Bar Council prompts war of words over training plans – The Lawyer

Posted May 29th, 2007 in barristers, legal education, news by sally

“The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has lashed out at the Bar Council’s proposals to limit BVC places in submissions made to the Entry to the Bar working party.”

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The Lawyer, 29th May 2007

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Judges’ ruling challenges a traditional right – The Times

Posted May 29th, 2007 in disclosure, news, self-incrimination by sally

“Senior judges have dealt a blow to the ancient legal principle that a person is protected from incriminating himself.”

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The Times, 29th May 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Law Lords slam crime agency for freezing UMBS payments – The Independent

Posted May 29th, 2007 in fraud, news, proceeds of crime, VAT by sally

“The Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca), the UK equivalent of the FBI, has been strongly criticised by Law Lords [sic] in the Court of Appeal for its “unlawful” action in freezing payments to a company that the organisation believed may have been involved in a VAT fraud.”

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The Independent, 27th May 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

New law will put bullying salesmen at risk of prison – The Times

Posted May 29th, 2007 in consumer protection, news by sally

“Tough new laws to prevent British consumers being ripped off by aggressive doorstep sellers and bogus prize-draw scams are to be enforced within a year.”

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The Times, 28th May 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Sex-offender computer system hits delay – The Independent

Posted May 29th, 2007 in criminal records, news, police, sexual offences by sally

“Moves to help police track sex offenders across the country have been delayed because of computer problems, prompting claims that public safety could be endangered as a result.”

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The Independent, 29th May 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Human rights in Iraq: a case to answer – The Independent

Posted May 29th, 2007 in armed forces, human rights, Iraq, news by sally

“The Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, is facing accusations that he told the Army its soldiers were not bound by the Human Rights Act when arresting, detaining and interrogating Iraqi prisoners.”

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The Independent, 29th May 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Jury convicts mother who destroyed foetus – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 29th, 2007 in abortion, news by sally

“A woman who had a backstreet abortion when she was seven-and-a-half months pregnant was convicted on a rare charge of child destruction yesterday.”

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Daily Telegraph, 27th May 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Related link: Child destruction: charge is rarely used

Asbo law will give power of eviction – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 29th, 2007 in ASBOs, news by sally

“Laws allowing problem families to be thrown out of their own homes will be in force within weeks in a fresh blitz on anti-social behaviour.”

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Daily Telegraph, 27th May 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Minister’s plan for new stop-and-question powers takes senior officers by surprise – The Guardian

Posted May 29th, 2007 in news, police, stop and search, terrorism by sally

“Government plans for new police powers to stop and question people were greeted with a barrage of criticism yesterday, after it emerged that senior police officers had neither requested the change nor been consulted. The Home Office confirmed that the power would be included in a counterterrorism bill to be announced in early June. But the vehemence and breadth of criticism led Home Office ministers to signal a willingness to compromise after the idea was also attacked by MPs, civil liberties and Muslim groups as unnecessary and harmful.”

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The Guardian, 28th May 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

UK ambassador asks Moscow to extradite polonium murder suspect – The Guardian

Posted May 29th, 2007 in extradition, news, Russia by sally

“Britain’s ambassador to Moscow yesterday delivered a request for the extradition of the man suspected of murdering former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko in London.”

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The Guardian, 29th May 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Rampton patient fights smoking ban at high security hospital – The Guardian

Posted May 29th, 2007 in hospitals, human rights, news, smoking by sally

“Patients at Rampton high security psychiatric hospital, which houses some of the country’s most dangerous criminals, are challenging a smoking ban in a test case which claims the refusal to permit cigarettes in the hospital’s buildings or grounds violates their human rights.”

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The Guardian, 28th May 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Heavy secrecy over terror fuels suspicion, says expert – The Independent

Posted May 29th, 2007 in news, reporting restrictions, terrorism, trials by sally

“Scotland Yard’s head of counterterrorism has criticised what he called excessive secrecy in Britain’s terrorism trials, and he called for changes that would permit freer reporting and wider discussion.”

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The Independent, 27th May 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘Prenups’ could be in force within months – The Guardian

Posted May 29th, 2007 in news, prenuptial agreements by sally

“Wealthy people would be ‘mad’ to marry without a prenuptial agreement after last week’s decision by senior judges that a woman can keep her £48m divorce settlement – and they could be legally enforceable within months, said the lawyer acting for her husband.”

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The Guardian, 27th May 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Fairford Two strike blow for anti-war protesters after jury decide they were acting to stop crime – The Guardian

Posted May 29th, 2007 in criminal damage, news by sally

“Ruling seen as ‘judicial endorsement’ of attempts to stop B52 bombers.” 

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The Guardian, 26th May 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk
 

Civil rights fears over DNA file for everyone – The Guardian

Posted May 29th, 2007 in criminal records, DNA, news by sally

“Civil liberties groups are warning that the details of every Briton could soon be on the national DNA database, raising fresh concerns of a ‘surveillance society’. Controversial plans being studied by the government would see the DNA of people convicted of even the most minor, non-imprisonable offences, such as dropping litter, entered on the national database.”

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The Guardian, 27th May 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Crime Bill may add to prison overcrowding – The Times

Posted May 29th, 2007 in criminal justice, news, prisons by sally

“Tony Blair’s final measures to tackle law and order are being threatened by a Cabinet dispute over fears that the Bill will fuel a further 3,000 rise in prison numbers.”

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The Times, 26th May 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Law failing to keep up with advances in data technology – The Times

Posted May 29th, 2007 in data protection, news by sally

“The 1998 Data Protection Act (DPA) is the main tool for the public to take control of its personal data, but there are concerns that the law is falling behind the technological curve.”

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The Times, 26th May 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Prison numbers reach record high – BBC News

Posted May 25th, 2007 in news, prisons by sally

“Prisoner numbers in England and Wales have hit a record high for the second week in a row, says the Prison Service.” 

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BBC News, 25th May 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judges boycott MoJ launch party – The Lawyer

Posted May 25th, 2007 in judges, Ministry of Justice, news by sally

“The launch party for the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) on Wednesday night (23 May) had a few notable absentees – namely judges.”

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The Lawyer, 25th May 2007

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Authorities should analyse risk before sharing data, says privacy chief – OUT-LAW.com

Posted May 25th, 2007 in data protection, local government, news by sally

“Local authorities should conduct a risk assessment before sharing personal data with other public bodies. Sharing can be legitimate, but only when the benefits and risks have been weighed up, the Information Commissioner has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 25th May 2007

Source: www.out-law.com