PC Hannah Quince guilty of illicit police computer search – BBC News

Posted December 14th, 2011 in abuse of position of trust, computer crime, news, police, professional conduct by sally

“A policewoman who searched the force computer to look through confidential files on behalf of her boyfriend has been found guilty of misconduct.”

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BBC News, 13th December 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Government may expand definition of domestic violence – BBC News

Posted December 14th, 2011 in domestic violence, news by sally

“The government is launching a consultation on whether the definition of domestic violence should be widened.”

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BBC News, 14th December 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Criminals could be made to wear ‘sobriety tags’ – The Independent

“It is the latest accessory modelled by actress Lindsay Lohan and soon the ‘sobriety bracelet’ could adorn the ankles of British criminals too, under proposals being considered by Scotland Yard’s Commissioner.”

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The Independent, 14th December 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Civil servants fear FoI ruling over private emails and text messages – The Guardian

“Ministers, civil servants and government advisers are bracing themselves for an information commission ruling this week declaring that emails sent within government from private accounts are subject to freedom of information legislation and therefore can be disclosed.”

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The Guardian, 13th December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Harsher sentences for murderers of transgender and disabled people: a step in the right direction but greater reform is needed – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted December 13th, 2011 in disabled persons, murder, news, sentencing by sally

“On hearing of the Ministry of Justice’s plan to raise the starting point for the minimum term in murder cases where victims are transgender or disabled, you would be forgiven for expressing surprise that there was an existing disparity. We pride ourselves on being alive to equality and here is a glaring and shameful example of imbalance to the detriment of a vulnerable minority.”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 13th December 2011

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

A human right to object to war – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted December 13th, 2011 in appeals, conscientious objection, courts martial, human rights, news, war by sally

“Moral objections to the UK’s involvement in Afghanistan do not constitute a defence to an insubordination charge, the Court Martial Appeal Court has ruled. The appellant was not entitled to disobey a lawful command on the ground of conscientious objection.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 13th December 2011

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Howard League urges ban on detaining under 14s in police cells – BBC News

Posted December 13th, 2011 in children, detention, news by sally

“Police should be banned from detaining children under 14 in police cells overnight, campaigners have said.”

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BBC News, 13th December 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Fresh battle looms between European human rights court and UK – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 13th, 2011 in cross-examination, evidence, human rights, news, Supreme Court, witnesses by sally

“Prosecutors could be forced to stop using evidence from victims and witnesses who do not attend court in another human rights battle between Britain and Europe.”

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Daily Telegraph, 13th December 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Bookseller Ahmed Faraz found guilty of terror offences – BBC News

Posted December 13th, 2011 in news, terrorism by sally

“A bookseller from Birmingham has been convicted of possessing and distributing material that prosecutors said ‘primed people for terrorism’.”

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BBC News, 12th December 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Age of criminal responsibility is too low, say brain scientists – The Guardian

Posted December 13th, 2011 in children, criminal responsibility, news, reports by sally

“The age of criminal responsibility in England, Wales and Northern Ireland could be ‘unreasonably low’ given the emerging understanding of how slowly the brains of children mature, according to a report by the Royal Society. Widespread differences between individuals also mean that the cut-off age at which children are deemed fit to stand trial, at 10 years old, might not be justifiable in all cases.”

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The Guardian, 13th December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Draft proposals for new data protection regime include ‘draconian provisions’, expert says – OUT-LAW.com

Posted December 13th, 2011 in data protection, EC law, news by sally

“Many proposals under consideration for the make-up of a new data protection regime in Europe are “incredibly draconian” and will create extra burdens on compliant businesses, an expert has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 12th December 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Forced marriages in England could number 8,000 – The Guardian

Posted December 12th, 2011 in forced marriages, news by sally

“There are at least 5,000 to 8,000 cases of forced marriage in England every year but it is impossible to know the full scale of the problem, according to the Home Office.”

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The Guardian, 12th December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Strasbourg’s ruling on hearsay evidence could change its relationship with UK – The Guardian

Posted December 12th, 2011 in hearsay evidence, human rights, news by sally

“The European court of human rights is considering a challenge by the UK supreme court to its ban on hearsay evidence.”

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The Guardian, 12th December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Shopkeeper murder: Brothers jailed for Kingstanding stabbing – BBC News

Posted December 12th, 2011 in murder, news, sentencing by sally

“Two pairs of brothers have been jailed for life for the murder of a Birmingham shopkeeper during a robbery.”

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BBC News, 12th December 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Joel Mattsson compensated for military parade photo ban – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 12th, 2011 in compensation, news, photography, police, terrorism by sally

“Lawyers say Joel Mattsson, who was wrongly stopped by police from taking photographs at a public event in a town centre, has been compensated.”

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Daily Telegraph, 12th December 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

The Education Act 2011 – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted December 12th, 2011 in education, news by sally

“The Education Act 2011 heralds significant changes in respect of school governance and beyond, all of which will impact directly upon parents, pupils, schools, local authorities and of course, the public law practitioner.”

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Hardwicke Chambers, 7th December 2011

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

A – Z Update on the Coalition Government’s Education Policies and Law – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted December 12th, 2011 in education, news by sally

“David Lawson and Amelia Walker recently spoke at the Education Lawyers Association Annual Conference on ‘Education in the Big Society’. You can find Amelia’s A-Z Update on the Coalition Government’s Education Policies and Law by clicking here.”

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Hardwicke Chambers, 8th December 2011

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

Trevor Phillips attacks ‘bonkers’ use of Human Rights Act – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 12th, 2011 in equality, human rights, minorities, news by sally

“Trevor Phillips, the head of Britain’s equality watchdog, has attacked the ‘thoroughly bonkers’ misuse of the Human Rights Act – and warned that it must not become the ‘exclusive property of minorities’.”

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Daily Telegraph, 11th December 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Pearson looks at acquiring College of Law – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 12th, 2011 in legal education, news, takeovers by sally

“Pearson, owner of the Financial Times newspaper, has been examining an acquisition of legal training company, The College of Law.”

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Daily Telegraph, 11th December 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

RBS report: FSA’s analysis of banks was ‘deficient’ – BBC News

Posted December 12th, 2011 in banking, financial regulation, news by sally

“The UK’s financial regulator will be highly critical of its own role in its report into the circumstances surrounding the collapse of the Royal Bank of Scotland, the BBC has learned.”

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BBC News, 11th December 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk