Church of England General Synod extends pension rights for gay partners – The Guardian

Posted February 12th, 2010 in Church of England, civil partnerships, homosexuality, news, pensions by sally

“The Church of England may not allow its clergy to have their civil ­partnerships blessed in church but it voted tonight to allow the survivors of same-sex ­partnerships the same pension rights as other spouses. The church’s General Synod, meeting in London, voted in favour of what supporters of the move described as ­big-heartedness at odds with the church’s public reputation for homophobia in its wrangles over gay clergy.”

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The Guardian, 11th February 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prosthetics expert struck off after giving patient two left feet – The Guardian

Posted February 12th, 2010 in doctors, news, professional conduct by sally

“An expert in prosthetics who gave an elderly patient two left feet by fitting the wrong artificial limb has been struck off after he admitted a series of misconduct allegations. Malcolm Griffiths fitted a left-footed lower limb instead of a new right leg to Patrick Morrison, 76, an amputee from Bathgate in West Lothian, and then failed to spot the mistake during two subsequent check-ups.”

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The Guardian, 11th February 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Curry killer Lakhvir Kaur Singh sentenced to 23 years in prison – The Times

Posted February 12th, 2010 in news by sally

“A spurned woman who laced a former lover’s curry with a deadly ancient herb was given a life sentence yesterday for his murder. Lakhvir Kaur Singh, 40, a mother-of-three, killed Lakhvinder Cheema when he broke off their 16-year affair and told her he was marrying a younger woman.”

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The Times, 12th February 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

OFT to test e-commerce contracts for fairness – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 11th, 2010 in consumer protection, contracts, electronic commerce, news by sally

“Consumer protection regulator the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has launched an investigation into whether complex contracts for goods and services are unfair to consumers. The investigation will particularly focus on online transactions.”

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Out-Law.com, 9th February 2010

Source: www.out-law.com

Joe Calzaghe to sue promoter Frank Warren for £1.8m – BBC News

Posted February 11th, 2010 in fees, news, sport by sally

“Former world champion Joe Calzaghe is suing his ex-manager and promoter Frank Warren for £1.8m.”

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BBC News, 10th February 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Teenage killer’s custody doubled over Gloucester attack – BBC News

Posted February 11th, 2010 in assault, attorney general, murder, news, sentencing by sally

“A teenager who killed a man with one punch has had his sentence more than doubled to three-and-a-half years.”

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BBC News, 10th February 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Facebook takes down 30 prisoners’ pages after victim taunts – The Guardian

Posted February 11th, 2010 in harassment, internet, news, prisons, victims by sally

“Jack Straw, the justice secretary, says the 30 offending pages brought to the attention of Facebook had been removed within 48 hours.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th February 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ex-Cazenove trader set to stand trial for insider deals – The Times

Posted February 11th, 2010 in news by sally

“A former partner at Cazenove, the Queen’s stockbroker, who is due to stand trial on insider-dealing charges next week appeared in court for a pre-trial hearing yesterday.”

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The Times, 11th February 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Man who attacked intruder with samurai sword walks free – The Independent

Posted February 11th, 2010 in affray, news, offensive weapons, self-defence by sally

“A householder who faced a possible eight-year jail sentence for attacking an intruder with a samurai sword said today he just wanted to stop him getting into his house.  David Fullard, 46, from Brough, East Yorkshire, was charged with unlawful wounding but walked free when a jury found him not guilty, according to the Sun.”

Full story

The Independent, 11th February 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Woman jailed for killing lover with poison curry – The Independent

Posted February 11th, 2010 in food, grievous bodily harm, murder, news, sentencing by sally

“A jealous woman who killed her former lover by lacing his curry with an ancient poison has been convicted of murder.”

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The Independent, 11th February 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Paying more to gardeners than cleaners is ‘sexist’, Appeal court rules – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 11th, 2010 in equal pay, local government, news, sex discrimination by sally

“The Appeal Court decided that inequality between the pay of mainly female carers working for Sheffield City Council and their predominantly male colleagues doing equivalent jobs, like gardening and rubbish collection, was ‘tainted by sex’.”

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Daily Telegraph, 10th February 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Brown wins big Commons victory for vote reform – The Independent

Posted February 11th, 2010 in elections, news, referendums by sally

“Gordon Brown’s plan to hold a referendum next year on scrapping the first-past-the-post system for elections for Westminster won a convincing majority last night in the Commons.”

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The Independent, 10th February 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Paedophile church worker who ‘boasted about his abuse online’ jailed – Daily Telegraph

“A paedophile, Owen Baxter, who volunteered as a church youth worker so he could sexually abuse young boys before boasting about it on the internet, has been jailed.”

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Daily Telegraph, 9th February 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Advert for pills that guaranteed ‘sex life of you dreams’ is banned – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 11th, 2010 in advertising, medicines, news by sally

“An advertisement for tablets that guaranteed ‘the sex life of your dreams’  has been banned after a man complained that it didn’t work and demanded his money back.”

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Daily Telegraph, 11th February 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Trevor Phillips accused of trying to influence equalities watchdog inquiry – The Guardian

Posted February 11th, 2010 in equality, human rights, inquiries, news, parliament by sally

“Trevor Phillips, the head of the equalities watchdog, was today accused of attempting to influence an official inquiry into his work and may face a high-level investigation into allegations that his actions amount to contempt of both houses of parliament.”

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The Guardian, 10th February 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Top judge: Binyam Mohamed case shows MI5 to be devious, dishonest and complicit in torture – The Guardian

Posted February 11th, 2010 in disclosure, intelligence services, judgments, news, torture by sally

“Legal defeat plunges Security Service into crisis over torture evidence, and it is revealed that judge removed damning verdict after Foreign Office QC’s plea.”

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The Guardian, 1oth February 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

MPs and expenses: no hiding behind the Bill of Rights – The Times

Posted February 11th, 2010 in news by sally

“It is the ultimate twist in the expenses scandal that the three MPs who, with one peer, face charges under the Theft Act 1968 are now invoking parliamentary privilege as their defence. It is also a lawyers’ field day: even before any trial starts, a court will have to rule on whether the Bill of Rights 1689 means that they cannot be questioned about the expenses rule book — and so be unable properly to defend themselves.”

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The Times, 11th February 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

I can die in peace, says Hindu, after judges back fight for open-air pyre – The Times

Posted February 11th, 2010 in news by sally

“Hindus and Sikhs in Britain won a landmark court victory yesterday that will allow mourners to cremate their dead on funeral pyres.The Court of Appeal ruling follows a lengthy battle waged by a devout 71-year-old Hindu for the right to be cremated by ‘sacred fire’ according to the ancient diktats of his religion.”

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The Times, 11th February 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Definitive Sentencing Guideline on corporate manslaughter and health and safety offences causing death – Sentencing Guidelines Council

Posted February 10th, 2010 in corporate manslaughter, health & safety, news, sentencing by sally

“On 9 February 2010 the Sentencing Guidelines Council published its definitive guideline ‘Corporate manslaughter and health and safety offences causing death’.”

Guideline on Corporate Manslaughter (PDF)

Sentencing Guidelines Council, 9th February 2010

Source: www.sentencing-guidelines.gov.uk

Government loses Binyam Mohamed torture appeal – BBC News

Posted February 10th, 2010 in appeals, disclosure, judgments, news, torture by sally

“The foreign secretary has lost a bid to prevent the disclosure of secret information relating to the alleged torture of a UK resident.”

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BBC News, 10th February 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk