‘The Conservative ex-MP Charlie Elphicke is facing jail after being found guilty of three counts of sexual assault against two women in a verdict that prompted his wife – who represents his former constituency – to announce the end of their marriage.’
The Guardian, 30th July 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The grime artist Solo 45, whose real name is Andy Anokye, has been jailed for 24 years for holding four women against their will and raping them repeatedly.’
The Guardian, 30th July 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Rape prosecutions and convictions have halved in three years, prompting concerns that the offence is effectively being decriminalised. These are some of the challenges rape victims face in getting their cases to court.’
The Guardian, 30th July 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The Crown Prosecution Service has faced a barrage of criticism after rape convictions in England and Wales fell to a record low, with police publicly censuring its charging policies and a judge paving the way for a landmark legal challenge.’
The Guardian, 30th July 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘In a judgment handed down on 1 April 2020, the Supreme Court reversed the decisions of Nicola Davies J (as she then was) and a unanimous Court of Appeal, allowing the appeal on the ground that no vicarious liability can lie for the acts of an independent contractor: Barclays Bank plc v Various Claimants (“Barclays”).’
UK Human Rights Blog, 28th July 2020
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
‘In Sutherland v Her Majesty’s Advocate, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that it was compatible with the accused person’s rights under ECHR article 8 to use evidence obtained by “paedophile hunter” (“PH”) groups in a criminal trial.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 21st July 2020
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
‘Fewer than one in 70 recorded rapes resulted in a charge last year, as tens of thousands of victims did not support demands from police and prosecutors and withdrew from the process.’
The Guardian, 17th July 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Official figures show 900 women were forced to disclose that their child was conceived as a result of rape to claim social security help under the government’s two-child cap on benefits.’
The Guardian, 17th July 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘A “sexual predator” who targeted women and girls in their own homes at night has been jailed for 15 years.’
BBC News, 15th July 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘”Paedophile hunters” do not violate the right to privacy, the Supreme Court has ruled while dismissing a convict’s appeal.
Mark Sutherland was convicted after communicating with a member of an activist group, who he believed to be a 13-year-old boy. He appealed his conviction, arguing that his right to a private life and correspondence, enshrined in Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Delivering the Supreme Court’s ruling on Wednesday, Lord Sales said the appeal had been “unanimously dismissed”.’
The Independent, 15th July 2020
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘You are the witness to or the victim of a crime. The police officer says that they need you to hand over your mobile phone. The officer says it will be examined and all of the contents may be downloaded. The officer cannot say when you will get your phone back. There is a long backlog of phones waiting to be downloaded, it could be a couple of months. It’s your phone, you really rely upon it. Like most people, your average screen time has rocketed during lockdown. There is so much detailed and very personal information on that phone. You ask the officer, ‘Do you really need to take my phone?’ You are very reluctant to hand it over. The officer says, if you do not hand it over the case probably will not go any further. Discussions like this take place every day across the United Kingdom.’
Broadway House Chambers, 29th June 2020
Source: broadwayhouse.co.uk
‘This month’s newsletter comprises articles from:
Nigel Edwards Q.C. and Daniel Walker– “Sentencing Serious Violent and Sexual Offenders”;
Ayesha Smart and Nigel Edwards Q.C. – “Section 13(1) Terrorism Act 2000 offences- are they strict liability?”;
Sharmila Salvi – “Second Post Mortem Examinations – The Defence Position”;
Andrew Kerr – “Adverse Inferences”; and
Rabia Mir – “How High Fiving Police Officers Turned Off a Jury”.’
33 Bedford Row, 6th July 2020
Source: www.33bedfordrow.co.uk
‘The recent case of R v Smith [2020] EWCA Crim 777 highlighted just how important the Criminal Procedure Rules are, and how, despite the pressures that practitioners face, they must be complied with to deal with any disputes surrounding evidence or procedure that may arise.’
Broadway House Chambers, 29th June 2020
Source: broadwayhouse.co.uk
‘The former Labour MP Eric Joyce is facing a prison sentence and has been ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register after he admitted to making an indecent image of a child.’
The Guardian, 7th July 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Significant failings by prison and probation staff, and a policy of not recalling high risk prisoners to alleviate pressure on a growing prison population, saw serial rapist Joseph McCann mistakenly freed from jail to attack 11 women and children, a review has found.’
The Guardian, 30th June 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘A survivors’ group has secured a total of more than £46m compensation for 1,340 people who suffered “horrific” abuse in children’s care homes that were infiltrated by paedophiles over several decades.’
The Guardian, 25th June 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘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.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 19th June 2020
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
‘A 19-year-old woman from Barrow accused of making up allegations of sexual exploitation against five men may not stand trial until August 2021 because of legal delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic.’
The Guardian, 19th June 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
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