Solicitor faked court documents to mislead client – Legal Futures

‘A solicitor has been struck off for falsifying court documents to make a client think his application to extend his leave to remain in the UK had been made before the leave had expired.’

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Legal Futures, 22nd June 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Suspension suffices for doctor’s online sexual misconduct – UK Human Rights Blog

‘GMC v Awan concerns a GP’s sexually motivated online chat with someone posing as 13 year old child. The GMC’s appeal under section 40A of the Medical Act 1983 was dismissed by Mostyn J and the 9-month suspension imposed by the Tribunal was upheld.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 19th June 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

GMC can investigate solicitor doctor over legal advice – Legal Futures

‘A claim that a solicitor who is also a doctor provided dishonest advice to his clients can be subject to the General Medical Council’s (GMC) disciplinary process, the High Court has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 15th June 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Racism campaigners call for police watchdog to be abolished – The Guardian

‘Black families in the UK whose loved ones have died in incidents involving the police have called for the abolition of the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which investigates the police, and the immediate suspension of officers involved in deaths as part of a new plan to address systemic racism and unlawful killings.’

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The Guardian, 14th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

There have been no successful prosecutions for deaths in British police custody since 1969 – here’s why – The Guardian

‘Black people account for 3% of the population, but 8% of deaths in custody. As a former chief prosecutor, I know this is only the end point of a system that disproportionately suspects, arrests, convicts and imprisons BAME people.’

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The Guardian, 11th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Commercial Court dislikes pre-action disclosure in prof neg claims: even in mega-auditor’s negligence action – Hailsham Chambers

‘In Carillion v KPMG, the liquidators of this once substantial company sought pre-action disclosure from its former auditors. They intend to bring professional negligence proceedings for not detecting that the financial statements were unreliable. The Commercial Court refused the application. One might think that given auditors’ negligence claims in large part turn on professional judgment as to the audit procedures performed, the evidence obtained and the conclusions drawn, clear sight of the materials produced and relied on by the auditors would enable better focussed pleadings. Nonetheless the Commercial Court refused the application (which had admittedly spun into a substantial hearing with apparently more than £500,000 costs on each side). It pointed out that generally such applications were unlikely to succeed in Commercial Court cases and on the facts was not appropriate. The Judge seems to have been most impressed by the fact that Carillion had been able to articulate a detailed case in negligence already, rendering pre-action disclosure perhaps redundant and likely to be duplicated when it came to conventional disclosure.’

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Hailsham Chambers, June 2020

Source: www.hailshamchambers.com

Mark Duggan police shooting: can forensic tech cast doubt on official report – The Guardian

‘The police shooting of Mark Duggan is a highly contentious case that has been widely cited by Black Lives Matter protesters in the UK.’

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The Guardian, 10th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Changing contractual terms (or not!) in a TUPE Transfer – Ferguson and ors v Astrea Asset Management Ltd [2020] UKEAT0139/19 – 3PB

‘This was EAT decision involving 4 individuals – Mr F, Mr K, Mr L and Mr P. They were all directors of Lancer; Mr F and Mr K were employees of that company, and Mr L and Mr P were employed by companies which contracted their services to Lancer.’

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3PB, 2nd June 2020

Source: www.3pb.co.uk

Riley Siswick death: Senior detective cleared over toddler murder inquiry – BBC News

‘An “exceptional” senior detective has been cleared of allegations he failed to conduct a thorough investigation into the death of a three-year-old boy.’

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BBC News, 5th June 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Mike Gordon: Dominic Cummings and the Accountability of Special Advisers – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘It is far from new for the conduct of Dominic Cummings to be a matter of political controversy. The man who is Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s current chief adviser was the Campaign Director of Vote Leave during the 2016 Brexit referendum, an organisation which was subsequently investigated by the Electoral Commission and fined for breaking electoral spending limits. Cummings has been held in contempt of Parliament, for refusing to attend a session of the House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee into ‘Disinformation and “Fake News”’, examining issues raised during the referendum campaign about data use and targeted political advertising. And he is widely believed to have been a key architect of the Prime Minister’s unlawful attempt to prorogue Parliament for five weeks in September 2019, in an undemocratic attempt to subvert an intransigent and hostile legislature at a key moment in the planned process of exiting the EU.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 3rd June 2020

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Professional Regulation – Case Comment: Caroline Reilly V Teaching Regulation Agency and Secretary of State for Education (2020) EWHC 1188 (Admin) – Park Square Barristers

‘The appellant was the head teacher of a primary school in the West Midlands. She was dismissed from her post in July 2011 following disciplinary proceedings which arose in consequence of her failure to disclose the fact of her personal relationship with a man who had been convicted of offences involving the making and possessing of indecent images of children.’

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Park Square Barristers, 15th May 2020

Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk

Roberts Case Summary – No. 5 Chambers

‘The name of this case may seem familiar; perhaps too familiar given the time it usually takes for matters to proceed through our court system. However, you’d be right. This is the third preliminary issue in the matter of Harry Roberts (a minor and a protected party by his mother and litigation friend Mrs Lauren Roberts) v Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (1), Ministry of Defence (2) and Allegemeines Krankenhaus Viersen GMBH (3) [2020] EWHC 994 (QB) to be determined by the High Court and the second in less than twelve months.’

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No. 5 Chambers, 18th May 2020

Source: www.no5.com

Solicitor and firm sanctioned over property work – Legal Futures

‘A law firm earned some £800,000 in fees on three failed property development schemes as well as ‘quick sale’ conveyancing where it acted for both sides, a tribunal has heard.’

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Legal Futures, 1st June 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

BSB to review rules on barristers’ conduct outside practice – BBC News

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) is to review its approach to policing barristers’ conduct outside of practice, Legal Futures can reveal.’

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Legal Futures, 28th May 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Jaden Moodie: ‘Chances missed’ to protect boy groomed by dealers – BBC News

‘A boy who was “butchered” in a drugs turf war after being groomed by drug dealers had been arrested in a crack den months earlier but police did not contact child exploitation staff, a report has found.’

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BBC News, 26th May 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Anthony Grainger shooting: Body cameras to be worn by all armed officers – BBC News

Posted May 20th, 2020 in firearms, inquiries, news, police, professional conduct, video recordings by sally

‘Body cameras must now be worn by all specialist firearms officers after a man was shot dead by police.’

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BBC News, 19th May 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Reilly v Secretary of State for Education – Blackstone Chambers

‘This decision exemplifies the stricter approach the courts are now taking in disciplinary cases where the regulated person fails to attend a hearing.’

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Blackstone Chambers, 13th May 2020

Source: www.blackstonechambers.com

Avoid frame-by-frame analysis of fast moving events and discussion of evidence in front of officers – UK Police Law Blog

‘In Goodenough v Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police [2020] EWHC 695 (QB), the High Court, Turner J, considered a claim for damages brought by Robin Goodenough’s mother and sister. The claims arose out of Mr Goodenough’s death on 27 September 2003 following a short car chase and traffic stop. The Claimants asserted that police officers had assaulted Mr Goodenough and that thereafter had been breaches of Article 2 of the Human Rights Act 1998. The case provides useful insights into the approach to be taken when conducting a judicial analysis of incidents such as this and may be relied upon by those arguing that an Art. 2 inquest is required in order to meet investigative short comings.’

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UK Police Law Blog, 12th May 2020

Source: ukpolicelawblog.com

Police urged to justify use of stun guns against black men – The Guardian

‘The Metropolitan police and the Greater Manchester force have been urged to make clear whether or not the use of stun guns against black men by officers this week was proportionate and reasonable.’

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The Guardian, 10th May 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK prison officers punching compliant inmates, report says – The Guardian

‘Prison officers are allegedly punching compliant inmates who they suspect might misbehave in the future in a practice known as “preventive strikes”, a European human rights watchdog has said in a damning report on the state of jails in England.’

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The Guardian, 30th April 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com