East Kent baby deaths: Trust was short of staff – BBC News

‘There were not enough maternity staff to keep mothers and babies safe at a hospital trust at the centre of a baby deaths scandal, inspectors have found.’

Full Story

BBC News, 15th October 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Huge rise in domestic abuse cases being dropped in England and Wales – BBC News

Posted October 15th, 2021 in criminal justice, domestic violence, news, prosecutions, statistics, time limits, women by sally

‘Victims of alleged domestic abuse are seeing their cases dropped at a rapidly increasing rate, according to data obtained by the BBC.’

Full Story

BBC News, 15th October 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Martin v City and County of Swansea – Equality Law Blog

Posted October 14th, 2021 in disability discrimination, employment tribunals, equality, news by sally

‘The decision of the EAT in this case provides a useful reminder of the proper approach to the PCP in reasonable adjustment claims. EAT (judge James Tayler, sitting alone) ruled that an employment tribunal had erred in law in rejecting the claimant’s attempt to rely on, as a PCP, a Management of Absence Policy which included discretion which would have permitted, amongst other steps, the claimant’s redeployment to an alternative role. The Tribunal had ruled that the application of the policy to the claimant did not constitute the application of a PCP that placed her at a substantial disadvantage in comparison with non-disabled persons.’

Full Story

Equality Law Blog, 13th October 2021

Source: equalitylawblog.com

Constitutional amendment that moved council meetings to working hours criticised – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 14th, 2021 in budgets, local government, news by sally

‘A decision intended to move full council meetings at North Northamptonshire Council from 7pm to 2pm has been criticised as “anti-democratic” by detractors.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 13th October 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Luton paedophile Carson Grimes jailed for life – BBC News

Posted October 14th, 2021 in child abuse, news, rape, sentencing, sexual grooming, sexual offences by sally

‘A man who groomed and sexually abused vulnerable children over two decades has been jailed for at least 22 years.’

Full Story

BBC News, 13th October 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

New Judgment: Anwar v The Advocate General for Scotland (representing the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) (Scotland) [2021] UKSC 44 – UKSC Blog

‘The Supreme Court unanimously dismissed this appeal concerning the petition for judicial review against the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy for failure to provide effective interim protection for successful workplace discrimination and harassment claims, in breach of EU law.’

Full Story

UKSC Blog, 13th October 2021

Source: ukscblog.com

A Decent Death – London Review of Books

Posted October 14th, 2021 in assisted suicide, human rights, news, prosecutions, suicide by sally

‘The​ law of England and Wales – Scotland’s law is not in all respects the same – has come a long way in my 82 years. Absurdly and cruelly, until the 1961 Suicide Act was passed it was a crime to kill yourself. While those who succeeded were beyond the law’s reach, those who tried and failed could be sent to jail. In the 1920s the home secretary had to release a Middlesbrough woman with fourteen children who had been given three months in prison for trying to kill herself. There is a Pythonesque sketch waiting to be written about a judge passing a sentence of imprisonment for attempted suicide: “Let this be a lesson to you and to any others who may be thinking of killing themselves.” In fact, by the mid 19th century the law had got itself into such a tangle that a person injured in a failed attempt at suicide could be indicted for wounding with intent to kill, an offence for which Parliament had thoughtfully provided the death penalty.’

Full Story

London Review of Books, 21st October 2021

Source: www.lrb.co.uk

High Court refuses fresh inquest in welfare benefits case – UK Human Rights Blog

‘In Dove v HM Assistant Coroner to Teeside and Hartlepool & Anor [2021] EWHC 2511, the High Court considered the State’s obligations under article 2 ECHR with respect to those in receipt of welfare benefits as well as the scope of coronial inquiries both where article 2 is and isn’t engaged. Although it was argued that failings by the Department of Work and Pensions were relevant to a death by suicide, a fresh inquest was refused in the circumstances.’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 13th October 2021

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Anthony Bird: Two jailed for brutal Tipton park murder- BBC News

Posted October 14th, 2021 in murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘Two men who brutally beat a father-of-five in a park in front of children and families have been jailed for life for his murder.’

Full Story

BBC News, 13th October 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

MP Claudia Webbe could face jail after harassment conviction – The Guardian

Posted October 14th, 2021 in criminal records, harassment, news, parliament, threatening behaviour by sally

‘The MP Claudia Webbe is facing a potential jail sentence and demands to stand down from her seat after being found guilty of a campaign of harassment including threatening an acid attack.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 13th October 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

High Court rules out 28 identical divorce petitions – Law & Religion UK

Posted October 14th, 2021 in divorce, drafting, evidence, news by sally

‘On 10 September 2021, Mr Justice Moor handed down the judgment Yorston & Ors, Re (Matrimonial Causes Act 1973: Improper Petitions) [2021] EWFC 80 concerning 28 petitions to the High Court. In each case, the allegations of unreasonable behaviour were absolutely identical.’

Full Story

Law & Religion UK, 13th October 2021

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

R (Rowley) v Minister for the Cabinet Office – Equality Law Blog

‘In this case the High Court (Fordham J) ruled that the respondent had discriminated against the claimant, who was profoundly deaf, by failing to provide of British sign language (“BSL”) interpreters for Government live briefings to the public about the Covid-19 pandemic on 21 September 2020 and 12 October 2020. The claimant challenged the failures on those occasions and also sought to challenge the respondent’s continuing refusal to use “on-platform” as distinct from “in-screen” BSL interpreters for briefings. The claimant sought to establish failures of the PSED imposed by s149 of the Equality Act 2010 in respect of the defendant’s ongoing approach to briefings, as well as failures of the duty to make reasonable adjustments imposed by ss20 and 29(7)(a) of the Act. The PSED claim failed as did the reasonable adjustment challenge to ongoing (“in-screen” BSL) briefings. The decision includes a comprehensive discussion of the leading authorities on disability discrimination in the context of services/public authorities.’

Full Story

Equality Law Blog, 13th October 2021

Source: equalitylawblog.com

Parliamentary Inquiry Condemns UK Government’s Handling Of Coronavirus – Each Other

Posted October 14th, 2021 in coronavirus, human rights, inquiries, news, reports, select committees by sally

‘The UK’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic has been deemed one of the worst ever public health failures, according to an inquiry report.’

Full Story

Each Other, 13th October 2021

Source: eachother.org.uk

Facebook whistleblower claims checked for breach of UK law – BBC News

Posted October 14th, 2021 in children, internet, mental health, news, privacy, whistleblowers by sally

‘The data-privacy watchdog has written to a Facebook whistleblower, requesting her full evidence to see whether the technology company has broken UK law.’

Full Story

BBC News, 13th October 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Tommy Robinson gets five-year stalking order after harassing journalist – The Guardian

Posted October 14th, 2021 in harassment, media, news, proscribed organisations, stalking by sally

‘Tommy Robinson has been given a five-year stalking protection order after he shouted abuse outside the home of a journalist and threatened to repeatedly return to her address.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 13th October 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Police officer guilty of misconduct over handling of mental health patient who died in custody – The Independent

‘A police sergeant who failed to properly assess a “vulnerable” woman in his custody who later died is guilty of gross misconduct.’

Full Story

The Independent, 12th October 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

UK Competition Appeal Tribunal certifies first excessive pricing class action – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 13th, 2021 in appeals, class actions, competition, damages, news, telecommunications by sally

‘The Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) has given the go-ahead to the UK’s first “excessive pricing” abuse of dominance claim, which could involve up to 2.3 million customers and damages of up to £469 million, plus interest.’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 12th October 2021

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Breach of Duty and Hospital Guidelines: Thorley v Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust [2021] EWHC 2604 (QB) – Ropewalk Clinical Negligence Blog

‘This case considered the interplay between hospital guidelines and breach of duty in the clinical negligence setting.’

Full Story

Ropewalk Clinical Negligence Blog, 12th October 2021

Source: www.ropewalk.co.uk

Harmful emissions and human rights duties – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 13th, 2021 in children, environmental health, health, human rights, local government, news, waste by sally

‘Stephen Tromans QC and Victoria Hutton consider a significant High Court ruling on the duties of the Environment Agency in relation to a landfill site.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 8th October 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Seeing wellbeing as a weakness must change for all our sakes – Family Law

Posted October 13th, 2021 in barristers, family courts, mental health, news by sally

‘Earlier this year we did a chambers wide audit of mental health and wellbeing and provided a wellbeing workshop for barristers and staff. I have been in practice for nearly thirty years and the mantra “work comes first” dominates my work ethic. I know this has been to my detriment. For example, going to court on the morning my father died because I couldn’t let the court down.’

Full Story

Family Law, 8th October 2021

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk