HMP Woodhill: Prison staff made insufficient checks on inmate found dead – BBC News
‘Prison staff failed to properly check on a prisoner the morning he was found dead, the prisons ombudsman has ruled.’
BBC News, 18th March 2024
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: news
How sex abusers who target their own children keep parental rights – and the mothers fighting back – The Independent
‘A mother is desperate to change her child’s surname – so that they no longer share it with their criminal father. But Emily* is being blocked from doing so by her ex, despite the fact that he is a convicted child sex offender. Her predicament is not unique. Under English and Welsh law, child sex abusers are able to keep their parental rights in the UK, even if they target their own children. This allows them to retain influence over where the child lives, as well as their healthcare and education.’
The Independent, 17th March 2024
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Woman whose baby was stillborn in HMP Styal praises sentencing changes – The Guardian
‘A former prisoner who gave birth to a stillborn baby in a jail toilet has welcomed changes that campaigners hope will reduce the number of pregnant women locked up, as a “legacy” for the daughter she lost.’
The Guardian, 18th March 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
Sentencing Council to make changes to manslaughter guidelines and introduce new guidance for sentencing pregnant offenders – Sentencing Council
‘Changes to a number of sentencing guidelines have been published by the Sentencing Council following a consultation on miscellaneous amendments. The changes, which will come into effect on 1 April 2024, include amendments to the manslaughter guidelines made in response to recommendations in the Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review and the introduction of a new, dedicated mitigating factor providing guidance for courts on sentencing pregnant offenders and new mothers.’
Sentencing Council, 18th March 2024
Source: www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk
Courting controversy: the use of trigger warnings in teaching human rights law – The Law Teacher
‘This article explores how legal academics approach sensitive topics in human rights law, specifically how content is chosen, curated and discussed with students. It draws on data collected as part of a small pilot study which looked at how human rights academics approach “controversial” topics and how their views on controversy and sensitivity may be reflected in their curriculum. It focuses on the wider debate around trigger warnings in higher education and explores how academics use them. It concludes that, despite their negative reputation, “trigger warnings” can play a necessary and welcome role in navigating sensitive material.’
The Law Teacher, 1st March 2024
Source: www.tandfonline.com
How has UK extremism definition changed and why is it attracting criticism? – The Guardian
‘The communities secretary, Michael Gove, has laid out a new definition of extremism. Here the Guardian examines what has changed and why, and the reason it is attracting criticism.’
The Guardian, 14th March 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
High Court judge makes care order for teenage boy despite local authority seeking to withdraw its application – Local Government Lawyer
‘A High Court judge has refused to allow a local authority to withdraw its application for a care order, finding that an order would be in the “best interests” of a teenage boy with complex needs.’
Local Government Lawyer, 14th March 2024
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Construing non-assignment – could a party be responsible for assignment arising as a matter of law? (Dassault Aviation v Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance) – Gatehouse Chambers
‘The Court of Appeal applied ordinary black letter contractual interpretation in construing a non-assignment clause in a contract for sale.’
Gatehouse Chambers, 14th February 2024
Source: gatehouselaw.co.uk
The UK and the ECHR After Brexit: The Challenge of Immigration Control – EIN Blog
‘This article examines the challenges that immigration control-related political imperatives in the United Kingdom (UK) have posed for UK compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and evaluates the challenges that the UK’s moving away from ECHR compliance pose for its post-Brexit relationship with the European Union (EU) and its member states. The contribution begins with an examination of the constitutional parameters of UK (non-)compliance with the ECHR in the field of immigration control and the implications of this for the post-Brexit arrangements with the EU and its member states. The contribution then focuses on substantive immigration and refugee law and the impact of the current situation on asylum transfer co-operation within and outside of the EU. Through these areas, the article examines how EU law has infiltrated the interpretation of the ECHR with the result of raising standards of protection for asylum seekers and migrants and hampering the exercise of state sovereignty in the field.’
EIN Blog, 14th March 2024
Source: www.ein.org.uk
Kaylea Titford had no care plan in place when she died, review finds – The Guardian
‘A 16-year-old girl with “significant and chronic disabilities” who died in squalor at her family home in rural mid-Wales did not have a care plan in place, a child practice review into her death has found.’
The Guardian, 14th March 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
Madeline Gleeson & Theodore Konstadinides: The UK’s Rwanda policy and Lessons from Australia- UK Constitutional Law Association
‘In November 2023, the Supreme Court of the UK dealt a critical blow to the government’s proposal to send certain asylum seekers to the Republic of Rwanda. In AAA and Others v the Home Secretary, the Court ruled that removal to Rwanda would be unlawful because that country was not, at the time, a ‘safe country’.’
UK Constitutional Law Association, 14th March 2024
Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org
Former Lord Chief cautions against regulation of litigation funding – Legal Futures
‘Regulation may not be answer for the future of the third-party litigation funding market, a former Lord Chief Justice has cautioned ahead of the Civil Justice Council (CJC) review of the sector.’
Legal Futures, 15th March 2023
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Jailed bankers appeal against interest rate ‘rigging’ convictions – BBC News
‘Two former bankers jailed for rigging interest rates are appealing against their convictions after an eight-year battle to clear their names.’
BBC News, 14th March 2024
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Trial judge appointed special examiner to hear the evidence of a sanctioned Russian litigant and his witness in Dubai (Gorbachev v Guriev) – Gatehouse Chambers
‘Dispute Resolution analysis: HHJ Pelling, the trial judge in a piece of commercial litigation in England has approved an order by which he was appointed a special examiner to hear the evidence of sanctioned Russian Defendant and a witness on his behalf, his son in Dubai. The witnesses could not give evidence in England and Wales due to a travel ban imposed by the sanctions Regulations. This decision contrasts with a recent decision in the SKAT Litigation.’
Gatehouse Chambers, 20th February 2024
Source: gatehouselaw.co.uk
Court of Protection declares lawfulness of care plan setting out arrangements for termination of woman’s pregnancy – Local Government Lawyer
‘A judge sitting in the Court of Protection has declared that a care plan setting out the arrangements for the termination of a woman’s pregnancy was lawful.’
Local Government Lawyer, 14th March 2024
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Ground rent not legally or commercially necessary, says UK watchdog – The Guardian
‘Britain’s competition watchdog has said ground rent is “neither legally nor commercially necessary” and that government may need to step in to protect consumers from soaring costs.’
The Guardian, 13th March 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
Case Comment: Target Group Ltd v Commissioners for His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs [2023] UKSC 35 – UKSC Blog
‘In this post, Mark Whiteside, Partner at CMS, and Johanna Dodgson, Associate at CMS, comment on the Supreme Court’s judgment in Target Group Ltd v Commissions for His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs [2023] UKSC 35.’
UKSC Blog, 12th March 2024
Source: ukscblog.com
The iniquity ‘exception’ to Legal Professional Privilege (Al Sadeq v Dechert LLP) – Gatehouse Chambers
‘Dispute Resolution analysis: All lawyers know the principle and no doubt regularly rely on legal professional privilege (“LLP”) being a corner stone of the English legal system. However, LLP is not apposite to protect against participation (active or passive) in the commission of fraud. This principle has somewhat inelegantly been described as the “iniquity exception”: – inelegant because it is not an exception (strictly speaking) and rather than applying to iniquity it is applicable in all species of fraud, spanning both criminal and civil jurisdictions.’
Gatehouse Chambers, 4th February 2024
Source: gatehouselaw.co.uk
Balancing the autonomy and protection of children: competency challenges in data protection law – Information & Communications Technology Law
‘This article considers some complexities surrounding the determination of child competency in matters of data protection. Focusing on the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) guidelines, the article highlights the apparently pivotal role competency plays in granting children the ability to exercise their data protection rights and interests. The article critically examines the inherent challenges arising from the ICO’s approach, emphasising the reliance on data controllers to independently assess the competency of child data subjects. The inherent problematic nature of this approach is scrutinised, shedding light on potential shortcomings and raising questions about the effectiveness and fairness of such assessments.’
Information & Communications Technology Law, 27th February 2024
Source: www.tandfonline.com
