Knife offenders may get off with just a fine – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 13th, 2008 in news, offensive weapons, sentencing by sally

“Criminals convicted of carrying knives are likely to escape jail under sentencing guidelines issued on Monday.”

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Daily Telegraph, 13th May 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Post office legal battle launched – BBC News

Posted May 13th, 2008 in news, postal service by sally

“A severely disabled woman has taken her campaign to save her local post office to the High Court.”

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BBC News, 12th May 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Freedom for woman who kept trying to kill disabled husband – The Times

Posted May 13th, 2008 in news by sally

” A woman who tried repeatedly to kill her disabled husband was spared a prison sentence after a court accepted that she had been unable to cope with the strain of caring for him.”

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The Times, 13th May 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Labour MPs set to defy whip over vote on embryology Bill – The Independent

Posted May 13th, 2008 in news by sally

“MPs were deeply split last night over embryo research and abortion as they began debating hugely contentious reforms to the way the practices are regulated.”

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The Independent, 13th May 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Jobs for junior lawyers dry up as boom ends – The Times

Posted May 13th, 2008 in news by sally

“Britain’s largest law firms are reducing the number of junior lawyers they are hiring amid concerns that debt finance and corporate takeover work both in London and overseas has largely dried up.”

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The Times, 13th May 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Information Commissioner gets power to fine for privacy breaches – OUT-LAW.com

Posted May 13th, 2008 in data protection, fines, news by sally

“The Information Commissioner has been given the ability to fine organisations if their operational procedures cause a gross breach of data protection principles. The move, which had not been expected by privacy experts, follows a Government defeat in the House of Lords.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 12th May 2008

Source: www.out-law.com

Farepak savings bosses may face prosecution – The Guardian

Posted May 13th, 2008 in credit unions, news by sally

“The government may take legal action against the directors and accountants behind Farepak, the Christmas savings club which collapsed leaving 150,000 people short of almost £40m in savings.”

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The Guardian, 13th May 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Mother ‘failed by social workers’ – BBC News

Posted May 12th, 2008 in children, mental health, news, social services by sally

“A judge has criticised social workers for not helping a young mother who killed her two-year-old daughter.”

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BBC News, 12th May 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Teenage father bit and killed baby in rage – The Independent

Posted May 12th, 2008 in child abuse, homicide, news, sentencing by sally

“A devoted teenage father who struggled to cope with the demands of raising a family was jailed today for killing his five-month old baby in a fit of anger.”

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The Independent, 12th May 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Hamza challenges US extradition – BBC News

Posted May 12th, 2008 in extradition, news, soliciting to murder, terrorism by sally

“Jailed Muslim Cleric Abu Hamza has begun a High Court bid to block his extradition to the USA.”

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BBC News, 12th May 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Computer Misuse Act changes are delayed further – OUT-LAW.com

Posted May 12th, 2008 in computer crime, news by sally

“Denial of service attacks will not be criminalised in England and Wales for another six months despite measures lying unused in existing laws since 2006. Changes to the Computer Misuse Act will not be activated until October.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 12th May 2008

Source: www.out-law.com

Jail officer awarded £43k damages – BBC News

Posted May 12th, 2008 in news, prison officers, whistleblowers by sally

“A Wakefield prison officer who appeared as a witness in a whistleblowing case has been awarded £43,875 by an employment tribunal.”

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BBC News, 12th May 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Litigation costs uncertainty impedes access to justice, legal experts warn – The Lawyer

Posted May 12th, 2008 in competition, costs, news by sally

“Uncertainty shrouds litigation costs, which is putting obstacles in the way of access to justice, a panel of experts warned at The Lawyer’s antitrust litigation conference last week (7 May).”

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The Lawyer, 12th May 2008

Source: www.thelawyer.com

New Judicial Civil Robe – Judiciary of England and Wales

Posted May 12th, 2008 in court dress, judiciary, news by sally

“Last July the Lord Chief Justice announced reforms to simplify judicial court working dress in England and Wales. The changes, which include the introduction of a new civil gown, are due to come into effect on 1 October 2008. Fashion designer, Betty Jackson CBE, very generously worked on a pro-bono basis as the design consultant for the new gown.”

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Judiciary of England and Wales, 12th May 2008

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Blasphemy laws are lifted – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 12th, 2008 in blasphemy, news by sally

“Britain’s ancient laws of blasphemy have been abolished by MPs.”

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Daily Telegraph, 10th May 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Court overrules experts in injured baby case – The Guardian

Posted May 12th, 2008 in child abuse, expert witnesses, news by sally

“Two ‘caring and supportive’ parents have won a high court ruling clearing them of deliberately harming their six-week-old baby, despite a conclusion by the seven medical experts in the case that his injuries were most likely to have been caused by intentional shaking.”

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The Guardian, 12th May 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Burrell not to face perjury probe – BBC News

Posted May 12th, 2008 in inquests, news, perjury by sally

“Princess Diana’s former butler, Paul Burrell, will not be investigated over allegations of perjury at the inquest into her death, Scotland Yard has said.”

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BBC News, 9th May 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Cherie slams Labour on ‘factory farm’ jails – The Guardian

Posted May 12th, 2008 in criminal justice, news, prisons by sally

“Cherie Blair has attacked the government’s handling of the criminal justice system by accusing Britain’s jails of failing to protect the public. In an outspoken speech that has drawn a strong rebuttal from the Ministry of Justice, Blair, a judge and QC, said at a human rights seminar that Britain had a ‘factory farm attitude to imprisonment’.”

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The Guardian, 11th May 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Dr Rowan Williams compares Embryo Bill to rape and blackmail – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 12th, 2008 in embryology, news by sally

“The Archbishop of Canterbury on Sunday drew moral parallels between the creation of embryos for human use and rape and torture.”

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Daily Telegraph, 11th May 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Couple who won’t accept homosexuality win right to foster – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 12th, 2008 in fostering, homosexuality, news by sally

“A couple who were rejected as foster parents after they refused to condone homosexuality have won their battle to apply to be carers.”

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Daily Telegraph, 11th May 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk