‘Two recycling companies and two people linked to them are to be charged over the deaths of five African men who died when a concrete wall fell on them.’
BBC News, 1st December 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘The Home Office is still failing to provide thousands of asylum seekers in emergency hotel accommodation with basic cash support and essentials more than a month after being instructed by the high court to fulfil their legal requirements to do so.’
The Guardian, 1st December 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘A man who threw his infant son into a river “slipped through the net” of mental health services, a judge has said. Zak Bennett-Eko, 23, was sentenced to a hospital order on Tuesday after being found guilty of the manslaughter by diminished responsibility of his 11-month-old son Zakari.’
The Guardian, 1st December 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘A number of Jamaican nationals who were due to be deported have been granted last minute reprieve after the Home Office acknowledged they may be victims of modern slavery. Thirteen people were forcibly removed from the UK to Jamaica in the early hours of Wednesday. At least 10 of those who had been due to fly were taken off the flight hours before it was due to leave following legal intervention.’
The Independent, 2nd December 2020
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘An inquest is to consider evidence that illegal levels of air pollution caused the death of a nine-year-old girl, in a landmark legal case. A coroner will be asked to rule that toxic levels of nitrogen dioxide, from the South Circular road in south London, led to the acute asthma attack that killed the primary school pupil, Ella Kissi-Debrah. Her mother, Rosamund, a former teacher, has fought for years for an inquiry into the role of air pollution from traffic in Ella’s death.’
The Guardian, 30th November 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The Lord Chief Justice has warned of unprecedented levels of political interference over the work of courts in England and Wales, suggesting that MPs should be taught about “boundaries”.’
The Independent, 2nd December 2020
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘The police force investigating the Guildford pub bombs has been accused of a conflict of interest after it took legal action to keep archives closed. More than 700 files on the 1974 IRA bombs had been due to open this year but were retained by the Home Office. Inquest papers have shown Surrey Police applied for the files to stay closed.’
BBC news, 2nd December 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Earlier this year Hilder J considered the question of whether a deputy can recover their costs from the protected person’s assets when they have instructed a legal firm with which they are associated. Amelia Walker discusses this judgment, which also outlines the limits of a deputy’s authority, with Rosalind English.’
Law Pod UK, 30th November 2020
Source: audioboom.com
‘The High Court has struck out claims brought by more than 200,000 Brazilian claimants in the English courts against British and Australian holding companies in relation to the collapse of the Fundao Dam in Brazil in 2015. In Municipo de Mariana v BHP Group PLC ([2020] EWHC 2930 (TCC)) Turner J found the claims to be an abuse of process and also considered that, in the alternative, the proceedings should be stayed under the Recast Brussels Regulation and on the basis of forum non conveniens. While Turner J emphasised that the factual background of this case was central to his conclusions, his judgment contains a detailed analysis of the relevant caselaw and his consideration of the facts surrounding the claim will no doubt be of interest to parties involved in similar cross-jurisdictional and group actions. Charles Gibson QC led the Counsel team for the Defendants.’
Henderson Chambers, 19th November 2020
Source: www.hendersonchambers.co.uk
‘The present pandemic has resulted in a significant increase in the time it takes matters, especially civil claims, to get to court for a final hearing and those delays are only going to get longer so there has never been a better time to consider mediation as a quick, cheap and effective alternative to litigation and the Civil Mediation Council’s Fixed Fee Mediation scheme allows parties to benefit from a very economic tariff for relatively low-value claims (i.e. up to £50,000) using CMC-accredited civil mediators.’
Becket Chambers, 13th November 2020
Source: becket-chambers.co.uk
“‘A panel of leading lawyers has been set up to draft a legal definition of “ecocide” as a potential international crime that could sit alongside war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity.’
Law Society's Gazette, 30th November 2020
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘Six non-lawyers have been banned from working for law firms for a range of offences, from faking signatures and misusing season ticket loans to fabricating a client’s will to name themselves as a beneficiary.’
Legal Futures, 1st December 2020
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘A legal challenge is being launched to halt government plans for a two-mile tunnel under Stonehenge that will cut through a world heritage site.’
The Guardian, 30th November 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘A man who dragged a police officer along the ground as he held the car door and punched another in the head has been jailed.’
BBC News, 30th November 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Although suicide was decriminalised more than 60 years ago, it was still always necessary to meet the criminal standard of proof when reaching a finding that someone had taken their own life. But this month, in a departure from this common understanding, the Supreme Court in R (Maughan) v HM Coroner for Oxfordshire [2020] UKSC 46 found that the ‘degree of conclusivity’ required was, in fact, the civil standard – the balance of probabilities.’
Law Society's Gazette, 30th November 2020
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘Ministers are being urged to finally implement legislation restricting the use of dangerous restraint practices against patients in mental health units two years after it was passed.’
The Guardian, 30th November 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘[W]hen considering the legality of the lockdown it is relevant that the neither latest iteration of the Coronavirus Regulations, nor the previous version that imposed the earlier lockdown, in any way restrict the Article 9(1) right to hold a belief, or choices made regarding personal behaviour outside the context of places of worship.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 30th November 2020
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
‘A man has admitted killing a 12-year-old boy in a hit-and-run near a school.’
BBC News, 30th November 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘The first reported occasion on which the courts have had to consider whether prospective adopters gave notice of their wish to return the child highlights the need for early legal advice, the Court of Appeal has said.’
Local Government Lawyer, 30th November 2020
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
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