Inheritance tax: Rules on gifts to loved ones ‘should be simplified’ – BBC News

Posted July 8th, 2019 in inheritance tax, news, statistics, taxation by sally

‘Fewer people should have to pay tax on gifts given just before death, under proposals for a major overhaul of the inheritance tax system.’

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BBC News, 5th July 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK slavery network ‘had 400 victims’ – BBC News

‘Members of a gang behind the biggest modern-day slavery network ever exposed in the UK have been jailed.’

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BBC News, 5th July 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Governments and firms in 28 countries sued over climate crisis – report – The Guardian

‘Climate action lawsuits against governments and corporations have spread across 28 countries, according to a new analysis.’

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The Guardian, 4th July 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Police face calls to end use of facial recognition software – The Guardian

‘Police are facing calls to halt the use of facial recognition software to search for suspected criminals in public after independent analysis found matches were only correct in a fifth of cases and the system was likely to break human rights laws.’

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The Guardian, 3rd July 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

White students still way out ahead in race for pupillages – Legal Futures

‘White students are significantly more likely to obtain pupillage than those from BAME backgrounds, with the gap widest among those who have not achieved the highest results, new figures have shown.’

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Legal Futures, 4th July 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Inside the 21st-century British criminal underworld – The Guardian

‘There are almost 5,000 criminal gangs in the UK. But the old family firms are gone – today’s big players are multinational, diversified and tech-savvy.’

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The Guardian, 4th July 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Custody fights blight four in ten break ups’ – A word of caution? – Transparency Project

Posted July 3rd, 2019 in children, custody, divorce, news, statistics by sally

‘At the beginning of May various news reports claimed that the number of separating couples going to court to resolve disputes about their children was 4 times higher than previously believed. See for example the Mail Online story, Custody fights blight four in ten break ups as 50,000 former couples battle in court rooms every year reporting new figures showing almost 4 out of 10 (38%) separating couples need the assistance of the court rather than 1 in 10 (10%), revealing “a large pool of hidden misery among broken families”.’

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Transparency Project, 2nd July 2019

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

‘Councils Cannot Blame Funding For Special Educational Needs Failures’, High Court Told – Rights Info

‘A lack of funding gives councils “no excuse” for failing to meet their legal duty to children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), a court has heard.’

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Rights Info, 27th June 2019

Source: rightsinfo.org

Transgender hate crimes recorded by police go up 81% – BBC News

Posted June 27th, 2019 in hate crime, news, police, statistics, transgender persons by sally

‘The number of transgender hate crimes recorded by police forces in England, Scotland and Wales has risen by 81%, latest figures suggest.’

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BBC News, 27th June 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

JusticeWatch: Growing ‘justice gap’ in discrimination cases – Legal Voice

‘Victims of discrimination were being denied access to justice and offenders going unchallenged as a result of a ‘failing’ legal aid system, as reported in the Justice Gap.’

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Legal Voice, 21st June 2019

Source: legalvoice.org.uk

SDT president: Concerns over civil standard of proof “misplaced” – Legal Futures

‘Concerns over the decision of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) to move from the criminal to the civil standard of proof are “misplaced”, the tribunal’s president has said.’

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Legal Futures, 26th June 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Worst animal cruelty cases to get higher jail terms – BBC News

Posted June 26th, 2019 in animal cruelty, bills, consultations, news, police, sentencing, statistics by sally

‘People found guilty of the worst cases of animal cruelty will face up to five years in prison under a new law proposed for England and Wales.’

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BBC News, 26th June 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

NHS pays firms £181m to care for patients with serious mental illness – The Guardian

Posted June 26th, 2019 in budgets, contracting out, mental health, news, statistics by sally

‘The NHS is paying private firms an “eye-watering” £181m a year to look after people with serious mental health problems in units often hundreds of miles from their homes.’

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The Guardian, 25th June 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

England and Wales jail ‘shameful’ numbers of people, says report – The Guardian

Posted June 24th, 2019 in contracting out, news, prisons, probation, recidivists, rehabilitation, statistics by sally

‘More people are being sent to prison in England and Wales every year than anywhere else in western Europe, figures described as “shameful” suggest.’

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The Guardian, 24th June 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Dozens of army instructors have been ‘accused of abusing recruits since 2015’, new figures reveal – Daily Telegraph

‘More than 100 Army instructors have been court-martialled or disciplined in the last four years for offences including abusing recruits, it has been reported.’

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd June 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

MPs demand prosecutors reverse ‘covert change’ causing plummeting rape charges – The Independent

‘MPs are calling on authorities to reverse a “covert change in policy” on rape cases amid plummeting prosecutions. Only 1.7 per cent of rapes reported to police in England and Wales now result in a charge, and victims have accused authorities of “decriminalising” sex attacks.’

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The Independent, 23rd June 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

John Worboys pleads guilty to sex drug attacks – BBC News

Posted June 20th, 2019 in drug offences, guilty pleas, news, parole, sexual offences, statistics, taxis by sally

‘”Black cab rapist” John Worboys has admitted attacks on four more women.’

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BBC News, 20th June 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Lifeline’ community treatment pilots to steer offenders away from crime – Ministry of Justice

‘Vulnerable offenders will be offered targeted treatment under new plans designed to boost rehabilitation and reduce reoffending.’

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Ministry of Justice, 20th June 2019

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

NHS workers including nurses and cleaners raped and groped at work, finds new report – The Independent

‘NHS workers including nurses and cleaners have suffered “serious” sexual harassment in the workplace, including groping and rape, a new report has found.’

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The Independent, 20th June 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Legal challenge launched against decision not to prosecute man who filmed woman naked – The Independent

‘Campaigners have launched a judicial review to challenge the decision not to prosecute a man who secretly filmed a sleeping naked woman.’

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The Independent, 18th June 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk