘The potential consequences for two lawyers the High Court has referred to their regulators are not reasons to grant leave for an appeal, the judge has ruled after setting aside a $11bn arbitration award against the Republic of Nigeria.’

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Legal Futures, 25th January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Met Police arrest 13 people in two days using ‘dystopian’ facial recognition cameras – The Independent

Posted January 25th, 2024 in facial mapping, London, news, police, privacy by sally

‘London’s Metropolitan Police have arrested over a dozen people in two days using controversial Live Facial Recognition technology in Croydon.’

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The Independent, 24th January 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Hair strand testing – pitfalls and limitations – Transparency Project

Posted January 25th, 2024 in drug abuse, family courts, forensic science, news by sally

‘When it is disputed whether a person uses drugs, the family court can – and often does – order hair strand testing to determine the issue. This article draws upon the work of lawyer Sarah Branson and drug tester Paul Hunter, who have explored the limitations of hair strand testing and highlighted the need for caution in relying on hair strand test results (See Recent scientific developments in hair strand testing and racial bias in current practices of hair strand testing. I’m going to call this ‘the Fam Law article’). Even so, hair strand testing continues to be the ’go-to’ when there is a question over drug use. Despite an increasing recognition of the possibility of mistakes and errors in the production and reporting of hair strand test evidence, this evidence is still regularly relied upon by the courts as evidence of substance use. These problems are often underestimated, which can have disastrous consequences.’

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Transparency Project, 24th January 2024

Source: transparencyproject.org.uk

Ombudsman finds “significant delays” in response of council to complaints from vulnerable man left in unsuitable accommodation – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 25th, 2024 in complaints, delay, disabled persons, housing, local government, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) has recommended that Peterborough City Council pay more than £2,900 after its delay in revising the housing priority of a vulnerable man.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 24th January 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Prisoners with severe mental health needs spending months in isolation, report finds – The Guardian

Posted January 25th, 2024 in mental health, news, prisons, reports, self-harm by sally

‘A prisoner who repeatedly self-harmed spent more than 800 days in segregation, according to a damning report that reveals that jails are using isolation to manage severe mental health needs.’

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The Guardian, 25th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Paedophile who subjected child to campaign of horrifying abuse jailed for 18 years – The Independent

Posted January 24th, 2024 in child abuse, children, imprisonment, news, sentencing, sexual offences by sally

‘A terrifying-looking paedophile who subjected a child to years of sexual abuse and rape in Kent has been locked behind bars for 18 years.’

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The Independent, 23rd January 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Case Comment: Independent Workers Union of Great Britain v Central Arbitration Committee and Anor [2023] UKSC 43 – UKSC Blog

‘In this post, Liz Jackson, Trainee Solicitor, and Max Wiktorsson, Associate, in the Employment Team at CMS, comment on the decision from the Supreme Court in Independent Workers Union of Great Britain v Central Arbitration Committee and Anor. [2023] UKSC 43. The case was heard by the Supreme Court on 25 and 26 April 2023 and judgment was handed down on 21 November 2023.’

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UKSC Blog, 23rd January 2024

Source: ukscblog.com

UN expert condemns UK crackdown on environmental protest – The Guardian

‘A severe crackdown on environmental protest in Britain with “draconian” new laws, excessive restrictions on courtroom evidence and the use of civil injunctions is having a chilling impact on fundamental freedoms, the United Nations special rapporteur has said.’

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The Guardian, 23rd January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

New year, same ethnicity pay gap concerns – still no mandatory reporting – Kingsley Napley Employment Law Blog

‘After five years of consultation, last year the government confirmed there are no plans to make ethnicity pay gap reporting mandatory for employers. The ethnicity pay gap being the difference between the average earnings of white employees and those of other ethnic groups.’

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Kingsley Napley Employment Law Blog, 23rd January 2024

Source: www.kingsleynapley.co.uk

A Justiciable Right to Housing? The UK Supreme Court’s Decision in R (Imam) v London Borough of Croydon – Oxford Human Rights Hub

‘In a December 2023 decision, the UK Supreme Court sought to clarify how courts should use their remedial discretion to make mandatory orders against local authorities. In doing so, the Court arguably made the right to be provided with housing (in the form of suitable accommodation) a justiciable right for certain categories of homeless persons.’

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Oxford Human Rights Hub, 23rd January 2024

Source: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

Criminal review body missed chance to clear Andrew Malkinson in 2013 – The Guardian

‘The organisation responsible for investigating miscarriages of justice missed a major opportunity to reconsider Andrew Malkinson’s case, internal documents suggest.’

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The Guardian, 24th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Inheritance tax and the acceptance in lieu scheme – Mills & Reeve

Posted January 24th, 2024 in chambers articles, HM Revenue & Customs, inheritance tax, news, taxation by sally

‘A 500-year-old miniature Italian Renaissance bronze was recently donated to the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge under the acceptance in lieu scheme – saving the family £10.5 million in inheritance tax. This unique donation is an excellent reminder of HMRC’s acceptance in lieu scheme and how beneficial it can be in inheritance tax mitigation.’

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Mills & Reeve, 24th January 2024

Source: www.mills-reeve.com