Stop-and-search powers ruled illegal by European court – BBC News

Posted January 12th, 2010 in human rights, news, police, stop and search, terrorism by sally

“Police powers to use terror laws to stop and search people without grounds for suspicion are illegal, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled.”

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BBC News, 12th Janaury 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Crown Court defendants to be means tested – Ministry of Justice

Posted January 12th, 2010 in costs, Crown Court, legal aid, Ministry of Justice, news by sally

“Five Crown Courts will today be the first in England and Wales to introduce a new scheme that will ensure people convicted of a crime contribute to their defence costs, where they have the means to do so.”

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Ministry of Justice, 11th January 2010

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Detaining children in Britain: No place for the innocent – The Independent

Posted January 12th, 2010 in asylum, children, detention, news by sally

“What kind of country drags vulnerable children from their beds at daybreak, puts them behind bars and fills them with terror? Paul Vallely meets a family who have endured this horror – in Britain. And they’re not alone.”

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The Independent, 12th January 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Extremist Islamist groups to be banned under new terror laws – The Guardian

Posted January 12th, 2010 in demonstrations, Islam, news, proscribed organisations, terrorism by sally

“The Islamist group Islam4UK, which planned a march through Wootton Bassett, and its ‘parent’ organisation, al-Muhajiroun, are to be banned under new legislation outlawing the ‘glorification’ of terrorism.”

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The Guardian, 11th January 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Marco Pierre White challenge could change divorce battles for ever – The Times

Posted January 12th, 2010 in news by sally

“Take one celebrity chef, separate him from his wife, sprinkle with allegations of intercepted letters, simmer and serve with a landmark ruling.”

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The Times, 12th January 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Gurkha veterans lose pensions test case battle with MoD – BBC News

Posted January 11th, 2010 in armed forces, Gurkhas, news, pensions by sally

“Retired Gurkhas have lost a High Court test case battle with the Ministry of Defence over pension rights.”

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BBC News, 11th January 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Teenager locked up for bleach attack – The Independent

Posted January 11th, 2010 in grievous bodily harm, news, sentencing, young offenders by sally

“A teenager who poured bleach over a woman in a revenge attack after she asked him to be quiet in a cinema was locked up for 12 months today.”

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The Independent, 11th January 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Men jailed over £33m Kent heroin deal – BBC News

Posted January 11th, 2010 in conspiracy, drug trafficking, news, sentencing by sally

“Three men have been jailed for their involvement in a £33m drug deal, after the UK’s largest ever heroin seizure.”

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BBC News, 11th January 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Release of secret child punishment manual ordered – The Guardian

Posted January 11th, 2010 in children, news, prisons, punishment by sally

“The information commissioner has said that a secret prison service punishment manual used in ­privately run child jails should be made public after a three-year freedom of information battle. The 114-page Physical Control in Care training manual details restraint ­techniques authorised for use on children in secure training centres.”

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The Guardian, 10th January 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Barristers begin nationwide debate over new ways of providing legal services – Bar Standards Board

Posted January 11th, 2010 in barristers, legal services, news by sally

“Barristers throughout England and Wales are set to engage in a nationwide and thought-provoking debate over how they provide their services.”

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Bar Standards Board, 11th January 2010

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

An anomaly on our doorstep – The Guardian

Posted January 11th, 2010 in complaints, media, news, privacy by sally

“Ofcom’s code on doorstepping public figures plays into the hands of corporate lawyers and stifles investigative reporting in the public interest.”

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The Guardian, 11th January 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Magistrate who won victimisation case sacked for misconduct – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 11th, 2010 in magistrates, news, professional conduct, race discrimination by sally

“A black magistrate who won a victimisation case against the Ministry of Justice has been sacked for misconduct.”

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Daily Telegraph, 9th January 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Call to lift ban on jury service for people with mental illness – The Guardian

Posted January 11th, 2010 in juries, mental health, news by sally

“Ministers are facing demands to scrap an ‘unfair and discriminatory’ law that bans thousands from being jurors because they have suffered from mental ill-health.”

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The Guardian, 10th January 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legal costs emerge as defining issue of 2010’s biggest cases – The Lawyer

Posted January 11th, 2010 in civil justice, costs, legal aid, news by sally

“As the profession awaits Jackson LJ’s civil justice costs review, the cases set to shape this year’s litigation get underway.”

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The Lawyer, 10th January 2010

Source: www.thelawyer.com

News International admits payout to phone-hacker was for unfair dismissal – The Guardian

Posted January 11th, 2010 in compensation, interception, media, news, privacy, unfair dismissal by sally

“News International has admitted it was forced to hand former News of the World journalist and convicted phone-hacker Clive Goodman a generous payoff because it failed to follow statutory procedures.”

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The Guardian, 8th January 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Heathrow robbery trial breaks with 400-year tradition of trial by jury – The Guardian

Posted January 11th, 2010 in intimidation, juries, news, robbery, trial without jury by sally

“The first criminal trial without a jury to take place in England and Wales in more than 400 years begins on Tuesday after lawyers’ legal challenges were exhausted.”

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The Guardian, 10th January 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Innocent’ driver admits offence to avoid cost of court defence – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 11th, 2010 in costs, legal aid, news, road traffic offences by sally

“A company director has admitted a motoring offence he says he has not committed after becoming one of the first to be caught by controversial new rules on court costs.”

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Daily Telegraph, 9th January 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Human rights gagged MI5 over Abdulmutallab – The Times

Posted January 11th, 2010 in human rights, intelligence services, news, privacy, terrorism by sally

“MI5 failed to alert America to intelligence highlighting the extremist links of the Detroit plane bomber because of concerns about breaching his human rights and privacy.”

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The Times, 10th January 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Sex offenders ‘granted taxi licences’ – The Independent

Posted January 11th, 2010 in criminal records, news, taxis by sally

“Criminals with convictions for offences including indecent assault and drug dealing are knowingly being granted taxi driver licences, an investigation claimed today.”

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The Independent, 11th January 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Parking fine appeal panel planned – BBC News

Posted January 11th, 2010 in appeals, fines, news, parking by sally

“A new independent appeals panel to stop motorists from being unfairly fined by unscrupulous private car parking companies is to be established.”

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BBC News, 10th January 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk