‘Urgent review’ of appropriate adults needed – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 27th, 2015 in learning difficulties, mental health, news, reports by sally

‘Solicitors have urged the government to review, as a matter of urgency, the provision of appropriate adults (AA) for mentally vulnerable detainees in police stations after a report published today highlighted ‘significant shortcomings’.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 26th August 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Chilcot defends long-delayed Iraq inquiry – but sets no date for publication – The Guardian

Posted August 27th, 2015 in armed forces, delay, inquiries, Iraq, news, reports by sally

‘Sir John Chilcot mounted a robust defence of his embattled Iraq war inquiry, prompting families of those who lost relatives in the conflict to make a renewed threat of legal action to accelerate its publication.’

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The Guardian, 26th August 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Inspection of family visit visa system: serious problems remain – Free Movement

Posted August 25th, 2015 in appeals, families, immigration, news, reports, visas by sally

‘The family visit visa system underwent an inspection by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration last month. The posts inspected were Abu Dhabi, Accra, Amman, Dhaka, Kingston, Manila, Nairobi, New Delhi, Croydon and Sheffield. The Inspector confidently declares that there is “no evidence that the removal of the full right of appeal from Family Visitor visa applicants had led to a higher refusal rate or to an overall reduction in decision quality.”’

Full story

Free Movement, 24th August 2015

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Chilcot report: Farce deepens as Downing Street is forced to rule out inquiry into the inquiry – The Independent

Posted August 25th, 2015 in delay, inquiries, Iraq, news, reports by sally

‘The farce over the long-awaited publication of John Chilcot’s report into the Iraq War has deepened after Downing Street was forced to rule out having an inquiry into the inquiry.’

Full story

The Independent, 24th August 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Number of most dangerous prisoners in special units doubles – report – The Guardian

Posted August 25th, 2015 in dangerous offenders, imprisonment, news, prisons, reports by sally

‘The number of the most dangerous male prisoners in England being held in a special “jail within a jail” system has doubled over the past decade, inspectors have revealed.’

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The Guardian, 25th August 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Wayne Scott report: Behaviour of police officer ‘unchallenged’ – BBC News

Posted August 20th, 2015 in complaints, news, police, professional conduct, reports, sexual offences by sally

‘The “degrading behaviour” of a police officer jailed for multiple rapes was allowed to “flourish” unchallenged, a report has found.’

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BBC News, 20th August 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Is taking drugs a human right? A cross-party group of MPs and peers think so – The Independent

‘Taking drugs is a human right, according to a cross-party group of MPs and peers who want to legalise the possession, purchase and growing of drugs.’

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The Independent, 19th August 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Retired High Court judge questions ‘inordinate’ Chilcot delay as Defence Secretary intervenes – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 18th, 2015 in delay, inquiries, Iraq, judges, news, reports by sally

‘The retired High Court judge Baroness Butler-Sloss has spoken out about the “inordinate” delay in publication of Sir John Chilcot’s inquiry into the Iraq war as Defence Secretary Michael Fallon also calls for report to be pushed through.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 18th August 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Twitter ‘snooping’ requests double in UK – BBC News

Posted August 13th, 2015 in internet, investigatory powers, news, police, privacy, reports by sally

‘Requests for Twitter users’ personal information more than doubled in the UK in 2015, according to the company’s latest transparency report.’

Full story

BBC News, 13th August 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BSB investigating 17 barristers at same chambers over complaints about behaviour towards pupils – Legal Futures

Posted August 13th, 2015 in barristers, complaints, news, pupillage, reports by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) is investigating 17 barristers at the same chambers over complaints about a ‘failure to act appropriately towards pupils’, it has emerged.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 13th August 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Urban criminal gangs setting up drug hotlines to expand operations into deprived seaside resorts, says National Crime Agency – The Independent

Posted August 13th, 2015 in drug offences, gangs, news, reports, young persons by sally

‘Urban criminal gangs are setting up dedicated drugs hotlines and using sophisticated marketing campaigns for a rapid expansion of their operations into deprived seaside resorts, the National Crime Agency have said.’
Full story

The Independent, 12th August 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Chilcot inquiry: soldiers’ families threaten legal action over delay – The Guardian

Posted August 13th, 2015 in armed forces, delay, inquiries, Iraq, judicial review, news, reports by sally

‘Families of soldiers killed during the Iraq war have have threatened legal action over the long-awaited Chilcot inquiry into the conflict if the report is not published by the end of the year.’
Full story

The Guardian, 13th August 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Rule committee bids to ease burden of costs management – Litigation Futures

Posted August 11th, 2015 in children, civil procedure rules, costs, news, reports by sally

‘Cases relating to children are to be excluded from the scope of costs management, the Civil Procedure Rule Committee (CPRC) has decided, while there will be new provisions to encourage agreement of budgets.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 10th August 2015,

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Councils have lost or misused private data thousands of times, says watchdog – The Guardian

Posted August 11th, 2015 in data protection, local government, news, privacy, reports by sally

‘Sensitive personal information has been lost or stolen in thousands of data breaches by councils, according to a study by privacy campaign group Big Brother Watch.’

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The Guardian, 11th August 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Council criticised over refusal of direct payments based on Working Time Regulations – Local Government Lawyer

‘A council has admitted wrongly using the Working Time Regulations to refuse the direct payments they assessed a young man as needing, following an investigation by the Local Government Ombudsman.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 6th August 2015

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

The BSB publishes Annual Report for 2014-15 – Bar Standards Board

Posted August 7th, 2015 in barristers, press releases, reports by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has now published its 2014-2015 Annual Report which outlines the significant progress it has made towards its strategic aims.’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 3rd August 2015

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Consultation and impact assessment on ending support for failed asylum seekers – Free Movement

Posted August 6th, 2015 in asylum, consultations, news, reports by sally

‘A consultation and impact assessment on the new panic proposals to remove asylum support for failed asylum seekers have been published. These reveal the details of the proposals.’

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Free Movement, 4th August 2015

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Witnesses to crimes are significantly less likely to trust the justice system, official research says – The Independent

Posted August 6th, 2015 in criminal justice, news, reports, witnesses by sally

‘People who have witnessed a crime are significantly less likely to trust the justice system than the rest of the public, according to new research published by the Government.’

Full story

The Independent, 5th August 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Decriminalising prostitution could reduce levels of rape and sex attacks, report says – The Independent

Posted August 6th, 2015 in crime, news, pornography, prostitution, rape, reports, sexual offences by sally

‘Prostitution should be fully decriminalised because attempts to control the sex trade are ineffective and a waste of money, an academic report published today argues.’

Full story

The Independent, 6th August 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Jayden Parkinson: Police officers face misconduct action – BBC News

Posted August 4th, 2015 in complaints, inquiries, news, police, professional conduct, reports by sally

‘Three police officers and a staff member are facing misconduct action over an inquiry into the disappearance of murdered teenager Jayden Parkinson.’

Full story

BBC News, 3rd August 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk