Police should visit burglary victims, crime minister says – BBC News

Posted September 16th, 2015 in budgets, burglary, consultations, drug offences, news, police, statistics, victims by sally

‘Police officers should always attend the homes of burglary victims, the crime minister has said. Mike Penning said he disagreed with comments by the head of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, who said the public should not expect to see an officer after a break-in.’

Full story

BBC News, 15th September 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Syria drone strikes: UK attorney general refuses to disclose advice – The Guardian

‘The attorney general has refused to disclose his advice about the legality of RAF drone strikes in Syria, citing collective cabinet responsibility and the need for law officers to give “full and frank” opinions.’

Full story

The Guardian, 16th September 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Broadmoor Hospital inspection reveals ‘urgent’ changes required – BBC News

‘Broadmoor Hospital has been told to make urgent changes after a report which highlighted the “overuse” of face-down restraints on patients. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated the high-security hospital in Berkshire “inadequate” after an inspection.’

Full story

BBC News, 16th September 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Employed barristers need specialist training in “persuasive advocacy” beyond the courtroom – Legal Futures

Posted September 14th, 2015 in advocacy, barristers, dispute resolution, employment, legal education, news, statistics by sally

‘The needs of employed barristers should not be ignored and “second class citizenship” should “by now be a myth”, a former Crown prosecutor has said.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 14th September 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Demand for free help almost doubles since cuts to legal aid – The Guardian

‘The number of applications for legal assistance received by the Bar Pro Bono Unit has almost doubled over the past three years since widespread cuts to civil legal aid were introduced.’

Full story

The Guardian, 13th September 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Knife possession: Number of offenders jailed rises – BBC News

Posted September 11th, 2015 in news, offensive weapons, sentencing, statistics by sally

‘The number of people jailed in England and Wales for carrying knives has risen, the Ministry of Justice says. At the end of June, 546 people were in jail for possessing an offensive weapon – 40% more compared with last year.’

Full story

BBC News, 10th September 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

School sex crime reports in UK top 5,500 in three years – BBC News

‘More than 5,500 alleged sex crimes in UK schools were reported to police in the last three years, BBC figures show.’

Full story

BBC News, 6th September 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Crime would fall if jail population was halved, says penal reform charity – The Independent

Posted September 7th, 2015 in charities, news, parole, prisons, sentencing, statistics, women by sally

‘Billions of pounds would be saved and crime would fall if the prison population were slashed by more than half, a penal reform charity claims.’

Full story

The Independent, 7th September 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Colin Pitchfork parole hearing: How to assess a killer’s risk – BBC News

Posted September 7th, 2015 in DNA, mental health, murder, news, recidivists, rehabilitation, sexual offences, statistics by sally

‘Thirty years ago, brutal child killer Colin Pitchfork became the first person to be convicted using DNA profiling.’

Full story

BBC News, 6th September 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Charities back tough fundraising rules to protect vulnerable donors – The Guardian

Posted September 7th, 2015 in budgets, charities, complaints, elderly, fines, harassment, news, select committees, statistics by sally

‘Britain’s top charities have pledged support for proposed tough new rules aimed at preventing the use of aggressive fundraising techniques to target vulnerable and elderly donors after a series of scandals over the summer.’

Full story

The Guardian, 6th September 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Magistrates’ warning as court delays create ‘postcode lottery’ – BBC News

Posted September 7th, 2015 in budgets, courts, delay, magistrates, news, statistics, victims, witnesses by sally

‘Magistrates have warned the criminal justice system is “on the cusp” of breaking down amid growing delays, court closures and funding cuts.’

Full story

BBC News, 7th September 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Patrick O’Brien: Judges and Select Committees: A Developing Accountability Culture – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted September 7th, 2015 in evidence, inquiries, judges, news, select committees, statistics by sally

‘When is a judge not a judge? Lady Justice Hallett carried out a public inquiry into the ‘On the runs’ scheme in 2014. In its report on the same issue in March 2015 the Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee commented rather sternly that

“we chose not to summon Lady Justice Hallett to attend, but we consider it to be a regrettable discourtesy to Parliament that she declined our initial invitation to give evidence to the Committee, especially as she had not acted in a judicial capacity when carrying out her review. [at para. 11]”‘

Full story

UK Constitutional Law Association, 7th September 2015

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

Hate crimes against Muslims in London ‘up by 70%’, police figures show – The Independent

Posted September 7th, 2015 in hate crime, Islam, London, news, racism, religious discrimination, statistics, women by sally

‘London’s Muslims have faced a 70% increase in Islamophobic attacks over the past year, according to figures from the Metropolitan Police.’

Full story

The Independent, 7th September 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Over 40% of medical negligence cases take two or more years to settle, research reveals – Litigation Futures

‘It takes two years or more for 42% of medical negligence cases to settle or for damages to be awarded by the courts, research by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) has revealed.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 4th September 2015

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Right to Rent – just how bad is it? – Nearly Legal

‘We though it would be bad. And thanks to the JCWI, we can now have an evidence based stab at an answer. JCWI co-ordinated an evaluation of the West Midlands pilot of ‘Right to Rent’ and have published the report.’

Full story

Nearly Legal, 3rd September 2015

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Finance & Divorce Update – Family Law Week

‘Edward Heaton, Principal Associate and Jane Booth, Associate, both of Mills & Reeve LLP analyse the news and case law relating to financial remedies and divorce during July 2015.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 15th August 2015

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Rise in divorce cases signals mediation failure – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 26th, 2015 in dispute resolution, divorce, news, statistics by sally

‘A continuing rise in the number of new private law cases could signal that not enough divorcing couples are being channelled towards mediation, family law organisation Resolution has said.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 24th August 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

63 sex offenders back in jail after lie detector tests – Daily Telegraph

‘Paedophiles and rapists are caught out breaking the terms of their release from prison after undergoing new polygraph tests, Ministry of Justice figures show.’
Full story

Daily Telegraph, 22nd August 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Slavery: How women’s key role in abolition has yet to receive the attention it deserves – The Independent

‘The journey of Mary Prince from the salt ponds of Bermuda to a cause célèbre in early 19th-century Britain came at unbearable personal cost. Torn from her family in a slave auction and routinely beaten while naked, she was brought to England by her owners after years of brutality on Caribbean plantations.’

Full story

The Independent, 23rd August 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Rotherham abuse: ‘Fraction’ of victims have sought help – BBC News

Posted August 24th, 2015 in child abuse, local government, news, police, statistics, victims by sally

‘A fraction of the hundreds of victims of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham have sought help, according to a lawyer for some of the survivors.’

Full story

BBC News, 24th August 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk