Legal aid cuts leave family courts in chaos, experts say – The Guardian

‘Cuts in legal aid are creating chaos in the family courts, according to legal experts, who warn that the resulting delays are having a serious impact on the children of warring parents.’

Full story

The Guardian, 29th March 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

TV licence fee evasion could be decriminalised – The Guardian

Posted March 24th, 2014 in bills, criminal justice, fees, licensing, media, news, prosecutions, statistics by sally

‘The government is to launch a formal review of the law that makes it a crime not to pay the TV licence, following a campaign led by backbench Conservative MPs.’

Full story

The Guardian, 21st March 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Warning over number of war crime suspects living in UK – BBC News

Posted March 21st, 2014 in immigration, news, statistics, war crimes by sally

‘Official figures may significantly underestimate the number of suspected war criminals living in the UK, the ex-head of the Border Force has warned.’

Full story

BBC News, 21st March 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Policing Minister speech to the APCC – Home Office

Posted March 19th, 2014 in budgets, criminal justice, police, speeches, statistics by tracey

‘Policing Minister Damian Green addresses the Association of Police and Crime Commisioners general meeting.’

Full speech

Home Office, 18th March 2014

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

UK Statistics Authority takes MoJ to task over “misleading” barrister earnings figures – Legal Futures

Posted March 18th, 2014 in barristers, codes of practice, fees, government departments, news, statistics by tracey

‘Government statements that criminal barristers earn an average of £84,000 from legal aid were misleading, the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) has suggested.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 18th March 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

One in 20 prisoners are gipsies, says official report – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 12th, 2014 in news, ombudsmen, prisons, statistics, travellers, young offenders by tracey

‘ Gipsies make up one in 20 of the jail population, according to a new report by an official watchdog. Research by Nick Hardwick, the Chief Inspector of Prisons, found gipsies and travellers were “significantly over represented” in adult prisons in England and Wales, making up 5 per cent of the total.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 11th March 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Rape of vulnerable women ‘has been effectively decriminalised’ – The Independent

‘Rape of vulnerable women, especially those with learning difficulties, has effectively been “decriminalised”, according to a research academic employed by the country’s largest police force.’

Full story

The Independent, 28th February 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Gamblers need more protection, says culture secretary – BBC News

Posted March 3rd, 2014 in codes of practice, gambling, news, statistics by sally

‘A voluntary code of conduct for the gambling industry will be compulsory but needs toughening up, Culture Secretary Maria Miller has said.’

Full story

BBC News, 2nd March 2014

Source: < href="http://www.bbc.co.uk">www.bbc.co.uk

Public ‘backs’ CPS stance on historical sex abuse – BBC News

‘The public strongly backs the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) taking allegations of historical sex abuse to court, a survey has suggested.’

Full story

BBC News, 3rd March 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Domestic violence puts 10,000 at high risk of death or serious injury – The Guardian

Posted February 27th, 2014 in domestic violence, news, police, statistics by sally

‘More than 10,000 women and children are at high risk of being murdered or seriously injured by current or former partners, according to police assessments obtained by the Guardian.’

Full story

The Guardian, 26th February 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Magistrate numbers in England and Wales fall by 1,837 – BBC News

Posted February 27th, 2014 in elderly, magistrates, news, statistics by sally

‘The number of magistrates in England and Wales fell by 1,837 last year, new figures have revealed.’

Full story

BBC News, 27th February 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Prisoners paid compensation for socks and stereos – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 26th, 2014 in compensation, complaints, news, ombudsmen, prisons, statistics by tracey

‘ Taxpayers’ money is being wasted on paying prisoners compensation for damaged stereos and missing socks, a watchdog has revealed. Jail staff need to take greater care of prisoners’ property to avoid complaints being made and redress having to be paid to inmates, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) said.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 25th February 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Rise in cases of harassment – but prosecutions fall – The Independent

Posted February 21st, 2014 in domestic violence, harassment, news, prosecutions, statistics by sally

‘Soaring numbers of harassment cases are never making it to court, The Independent has learnt. The rise is resulting in victims of domestic abuse being systematically let down by police and the Crown Prosecution Service, campaigners have said.’

Full story

The Independent, 20th February 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

A ton of new QCs hit the courts – Litigation Futures

Posted February 19th, 2014 in barristers, diversity, news, queen's counsel, solicitor advocates, statistics by sally

‘Exactly 100 advocates – made up of 95 barristers and five solicitors – were today named in the annual silk round.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 19th February 2014

Source: www.litigationfutures.co.uk

Over 140 children identified as sex slaves in 2013 – The Independent

Posted February 18th, 2014 in children, news, statistics, trafficking in human beings, victims by sally

‘More than 140 children were identified as being trafficked for sexual abuse last year as the numbers of people rescued from being held as slaves soared by nearly half.’

Full story

The Independent, 18th February 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Record number of foreign criminals cannot be deported – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 17th, 2014 in deportation, human rights, news, statistics by sally

‘In 2012/2013 602 appeals were allowed by the immigration courts, including 324 criminals allowed to stay in Britain because of their right to a family life.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 15th February 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Domestic violence experienced by 30% of female population, survey shows – The Guardian

Posted February 14th, 2014 in domestic violence, news, statistics by sally

‘More than 1.1 million or 7% of women and 720,000 or 4% of men have been victims of some kind of domestic abuse in the past year, official crime figures reveal.’

Full story

The Guardian, 13th February 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Family law in crisis – New Law Journal

‘Cuts to legal aid have thrown family proceedings into chaos, say Kim Beatson, Caroline Bowden & Ellen Lucas.’

Full story

New Law Journal, 10th February 2014

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

Ex-soldier sues Ministry of Defence for alleged failure to tackle bullying – The Guardian

Posted February 10th, 2014 in armed forces, bullying, compensation, complaints, harassment, news, ombudsmen, standards, statistics by tracey

‘A former British private is suing the Ministry of Defence over allegations the army allowed severe bullying which led to him attempting to take his own life five times.’

Full story

The Guardian, 8th February 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Number of sex offenders in England and Wales rises by more than third in five years – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 10th, 2014 in budgets, news, probation, rehabilitation, sexual offences, statistics by tracey

‘The number of registered sex offenders in England and Wales has risen by more than a third in the past five years. More than 40,000 registered sex offenders, including 2,700 judged to pose a serious risk to the public, are living in the community and being monitored by probation services.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 9th February 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk