Category: suicide

Judge hits out at lack of regulated placement for vulnerable, suicidal 16 year old, despite 11 High Court hearings and sending series of judgments to ministers – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 15th, 2021 in care orders, children, detention, families, family courts, government departments, housing, judges, judgments, mental health, news, suicide by sally

‘An exasperated High Court judge has sent a fourth judgment to ministers over the continuing unavailability of a regulated placement for a vulnerable 16 year old with multifaceted difficulties and at a high risk of serious self-harm or suicide.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 12th February 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Number of prisoners in England and Wales on suicide watch rises steeply – The Guardian

Posted February 11th, 2021 in mental health, news, prisons, statistics, suicide by sally

‘The number of prisoners put on suicide or self-harm watch has risen dramatically over the past decade, a Guardian investigation has found, as experts warn the scale of the mental health crisis in prisons has escalated during the coronavirus pandemic.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 10th February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Inquest finds mother took overdose after removal of disability benefits – The Guardian

Posted January 28th, 2021 in benefits, coroners, government departments, inquests, mental health, news, suicide by sally

‘A severely mentally ill young mother died from a deliberate overdose after the removal of her disability benefits left her destitute, trapped in a months-long state of high anxiety and haunted by suicidal thoughts, an inquest has concluded.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 27th January 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Assange cannot be extradited, but free speech arguments dismissed — an extended look – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted January 22nd, 2021 in computer crime, disclosure, extradition, freedom of expression, human rights, media, mental health, news, suicide, whistleblowers by sally

‘In The Government of the United States v Julian Assange (2021), the District Judge sitting at Westminster Magistrates’ Court discharged the American extradition request against the founder of WikiLeaks because there is a substantial risk that he would commit suicide. Given Julian Assange’s political notoriety as an avowed whistle-blower, however, the judgment is significant for its dismissal of the defence’s free speech arguments. This article analyses why these human rights submissions were unsuccessful.’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 21st January 2021

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Oxfordshire boy groomed by gangs ‘failed’ by authorities – BBC News

Posted January 21st, 2021 in children, drug trafficking, education, gangs, news, police, reports, social services, suicide by sally

‘A boy found dead in his bedroom was groomed into a world of drug trafficking and “failed” by the authorities, a serious case review said.’

Full Story

BBC News, 20th January 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

A duty of care – what does the new standard of proof in inquests mean? – 5SAH

Posted January 8th, 2021 in chambers articles, death in custody, duty of care, inquests, mental health, news, prisons, standard of proof, suicide by sally

‘On the 11th of July 2016 a prisoner Mr James Maughan was found dead in his prison cell having hanged himself. The investigation into the factual circumstances surrounding his death found that he had a history of mental health issues and had previously made threats of self-harm. The evening before his death he had been in an agitated state.’

Full Story

5SAH, 7th January 2021

Source: www.5sah.co.uk

Article 3 psychiatric cases: history and latest developments (Part 1) – Ruby Peacock – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted January 8th, 2021 in deportation, human rights, mental health, news, suicide by tracey

‘In this two-part article, Ruby Peacock, an aspiring barrister and currently a legal and policy intern at the Legal Resources Centre in Cape Town, examines the history of medical claims brought under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 7th January 2021

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Julian Assange: Wikileaks founder extradition to US blocked by UK judge – BBC News

Posted January 4th, 2021 in disclosure, extradition, mental health, news, suicide, whistleblowers by sally

‘Wikileaks founder Julian Assange cannot be extradited to the United States, a court in London has ruled.’

Full Story

BBC News, 4th January 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Online harms bill: firms may face multibillion-pound fines for illegal content – The Guardian

Posted December 15th, 2020 in bills, child abuse, consumer protection, fines, internet, news, suicide, terrorism by tracey

‘Social media companies will need to remove and limit the spread of harmful content or face fines of billions of pounds, the UK government has announced, as it finally reveals the details of its proposed internet regulation. The online harms bill, first proposed by Theresa May’s government in April 2019, sets out strict new guidelines governing removal of illegal content such as child sexual abuse, terrorist material and media that promotes suicide, which sites must obey or face being blocked in the UK.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 15th December 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Hate targeted at Gypsy, Traveller and Roma linked to rise in suicides – report – The Guardian

Posted December 10th, 2020 in hate crime, news, reports, suicide, travellers by tracey

‘Gypsy, Traveller and Roma communities are experiencing hate incidents on an almost daily basis, while mental health issues and suicide are leading to an “epidemic of needless deaths”, a government-funded report has found.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 10th December 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Suicide and the burden of proof – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 1st, 2020 in burden of proof, coroners, inquests, news, standard of proof, suicide by sally

‘Although suicide was decriminalised more than 60 years ago, it was still always necessary to meet the criminal standard of proof when reaching a finding that someone had taken their own life. But this month, in a departure from this common understanding, the Supreme Court in R (Maughan) v HM Coroner for Oxfordshire [2020] UKSC 46 found that the ‘degree of conclusivity’ required was, in fact, the civil standard – the balance of probabilities.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 30th November 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

UK government pays out to family of IPP prisoner who killed himself – The Guardian

Posted December 1st, 2020 in bereavement, compensation, families, mental health, news, prisons, sentencing, suicide by sally

‘The family of a prisoner who killed himself after being handed a controversial “never-ending” sentence has received damages from the government in an out-of-court settlement, the Guardian has learned.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 30th November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Supreme Court reduces standard of proof for suicide and unlawful killing in inquest conclusions – Park Square Barristers

Posted November 25th, 2020 in appeals, chambers articles, death in custody, inquests, mental health, news, prisons, standard of proof, suicide, Supreme Court, unlawful killing by sally

‘The Supreme Court has on 13 November 2020 handed down the judgment in this case concerning the appropriate standard of proof for conclusions at inquests.’

Full Story

Park Square Barristers, 13th November 2020

Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk

Facebook’s Instagram ‘failed self-harm responsibilities’ – BBC News

Posted November 20th, 2020 in charities, children, computer programs, coronavirus, internet, mental health, news, self-harm, standards, statistics, suicide by sally

‘Children’s charity the NSPCC has said a drop in Facebook’s removal of harmful content was a “significant failure in corporate responsibility”.’

Full Story

BBC News, 19th November 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

More Likely Than Not: The Civil Standard of Proof Applies to All Short-Form and Narrative Conclusions at Inquests – Ropewalk Chambers

Posted November 19th, 2020 in coroners, inquests, news, standard of proof, suicide, Supreme Court, verdicts by sally

‘By a majority of three to two, the Supreme Court has held that the standard of proof for findings of suicide and unlawful killing at an inquest is the balance of probabilities: R (Maughan) v Her Majesty’s Senior Coroner for Oxfordshire [2020]
UKSC 46.’

Full Story

Ropewalk Chambers, 16th November 2020

Source: www.ropewalk.co.uk

Supreme Court lowers standard of proof for inquests – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 17th, 2020 in coroners, inquests, news, standard of proof, suicide, Supreme Court, verdicts by sally

‘The Supreme Court has today lowered the standard of proof for all conclusions in inquest proceedings, including unlawful killing and suicide, in a decision that could have wide-reaching implications for the recording of deaths in England and Wales.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 13th November 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Case Comment: R (on the application of Maughan) v HM Senior Coroner for Oxfordshire [2020] UKSC 46 – UKSC Blog

Posted November 17th, 2020 in coroners, inquests, news, suicide, Supreme Court, verdicts by sally

‘The Supreme Court has given judgment in R (on the application of Maughan) v HM Senior Coroner for Oxfordshire [2020] UKSC 46, a case dealing with the applicable standard of proof for reaching a narrative verdict of suicide or unlawful killing. A detailed case preview by my colleague Tim James-Matthews is available here, as a useful starting point for the issues arising in the appeal. By a 3-2 majority (with Lady Arden giving the leading judgment), the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, holding that the applicable standard of proof is the civil standard (i.e. the balance of probabilities). Lord Kerr gave the dissenting judgment, with which Lord Reed agreed: they would both have allowed the appeal.’

Full Story

UKSC Blog, 16th November 2020

Source: ukscblog.com

Case Law Update: Lancashire County Council v G (Unavailability of Secure Accommodation) [2020] EWHC 2828 (Fam) – Parklane Plowden Chambers

Posted November 16th, 2020 in attempts, care orders, children, detention, family courts, human rights, local government, mental health, news, suicide by sally

‘Mr Justice MacDonald authorised the deprivation of liberty of a vulnerable 16-year-old girl, G, under the inherent jurisdiction. The court was left with no real choice but to authorise the deprivation in circumstances where the only placement that could be located was neither secure nor regulated. Mr Justice MacDonald was troubled with the situation, and questioned whether he was simply being forced by mere circumstance to make an order irrespective of welfare considerations rather than exercising the courts’ welfare jurisdiction.’

Full Story

Parklane Plowden Chambers, 6th November 2020

Source: www.parklaneplowden.co.uk

New Judgment: R (on the application of Maughan) v Her Majesty’s Senior Coroner for Oxfordshire [2020] UKSC 46 – UKSC Blog

Posted November 16th, 2020 in appeals, coroners, inquests, judicial review, Ministry of Justice, news, standard of proof, suicide, Supreme Court, unlawful killing by sally

‘By a majority the Supreme Court has dismissed this appeal concerning the standard of proof, or degree of conclusivity, required for the determination of the result of an inquest into a death where the question is whether the deceased committed suicide.’

Full Story

UKSC Blog, 13th November 2020

Source: ukscblog.com

Maughan: Suicide and Unlawful Killing Conclusions in Inquests – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted November 16th, 2020 in appeals, coroners, inquests, news, standard of proof, suicide, Supreme Court, unlawful killing by sally

‘The Supreme Court has now issued its judgment in this important case for Coroners and inquests dealing with the standard of proof to be applied where the death might have been caused by suicide or unlawful killing.’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 13th November 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com