Bishop Ball sex charges caution ‘wrong’ admits CPS – BBC News

‘A retired bishop who has admitted sex offences against young men, should have faced charges 22 years ago, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has admitted. The CPS said a caution given to Peter Ball in 1993 was wrong as there was sufficient evidence to prosecute.’

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BBC News, 13th September 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Paedophile ring jailed for ‘terrifying depravity’ – BBC News

Posted September 11th, 2015 in child abuse, inquiries, internet, news, sentencing, sexual offences, victims by tracey

‘Seven paedophiles who preyed on a baby and young children acted “beyond human instinct” and were guilty of “terrifying depravity”, a judge said.’

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BBC News, 11th September 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

DPP boosts support for victims by moving staff to Crown Courts – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted September 11th, 2015 in Crown Court, Crown Prosecution Service, news, paralegals, victims, witnesses by tracey

‘The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Alison Saunders, is boosting the support offered to victims and witnesses at Crown Court proceedings by ensuring that the vital service offered by our dedicated CPS paralegal staff is provided exactly where it is needed – at court where the victims and witnesses are.’

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Crown Prosecution Service, 11th September 2015

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Courtrooms to beef up protective measures for witnesses and victims – The Guardian

Posted September 11th, 2015 in courts, news, victims, witnesses by tracey

‘More victims and witnesses will be helped to give evidence from behind courtroom screens, as a result of research that suggests nearly half of all victims who are put through the criminal justice system have reservations afterwards about giving evidence at a future trial.’

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The Guardian, 11th 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.’

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BBC News, 7th September 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Campaigners call for revenge porn victims to be given anonymity – The Guardian

Posted September 7th, 2015 in anonymity, consent, internet, news, pornography, privacy, sexual offences, victims by sally

‘Campaign groups have called on the government to grant anonymity to revenge porn victims amid concern publicity surrounding convictions only causes more people to search for explicit images.’

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The Guardian, 6th September 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Secondary victims: A race between the claimant and the ambulance? – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted August 27th, 2015 in negligence, news, personal injuries, victims by sally

‘It is hard to escape the notion that the rise in the number of secondary victim claims in recent years owes its success to the amorphous concept of ‘proximity’. The test of proximity itself is well established: a secondary victim claimant can only establish a claim in law as a result of witnessing an event or its immediate aftermath. Establishing proximity does not pose much of a problem if the claimant has witnessed an accident itself; what remains controversial is defining the limit of “the event” and its “immediate aftermath”. Having looked at the decisions of the Courts on this issue, one would be forgiven for thinking that the boundaries are imposed somewhat arbitrarily. ‘

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Hardwicke Chambers, 29th July 2015

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

Setting the bar high for secondary victim claims – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted August 27th, 2015 in appeals, negligence, news, personal injuries, psychiatric damage, victims by sally

‘It had been 10 years since a secondary victim claim had reached the Court of Appeal when the important Taylor v A.Novo(UK) Ltd. [2014] QB 150 case was decided, in March 2013. By contrast, the last six months have seen a series of key decisions illustrating the approach first-instance Courts will take in the light of Taylor, namely Wild v Southend NHS; Brock v Northampton NHS; Berisha v Stone Superstore; Shorter v Surrey & Sussex NHS and culminating in another landmark Appeal decision in Liverpool Women’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust v Ronayne [2015] EWCA Civ 588.’
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Hardwicke Chambers, 29th August 2015

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

Revenge porn: Are the police and courts taking the crime seriously? – The Independent

Posted August 26th, 2015 in internet, news, police, pornography, prosecutions, victims by sally

‘Since April this year, sharing explicit images or videos without consent – known as revenge porn – has been illegal. Now, the first perpetrators are being sentenced. But does the new law go far enough? Emily Dugan speaks to victims, legal experts and campaigners to find out.’

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The Independent, 25th 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.’

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BBC News, 24th August 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Court fee ‘means crime victims miss payouts’ – The Independent

Posted August 24th, 2015 in compensation, costs, criminal courts charge, fees, news, victims by sally

‘Victims of crime are missing out on compensation because courts are forced to make criminals pay costs to the Government, campaigners have warned.’

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The Independent, 23rd August 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Remove ‘barristers’ from Victims’ Code, says Society – Law Society’s Gazette

‘‘Out-of-date’ references to barristers in a code of practice for crime victims should be amended, the Law Society has said in response to a Ministry of Justice consultation.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 17th August 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

In sexual assault cases, the idea of the ‘perfect victim’ is pernicious – The Guardian

‘Compensation has been reduced for sexual assault victims who have criminal convictions. But we need to stop insisting that traumatised people should be model citizens.’

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The Guardian, 7th August 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Marcus Marcussen victims take legal action against council – BBC News

Posted August 5th, 2015 in child abuse, news, sexual offences, teachers, victims by sally

‘More victims of a teacher convicted of physically and sexually assaulting them have come forward and are suing Birmingham City Council.’

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BBC News, 4th August 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Revenge porn: ‘We need a second law to stop porn sites escaping justice’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 4th, 2015 in burden of proof, civil justice, crime, harassment, internet, news, pornography, victims by sally

‘The Government needs to introduce a second civil law to tackle revenge porn – because the current criminal law does not go far enough to help victims – according to a specialist in the field.’

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Daily Telegraph, 4th August 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Anti-slavery powers come into force in England and Wales – BBC News

‘Key parts of new legislation to combat slavery in the UK – including life sentences for those guilty of people trafficking – have come into force in England and Wales.

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BBC News, 31st July 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Hundreds of UK sex abuse victims lose compensation for committing crimes – The Guardian

‘Hundreds of sexual abuse victims have had their compensation payments reduced after committing crime themselves, according to figures.’

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The Guardian, 31st July 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Revising the Victims’ Code – Ministry of Justice

Posted July 24th, 2015 in codes of practice, consultations, crime, news, victims by sally

‘The statutory Code of Practice for Victims of Crime (“the Code”) places obligations on core criminal justice agencies to provide victims of crime with support and information.’

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Ministry of Justice, 16th July 2015

Source: www.consult.justice.gov.uk

Country’s worst landlord blames tenants for property convictions – The Guardian

Posted July 23rd, 2015 in landlord & tenant, local government, news, prosecutions, victims by sally

‘A London landlord has been convicted for property offences seven times but believes she is the victim, not her tenants.’

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The Guardian, 23rd July 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Theresa May unlawfully detained potential trafficking victims, court rules – The Guardian

Posted July 21st, 2015 in detention, immigration, news, trafficking in human beings, victims by tracey

‘The home secretary, Theresa May, failed to protect three potential victims of trafficking who were locked up in an immigration detention centre, a high court judge has ruled.’

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The Guardian, 20th July 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk