Human Rights Act must stay, says CPS director Keir Starmer – The Independent

“Repealing the Human Rights Act would be ‘retrograde step’ that would hurt the victims of crime and witnesses alike, the outgoing director of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has warned.”

Full story

The Independent, 13th September 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Artist Graham Ovenden jailed for two years for sexual abuse of children – The Guardian

“The renowned artist Graham Ovenden has been jailed for two years and three months for sexual offences against children, after the appeal court ruled that an earlier non-custodial sentence was ‘unduly lenient’.”

Full story

The Guardian, 9th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Tougher measures for sex offenders – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 10th, 2013 in bills, news, sentencing, sexual offences by tracey

” Currently, suspects must pose a risk of ‘serious harm’ to be handed one of the existing orders – but now the Home Office has proposed lowering the threshold to cover any kind of sexual harm. The new Sexual Risk Order will allow magistrates to impose a range of restrictions on suspected sex offenders, including banning them from travelling abroad, limiting their internet use and prohibiting them from being alone with a child.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 9th October 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Britain pays out millions to criminals after losing 202 human rights cases since 1998 – The Independent

“Britain has had to pay out £4.4 million in taxpayers’ money as a result of losing 202 cases at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg since 1998, figures from the House of Commons reveal.”

Full story

The Independent, 8th October 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Paedophile who received suspended jail term after prosecution branded 13-year-old victim ‘predatory’ to have sentence reviewed – The Independent

“A paedophile who received a suspended jail term after the prosecution branded his 13-year-old victim ‘predatory’ is having his sentence reviewed.”

Full story

The Independent, 8th October 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Can DNA Sample Requests Be a Breach of the ECHR? – Criminal Law and Justice Weekly

“Is requiring a convicted person to come in to give a DNA sample a breach of the ECHR? Michael Zander considers the first case to look at the question.”

Full story

Criminal Law and Justice Weekly, 5th October 2013

Source: www.criminallawandjustice.co.uk

Crime victims with mental illness ignored, research suggests – BBC News

“People with mental illnesses are three times more likely to be victims of crime than the general population, new research suggests.”

Full story

BBC News, 7th October 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Torbay hospital doctor jailed over secret photographs of female patients – The Guardian

“Junior doctor who sexually assaulted and secretly photographed female patients with his mobile phone during intimate examinations has been jailed for 18 months.”

Full story

The Guardian, 4th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ten men jailed over North Yorkshire girl’s sex exploitation – BBC News

“Ten men have been jailed after a 13-year-old girl from North Yorkshire was sexually exploited by 30 different attackers.”

Full story

BBC News, 3rd October 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Grayling to end automatic early release for child rape and terrorism convicts – The Guardian

Posted October 4th, 2013 in early release, news, rape, sexual offences, terrorism, violent offenders by sally

“Prisoners convicted of raping a child or of terrorism offences will no longer qualify for automatic release after serving half their sentence, the justice secretary, Chris Grayling, has announced.”

Full story

The Guardian, 4th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Chris Grayling: Simple cautions for serious offences to be scrapped – Ministry of Justice

“Criminals who commit serious offences will no longer receive just a ‘slap on the wrist’ Secretary of State for Justice Chris Grayling announced today in a radical overhaul of ‘simple’ cautions.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 30th September 2013

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Retiring magistrate warns of ‘dismay’ over soft justice – Daily Telegraph

“A magistrate who has retired after 25 years on the bench expressed his ‘dismay’ at the way courts have pandered towards rehabilitating criminals rather than punishing them.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 1st October 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Criticism over England sex offence cautions – BBC News

“At least 1,570 people were cautioned for sex offences across England in the past year, the BBC has learned.”

Full story

BBC News, 30th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Cautions to be scrapped for serious offenders, says Chris Grayling – The Guardian

“Serious offenders will no longer receive a mere ‘slap on the wrist’, the justice secretary has said, as he announced an overhaul of the cautions system.”

Full story

The Guardian, 29th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Facebook grooming case – Attorney General’s Office

“The Court of Appeal found that the 6 ½ yr sentence given to facebook groomer Husaini Master was unduly lenient and raised it to 9 yrs.”

Full story

Attorney General’s Office, 24th September 2013

Source: www.gov.uk/ago

HIV positive Simon Morris Jones abused three boys – BBC News

Posted September 27th, 2013 in child abuse, HIV, news, rape, sentencing, sexual offences by tracey

“A man who sexually abused three boys when he knew he was HIV positive, has been jailed for 10 years at Caernarfon Crown Court.”

Full story

BBC News, 26th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

General Medical Council too late with child sex abuse complaint, rules High Court – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted September 27th, 2013 in complaints, delay, disciplinary procedures, doctors, human rights, news, sexual offences by tracey

“The High Court has strongly affirmed the prohibition against the pursuit of long delayed complaints against doctors in regulatory proceedings. The prohibition arose from the General Medical Council’s own procedural rules. It applied even where the allegations were of the most serious kind, including sexual misconduct, and could only be waived in exceptional circumstances and where the public interest demanded. The burden was upon the GMC to establish a sufficiently compelling public interest where allegations had already been thoroughly investigated by the competent authorities such as the police and social services.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 26th September 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

No breach of privacy to request DNA sample from ex con – UK Human Rights Blog

“The High Court has ruled that it is not a breach of the right to private life to request DNA samples from those who were convicted of serious offences before it became commonplace to take samples for the production of DNA profiles for the investigation of crime.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 24th September 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Schoolboy rapist walks free despite failure to show remorse – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 25th, 2013 in child abuse, compensation, news, rape, sentencing, sexual offences, young offenders by sally

“A schoolboy who twice raped a six-year-old girl has walked free from court after being told to pay his victim £300, despite saying he felt no remorse for his actions.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 24th September 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Ex-prisoner fails to halt police DNA-collection programme – The Guardian

“A former prisoner has failed in a legal challenge that could have forced police to destroy thousands of DNA samples collected from those convicted of serious crimes before 1994.”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk