Category: public interest

NSA leaks: David Cameron’s response is intimidation, says world press body – The Guardian

Posted August 27th, 2013 in documents, freedom of expression, government departments, intelligence services, intimidation, media, news, public interest, terrorism, whistleblowers by sally

“David Cameron has been told that the government’s attempt to destroy sensitive leaked documents about mass surveillance was ‘an act of intimidation’ that risks a chilling effect on press freedom. The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) has written to the prime minister over the government’s ‘deeply regrettable’ response to files leaked by the National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden.”

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The Guardian, 26th August 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

IPCC wrong not to investigate us over Stephen Lawrence, say police – The Independent

Posted August 7th, 2013 in complaints, inquiries, intelligence services, news, police, professional conduct, public interest, witnesses by sally

“A police force that asked for intelligence on witnesses giving evidence to the public inquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence has criticised a watchdog for refusing to hold an investigation into the spying row.”

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The Independent, 6th August 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Media influence on law reform – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted July 31st, 2013 in constitutional reform, EC law, media, news, public interest by sally

“It is clear that public opinion affects law reform. MPs are democratically elected and thus to become elected MPs are naturally influenced by the will of the public. As legislation is put forward and created by those influenced by public opinion, there is no doubt that this has a significant influence on the development of legislation.”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 30th July 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Construction industry disputes – Panopticon

Posted July 26th, 2013 in confidentiality, construction industry, contracts, local government, news, public interest by sally

“The balance of public interest was ‘very strongly’ in favour of maintaining the confidentiality of documents in order to “protect the course of justice” both in Jackson v Info Commissioner, EA 2012/0263, FTT Decision on 19 July 2013, and in ‘many other such disputes’ said Judge Hughes. The value of the disclosure of the material was limited. The adverse impact of disclosure on dispute resolution was substantial. Judge Hughes concluded: ‘If there were to be change in the arrangements underpinning construction dispute resolution then this should be explored through a careful process of public debate and consultation leading to an amendment of the statutory framework.'”

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Panopticon, 26th July 2013

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

20 law firms implicated in ‘secret’ phone hacking scandal – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 26th, 2013 in confidentiality, disclosure, interception, law firms, news, private investigators, public interest, reports, select committees, telecommunications by sally

“Lawyers were the biggest users of the private investigators behind the ‘secret’ phone-hacking scandal, it has been revealed.”

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Daily Telegraph, 26th July 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Chris Huhne loses complaint against five newspapers over prison photos – The Guardian

Posted July 19th, 2013 in complaints, media, news, photography, privacy, public interest by sally

“The Press Complaints Commission has dismissed complaints from Liberal Democrat MP Chris Huhne and his partner Carina Trimingham levelled against five national newspapers over photographs of the pair at Leyhill prison.”

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The Guardian, 18th July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Global Torch Ltd v Apex Global Management Ltd and others; Apex Global Management Ltd v Fi Call Ltd and others – WLR Daily

Posted July 15th, 2013 in documents, freedom of expression, human rights, law reports, news, privacy, private hearings, public interest by sally

Global Torch Ltd v Apex Global Management Ltd and others; Apex Global Management Ltd v Fi Call Ltd and others [2013] EWCA Civ 819; [2013] WLR (D) 276

“The court would only depart from open justice if strictly necessary. An application to depart from the principle of open justice would fall to be decided by reference to established principles, whether the proceedings were at an interim or final stage. A significant erosion of the open justice principle could not be justified where adequate protection existed in the form of vindication of the innocent through the judicial process to trial. The public airing of allegations which might embarrass a litigant was not a good reason to close the doors of the court.”

WLR Daily, 10th July 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Regina (Sturnham) v Parole Board and another (No 2) – WLR Daily

Posted July 12th, 2013 in appeals, imprisonment, judicial review, law reports, parole, public interest, recidivists, release on licence, sentencing, Supreme Court by sally

Regina (Sturnham) v Parole Board and another (No 2): [2013] UKSC 47;   [2013] WLR (D)  274

“The statutory provisions relating to sentences of imprisonment for public protection involved a higher threshold for the imposition of such sentences than for continued detention after the expiry of a prisoner’s minimum term.”

WLR Daily, 3rd July 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Anonymity: publication and open justice – Panopticon

Posted July 11th, 2013 in anonymity, civil justice, data protection, disclosure, freedom of information, news, privacy, public interest by sally

“The tension between transparency and individual privacy is part of what makes information rights such a fascinating and important area. When it comes to high-public interest issues involving particular individuals, prevailing wisdom has tended to be something like this: say as much as possible on an open basis, but redact and anonymise so as to protect the identity of the individuals involved. Increasingly, however, transparency is outmuscling privacy. See for example my post about the Tribunal’s order of disclosure, in the FOIA context, of the details of the compensation package of a Chief Executive of an NHS Trust (the case of Dicker v IC (EA/2012/0250).”

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Panopticon, 11th July 2013

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

R (on the application of Sturnham) No 2 (Appellant) v The Parole Board of England and Wales and another (Respondents) – Supreme Court

Posted July 8th, 2013 in appeals, homicide, imprisonment, judicial review, law reports, parole, public interest, recidivists, Supreme Court by sally

R (on the application of Sturnham) No 2 (Appellant) v The Parole Board of England and Wales and another (Respondents) [2013] UKSC 46 | UKSC 2013/0152 (YouTube)

Supreme Court, 3rd July 2013

Source: www.youtube.com/user/UKSupremeCourt

Two Upper Tribunal decisions – Panopticon

Posted July 5th, 2013 in appeals, disclosure, freedom of information, news, public interest, reasons, tribunals by sally

“The Upper Tribunal has handed down two decisions on Iraq and section 27 FOIA, which raise some interesting procedural points – FCO v Information Commissioner and Plowden GIA/2474/2012 and Cabinet Office and Information Commissioner v Muttitt GIA/0957/2012.”

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Panopticon, 2nd July 2013

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

Whistleblowers: Is a change in the law enough to protect them – and us? – The Independent

Posted July 4th, 2013 in banking, health, news, public interest, reports, whistleblowers by sally

“As a lawyer acting for whistleblowers, I have been struck by the common message emerging from the public inquiries into scandals across very different sectors.”

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The Independent, 3rd July 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘Canoe man’ email hack was a warranted invasion of privacy, rules Ofcom – OUT-LAW.com

Posted July 3rd, 2013 in electronic mail, interception, media, news, privacy, public interest by sally

“Sky has avoided regulatory action over its admission that it hacked into emails belonging to a man who faked his own death and those belonging to his wife.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 2nd July 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Sky News cleared over ‘canoe man’ email hacking – The Guardian

Posted July 1st, 2013 in computer crime, interception, media, news, privacy, public interest by sally

“BSkyB has been cleared of breaking the broadcasting code for hacking the emails belonging to John Darwin, the ‘canoe man’ accused of faking his own death, following an investigation by Ofcom.”

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The Guardian, 1st July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Whistleblowing: is new ‘public interest’ test a good thing? – The Guardian

Posted June 25th, 2013 in employment, news, public interest, whistleblowers by sally

“In the wake of the Edward Snowden disclosures, some fear that changes to UK whistleblowing laws could discourage those here wanting to spill the beans.”

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The Guardian, 25th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Free speech rights should influence CPS decisions on whether to prosecute over social media communications, says guidance – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 24th, 2013 in Crown Prosecution Service, freedom of expression, internet, malicious communications, news, proportionality, prosecutions, public interest by sally

“Prosecutors should be mindful of observing individuals’ rights to free speech when deciding whether to initiate legal action against them over grossly offensive, indecent, obscene or false comments made on social media, according to new guidelines.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 21st June 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Owners could face court if dog bites child fetching a ball – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 24th, 2013 in children, Crown Prosecution Service, dogs, government departments, news, prosecutions, public interest by sally

“Home owners have been warned that they could face prosecution if their dog scares a child that strays into their garden to retrieve a football.”

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Daily Telegraph, 24th June 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Extending Police Retention of Biometric Material – Criminal Law and Justice Weekly

Posted June 17th, 2013 in consultations, data protection, news, police, privacy, proportionality, public interest by sally

“The first Biometrics Commissioner, Mr Alastair MacGregor QC, has issued a consultation paper asking for views about how he should act in relation to the retention and use of biometric material obtained from persons who have been arrested but not charged.”

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Criminal Law and Justice Weekly, 15th June 2013

Source: www.criminallawandjustice.co.uk

Incomplete information and the right to know: Climategate’s long tail – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted June 10th, 2013 in disclosure, freedom of information, news, public interest, tribunals, universities by sally

“These are the latest in a series of freedom of information requests for disclosure of material from the UEA’s Climatic Research Unit (CRU). These requests arose following the ‘climategate’ affair where hacked university emails suggested that individuals within CRU might have attempted to abuse the process of peer review to prevent publication of opposing research papers and evidence. Hence the sensitivity of the data to both requester and CRU, and the passions engendered on these appeals.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 10th June 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Attorney general joins calls for police to confirm names in ‘secret arrests’ – The Guardian

Posted June 6th, 2013 in anonymity, attorney general, media, news, police, privacy, public interest by sally

“The attorney general, Dominic Grieve, has intervened in the debate over so-called secret arrests and said police should confirm the name of a suspect if they have been correctly identified by the media.”

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The Guardian, 4th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk