Sir Leigh Lewis KCB – Prospects for a British Bill of Rights – UCL Constitution Unit

Posted January 28th, 2013 in constitutional law, human rights, news by sally

“The Commission on a Bill of Rights was established in March 2011 and mandated to investigate the creation of a UK Bill of Rights which draws upon current ECHR obligations. On 18 December 2012, the Commission published its report. Seven of the nine committee members advocated the creation of a UK Bill of Rights, while the two dissenting members have voiced concerns that a Bill could be used as a means of decoupling the UK from the ECHR. The Commission’s Chair, Sir Leigh Lewis KCB, will discuss the report’s findings and likely impact.”

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UCL Constitution Unit, 26th January 2013

Source: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit

Why government reforms on employment law make little sense – Law Society’s Gazette

“There were some statistics that private equity pioneer Adrian Beecroft did not include in his highly controversial report on employment law published last year. The number of claims brought by employees in employment tribunals fell from 236,000 in 2009-10 to 186,000 in 2011-12. The number of claims for both sex and age discrimination has almost halved. And the median award for most types of claim remains low, at around £5,000 (two months’ average pay). Given that these figures relate to a period of acute economic turbulence, they are counterintuitive.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 28th January 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

ICO to change cookie policy to recognise implied consent – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 28th, 2013 in consent, internet, news, ombudsmen, privacy by sally

“The UK’s privacy watchdog will no longer require individuals’ explicit consent in order to serve them with ‘cookies’ when they visit its website.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 28th January 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Scores of violent offenders able to walk out of jail – Daily Telegraph

“Scores of Britain’s most dangerous criminals have walked out of open prisons over the past year, official statistics disclosed yesterday.”

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Daily Telegraph, 28th January 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Justice minister admits five children were detained in adult jails – The Independent

Posted January 28th, 2013 in children, mental health, news, prisons, United Nations, young offenders by sally

“Five children have been placed in adult prisons, breaking an international treaty on children’s rights, it has emerged. The Youth Justice minister, Jeremy Wright, admitted the under-18s had been transferred from youth custody to adult prisons in 2011, in answer to a parliamentary question earlier this month.”

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The Independent, 27th January 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Women’s centres give vital help to ex-convicts. So why cut them? – The Guardian

Posted January 28th, 2013 in budgets, housing, news, prisons, women by sally

“Most women prisoners have committed non-violent crimes. On being released, many want to start new lives but get little or no support. In 2008, that was all supposed to change. Yet today there is anger and frustration at lack of action, and the destructive potential of cutbacks.”

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The Guardian, 27th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Use of police cautions has ‘got out of hand’, magistrates warn – Daily Telegraph

“One in four violent criminals are avoiding court as magistrates warned the excessive use of cautions by police has ‘got out of hand’.”

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Daily Telegraph, 27th January 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Leveson: Press and politicians still seek solution – BBC News

“For months, the Leveson Inquiry dominated the news, as a succession of high-profile witnesses gave evidence – actors Hugh Grant and Sienna Miller, singer Charlotte Church; the parents of Milly Dowler and Madeleine McCann; editors, proprietors, police chiefs, politicians.”

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BBC News, 27th January 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Don’t tell (and didn’t ask) – NearlyLegal

Posted January 28th, 2013 in appeals, complaints, interpretation, landlord & tenant, news, repossession by sally

“Introductory tenancies require a notice under s.128 Housing Act 1996 to be served before possession proceedings. That notice shall inform the tenant of his right to request a review of the landlord’s decision to seek an order for possession and of the time within which such a request must be made. [s.128(6)]”

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NearlyLegal, 26th January 2013

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Simplify complaints procedures, OFT tells profession – Law Society’s Gazette

“The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has urged the legal profession to simplify its complaints procedures, following the publication of research showing that only one in eight dissatisfied customers goes on to make a formal complaint.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 28th January 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Hundreds of women still wrongly imprisoned – The Guardian

Posted January 28th, 2013 in mental health, news, prisons, United Nations, women by sally

“Hundreds of British women continue to be wrongly imprisoned, according to a study that condemns the government for not complying with international standards set by the United Nations on treatment of female inmates.”

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The Guardian, 27th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Rogue bailiff menace exposed as complaints soar – The Guardian

Posted January 28th, 2013 in bailiffs, complaints, debts, fees, news, professional conduct, regulations by sally

“The true scale of the problem posed by ‘lawless bailiffs’ is revealed as shocking figures show a sharp rise in complaints about their behaviour since the start of the banking crisis.”

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The Guardian, 27th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legal professional privilege fight goes on – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 28th, 2013 in accountants, legal profession, news, privilege by sally

“The fight to defend legal professional privilege looks set to continue, despite last week’s landmark victory for the profession in the Supreme Court. Parliament was urged to consider extending the scope of LPP in the wake of the judgment by the 140,000-member Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 28th January 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Sudanese paedophile cannot be deported over fears he would be ‘persecuted’ in home country – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 28th, 2013 in child abuse, damages, deportation, human rights, immigration, news, sexual offences by sally

“A Sudanese paedophile who was part of a group of immigrants who lured schoolgirls to a house for sex cannot be deported because he is a member of a ‘persecuted tribe’, it was disclosed at the High Court yesterday.”

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Daily Telegraph, 26th January 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Google faces legal action over alleged secret iPhone tracking – The Guardian

Posted January 28th, 2013 in compensation, computer crime, fines, internet, news, privacy, telecommunications, trespass by sally

“Google is facing a fresh privacy battle in the UK over its alleged secret tracking of the internet habits of millions of iPhone users.”

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The Guardian, 27th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

ISPs and defamation law: hold fire, Robert Jay – The Guardian

Posted January 25th, 2013 in defamation, internet, news, publishing by sally

“Defining internet service providers as publishers within defamation law would be totally unworkable.”

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The Guardian, 25th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Robert Coulson jailed for smuggling cannabis – BBC News

Posted January 25th, 2013 in confiscation, drug trafficking, news, recidivists, sentencing by sally

” 71-year-old man who admitted trying to smuggle more than £168,000 worth of
cannabis through a ferry port has been jailed for three years and nine months.”

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BBC News, 25th January 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Guns and drugs smuggling soldiers jailed – BBC News

Posted January 25th, 2013 in armed forces, drug trafficking, firearms, news, sentencing by sally

“Four British soldiers who tried to smuggle guns and drugs into the UK have been jailed.”

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BBC News, 25th January 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Jill Dando: Barry George ‘not innocent enough to receive compensation’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 25th, 2013 in compensation, miscarriage of justice, news by sally

“Barry George, who spent eight years in prison after being wrongly convicted of
the murder of TV presenter Jill Dando, has lost his High Court bid for
compensation as a victim of a ‘miscarriage of justice’.”

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Daily Telegraph, 25th January 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Father jailed for biting off love rival’s finger at Nativity play – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 25th, 2013 in news, public order, sentencing, wounding by sally

“A father-of-three who bit part of the finger off a love rival in a brawl at a children’s school Nativity play has been jailed for 11 months.”

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Daily Telegraph, 25th January 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk