‘A solicitor who used £100,000 from a client’s estate to pay debts to HM Revenue & Customs and an indemnity insurer before closing his firm has been struck off.’
Legal Futures, 16th September 2020
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘A jury at Aylesbury Crown Court found her guilty of two sex offence charges relating to the topless pictures and a video, but they have not yet reached verdicts on three more serious charges of causing or inciting a child aged under 16 to engage in a sexual act.’
Daily Telegraph, 15th September 2020
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘On 12th December 2018, the Diocese of Oxford announced the establishment of an Independent Case Review of the diocesan safeguarding response to allegations of spiritual abuse in the case of the Revd Tim Davis. On 11 September 2020, the Diocese of Oxford published the Review’s findings, a summary of which is reproduced below.’
Law & Religion UK, 11th September 2020
Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com
‘The “extremely drunk” senior partner of a London law firm has been fined £10,000 for touching a paralegal on the bottom and kissing her on the neck while sitting next to her in a bar.’
Legal Futures, 8th September 2020
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘An experienced personal injury solicitor who forged his client’s signature on two court documents to progress her case “acted stupidly” and had to be struck off, a tribunal has decided.’
Legal Futures, 28th August 2020
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘A deputy district judge lambasted law firms’ approach to low-value road traffic claims, describing them as “drivel” and saying “they are mostly prepared in a way which makes me ashamed of our profession”.’
Litigation Futures, 28th August 2020
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
‘A former trainee doctor has been found in contempt of court for repeatedly breaching injunctions imposed on him to stop using a website to harass a circuit judge.’
Legal Futures, 26th August 2020
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘Following her summary dismissal for gross misconduct, the Claimant brought various claims against her former employer, including a claim of disability discrimination. A preliminary hearing was listed in July 2017 to determine whether she was disabled at the material time. The Claimant identified her disability as ‘Mixed Personality Disorder’, which she said, made her ‘somewhat obsessive’ and a bit of a ‘perfectionist’. She relied upon a report prepared by a Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr Schuff, which had been prepared at some point in 2010. Dr Schuff declined to diagnose the Claimant as having a multiple personality disorder but described her as suffering with ‘problematic personality traits’. There was no reference to mixed personality disorder within the Claimant’s GP records until after she was dismissed.’
3PB, 3rd August 2020
Source: www.3pb.co.uk
‘The Employment Appeal Tribunal has overturned a ruling that a law firm was entitled to fire a partner who was accused of “topping up” legal aid fees with cash from a client’s father.’
Legal Futures, 7th August 2020
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘In Tindall v Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police [2020] EWHC 837 (QB) — available on Westlaw but not yet Bailii or the ICLR, the courts have again demonstrated a reluctance to strike-out a police negligence claim. This shows the difficulty of trying to show whether the police have positively created a danger / made it worse or merely refrained from protecting someone. A claim against the police for negligence will usually arise in the first instance but not, subject to exceptions, the second.’
UK Police Law Blog, 4th August 2020
Source: ukpolicelawblog.com
‘Most councillors work with tireless dedication to provide, promote and lead best-quality and responsive local services in their areas. But for their pains they can often be subject to rude abuse. Even Samuel Pepys, writing on 17 March 1662, recorded his Lord Mayor as “a talking, bragging Bufflehead” (blockhead) and was “confident there is no man almost in the City cares a turd for him”. On the other hand, the dark ghost of “Donnygate” haunts public perceptions of council members’ conduct. On 13 March 2002, the Guardian reported that: “The worst local government corruption case since the Poulson scandal of the 1970s ended yesterday” when former Doncaster planning chairman, Peter Birks, was imprisoned for four years and two former council leaders and two former mayors were among 21 councillors convicted of fraud.’
Law Society's Gazette, 3rd August 2020
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘A decorated former police chief has won two key battles in her fight to overturn her conviction for possessing a child abuse video and get her job back, the Guardian has learned.’
The Guardian, 2nd August 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The family of a man Tasered in his own home are considering suing Scotland Yard after the police watchdog said it had not exonerated officers involved in the case – despite the Metropolitan police claiming it had done so.’
The Guardian, 16th July 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Scotland Yard is investigating one of its former undercover officers over allegations he incited an animal rights activist to commit illegal acts that resulted in him being jailed for four years.’
The Guardian, 15th July 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘A police watchdog has begun an appeal after failing to bring misconduct proceedings against a specialist firearms officer who shot and killed a man while trying to foil an attempt to snatch two prisoners from a prison van.’
The Guardian, 7th July 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The Chief Constable of West Midlands Police has successfully challenged a misconduct hearing panel’s decision to impose a Final Written Warning (FWW), after an officer made racist remarks about a fellow officer: R (Chief Constable of West Midlands Police) v Panel Chair, Police Misconduct Panel [2020] EWHC 1400 (Admin). The decision confirms that the High Court will be prepared to intervene where panels fail to follow the College of Policing’s Guidance on Outcomes, and that misconduct involving discrimination will be treated especially seriously.’
UK Police Law Blog, 3rd July 2020
Source: ukpolicelawblog.com
© Inner Temple Library 2020