Category: news

Should the Human Rights Act be replaced with a Bill of Rights? – The Times

Posted April 15th, 2010 in news by sally

“Should the Human Rights Act 1998 be scrapped and replaced by a British Bill of Rights? This is the topic of a pre-election debate to be held next week by The Times with Matrix Chambers, with speakers including Cherie Booth, QC; David Davis, the former Shadow Home Secretary; Andy Hayman, the Assistant Commissioner Specialist Operations in the Metropolitan Police 2005-08; and Shami Chakrabarti, the director of Liberty.”

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The Times, 15th April 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

MoD is failing its war veterans, leaving many to face jail terms, peer says – The Guardian

Posted April 15th, 2010 in armed forces, mental health, news, post-traumatic stress disorder, prisons, probation by sally

“Britain should appoint a cabinet minister responsible for the welfare of ex-service personnel amid concern over the rising number who end up in custody after returning home from a war zone, a former prisons inspector says.”

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The Guardian, 14th April 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Will the Equality Act make everyone equal before the law? Wait for May 6 . . . – The Times

Posted April 15th, 2010 in news by sally

“The passage of the Equality Act last week, which comes into effect in October, marks the culmination of 40-odd years of progressive legislation to create fairness between groups.”

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The Times, 15th April 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Businessman jailed for Greek bribery conspiracy – The Times

Posted April 14th, 2010 in news by sally

“A British businessman has been jailed for his part in a three-year cospiracy to bribe Greek health officials.”

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The Times, 14th April 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Brain-damaged prisoner awarded £4.7m – The Independent

Posted April 14th, 2010 in compensation, news, periodical payments, personal injuries by sally

“A prisoner who suffered catastrophic brain damage after he fell from an upper bunk bed during a seizure at London’s Brixton jail has been awarded a compensation package worth £4.7 million.”

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The Independent, 14th April 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Women solicitors work hard, love their jobs yet still don’t make the top. Why? – The Times

Posted April 14th, 2010 in news by sally

“The march of women seems to be slowing to a halt. Women make up the lion’s share of entrants to the legal profession — but then what? They don’t stay the course and the top ranks remain as women-light as ever.”

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The Times, 14th April 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Police used Taser on man in epileptic seizure – The Guardian

Posted April 14th, 2010 in complaints, news, police, weapons by sally

“Greater Manchester police is being investigated after its officers fired a Taser gun at a man who became aggressive while having an epileptic seizure.”

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The Guardian, 13th April 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Analysis: Two months later, and MPs may not have been granted legal aid at all – The Times

Posted April 14th, 2010 in news by sally

“The disclosure that the MPs facing charges over their expenses would receive legal aid has prompted an outcry and been denounced by David Cameron as a ‘complete outrage.’ But what is not well known is that anyone granted legal aid is likely to be ordered, on conviction, to pay it back according to their financial circumstances.”

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The Times, 13th April 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Gordon Brown and David Cameron’s ignorance about legal aid does not surprise experts – The Guardian

Posted April 14th, 2010 in expenses, legal aid, news, political parties by sally

“Gordon Brown and David Cameron’s apparent lack of understanding about how legal aid works has not surprised experts, who say they have long been battling ignorance about the importance of the service.”

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The Guardian, 13th April 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judge criticises sex crime sentencing guidelines as offender spared jail – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 14th, 2010 in news, sentencing, sexual offences by sally

“A judge has criticised sentencing guidelines which prevented him from jailing a man who groped a schoolgirl.”

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Daily Telegraph, 14th April 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

The Big Question: What is legal aid and should we be providing so much of it? – The Independent

Posted April 14th, 2010 in legal aid, news by sally

“Why are we asking this now?

On Monday, it was announced that three former Labour MPs – David Chaytor, Jim Devine and Elliot Morley – had won the right to receive legal aid to fight charges of false accounting relating to their parliamentary expenses. The news thrust MPs’ expenses back into the spotlight and did no favours to the legal aid system, so often the butt of politicians’ ire.”

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The Independent, 14th April 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Accused MPs ‘will have to pay back legal aid’ – The Independent

Posted April 13th, 2010 in expenses, legal aid, news by sally

“Labour MPs awarded legal aid to fund their court battle against charges that they fiddled parliamentary expenses will have to pay the money back, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said today.”

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The Independent, 12th April 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Law Commissions consult on creating new consumer right – OUT-LAW.com

Posted April 13th, 2010 in consultations, consumer protection, Law Commission, news by sally

“The Law Commission and Scottish Law Commission are reviewing whether or not consumers should be able to take direct action against retailers who treat them unfairly. It has asked consumers and businesses if the action would be too severe.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 12th April 2010

Source: www.out-law.com

Female soldier wins discrimination claim against army – The Guardian

Posted April 13th, 2010 in armed forces, compensation, employment tribunals, news, race discrimination, sex discrimination by sally

“A soldier disciplined by the army after missing a parade to look after her daughter is set to receive damages after winning an employment tribunal claim, it was reported today.”

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The Guardian, 13th April 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

British involvement in rendition of suspects will continue, says Straw – The Independent

Posted April 13th, 2010 in news, rendition, terrorism by sally

“The Government has rejected parliamentary proposals for tough new laws to stamp out the UK’s involvement in the kidnap and unlawful transfer of terror suspects to third-party states, The Independent has learnt.”

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The Independent, 13th April 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

We may have gone too far in suspecting abuse – The Times

Posted April 13th, 2010 in news by sally

“The family courts are groaning under the weight of applications to take children into care. Within weeks of the Baby Peter tragedy being made public, legal departments at local authorities went into overdrive as social workers decided that they would no longer take chances where they suspected, but were not certain, that a child was in danger of abuse or neglect.”

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The Times, 13th April 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Sir Nicholas Wall: the forthright and firm judge in the family courts – The Times

Posted April 13th, 2010 in news by sally

“The formal swearing in today of the new top family judge in England and Wales may be a relatively low-key affair — but Sir Nicholas Wall is unlikely in future to have a low profile to match.”

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The Times, 13th April 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Judge in charge of family courts criticises ‘arrogant social workers’ – The Times

Posted April 13th, 2010 in news by sally

“Social workers have been criticised as ‘arrogant and enthusiastic removers of children from their parents’ by the judge who takes charge of the family courts today.”

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The Times, 13th April 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

‘Virtually blind’ pensioner with eye condition Macular Degeneration jailed for killing pedestrian – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 12th, 2010 in careless driving, disabled persons, news, sentencing by sally

“A 66-year-old man has become the first person in Britain to be jailed for causing a fatal crash whilst deliberately driving with the eye condition Macular Degeneration.”

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Daily Telegraph, 12th April 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Expenses MPs Devine, Chaytor and Morley get legal aid – BBC News

Posted April 12th, 2010 in expenses, legal aid, news by sally

“Three former Labour MPs facing criminal charges over their expenses have won the right to have their legal fees paid for by the taxpayer.”

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BBC News, 12th April 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk