Burglars face tougher punishments if children are in raided house – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 16th, 2014 in burglary, children, news, sentencing, victims by sally

‘Damian Green, the justice minister, says courts should take account of new statements by children and young people setting out how burglary affects them.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 15th May 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Proposed guidance to help prosecutors spot signs of domestic violence against teenagers and pensioners – Crown Prosecution Service

‘The Director of Public Prosecutions, Alison Saunders, has today proposed changes to the way the CPS considers domestic violence cases that would instruct prosecutors to consider the use of social media, gang culture and peer pressure when looking at cases involving teenagers.’

Full press release

Crown Prosecution Service, 14th May 2014

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

DPP statement following Clifford case – Crown Prosecution Service

‘Director of Public Prosecutions, Alison Saunders, said: “The prosecution in this case has proved Max Clifford’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt and the jury in this case decided that they were sure Max Clifford was guilty on eight of the eleven counts brought to court. He has rightly been held to account and sentenced today for his crimes.” ‘

Full press release

Crown Prosecution Service, 2nd May 2014

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Train driver traumatised by death on tracks fights loss of compensation – The Independent

‘It was around midday on 31 March 2012 that Nik Douglas’s life changed forever. The 37-year-old train driver was travelling through Northallerton station on the way to Newcastle when he saw a man in his sixties standing alone on the platform. He thought nothing of the lone figure, turning instead to check the opposite platform. By the time Mr Douglas looked back again, the man was crouching on the tracks in front of his train. But because of a recent change in the law, Mr Douglas could be the last person in the country to receive compensation for such trauma.’

Full story

The Independent, 5th May 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

First victims spared harrowing court room under pre-recorded evidence pilot – Ministry of Justice

‘The first ever case allowing vulnerable victims and witnesses to give evidence ahead of the trial will start tomorrow.’

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 28th April 2014

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

Quarter of billion in court fines written off – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 28th, 2014 in auditors, compensation, costs, courts, delay, enforcement, fines, news, victims by sally

‘Millions of pounds in fines and victim compensation cancelled because offenders can no longer be traced.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 26th April 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

‘Dodgy directors’: Tougher sanctions could see them paying compensation – The Independent

Posted April 22nd, 2014 in bills, company directors, compensation, news, sanctions, victims by sally

‘The Government is to introduce a law imposing tougher penalties on “rogue and reckless” company directors that could see them paying compensation to victims.’

Full story

The Independent, 19th April 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Eve’s Law: addresses of domestic violence victims must be kept secret – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

‘In busy working environments it is easy to make mistakes but some mistakes are more costly than others. An inadvertent disclosure of a domestic violence victim’s safe address to their abuser, for instance, could cost someone their life. Now signed by 87 MPs, Early Day Motion 900 so called “Eve’s Law” is calling for the greater protection of safe addresses.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 14th April 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

CPS defends decision to bring assault and rape charges against Nigel Evans – The Guardian

‘The director of public prosecutions has defended the decision to bring sex assault and rape charges against Tory MP Nigel Evans by saying it would do the same again, despite a warning from its former director Lord Macdonald that it must not “lose perspective” over high-profile cases involving historic allegations.’

Full story

The Guardian, 11th April 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Frances Andrade suicide ‘could and should’ have been prevented – BBC News

Posted April 11th, 2014 in child abuse, news, police, reports, sexual offences, suicide, victims, witnesses by sally

‘The suicide of a violinist days after she testified in court against an ex-choirmaster “could and should” have been prevented, a report has said.’

Full story

BBC News, 10th April 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

A voice for victims of crime – The Guardian

‘Justice isn’t just about sentencing: it’s about encouraging victims to come forward in the first place. Labour’s planned law will help. By Keir Starmer.’

Full story

The Guardian, 6th April 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Vulnerable witness reforms proposed by Keir Starmer in new ‘victims’ law’ – BBC News

‘Radical changes to the way vulnerable witnesses are treated in court are being considered by the Labour Party.’

Full story

BBC News, 7th April 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Change is long overdue for victims of crime – The Guardian

‘The court process can be traumatic for accusers like Tracy Shelvey. Will a proposed victims’ law make it fit for purpose?’

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd April 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bedale woman fined for Le Vell trial tweet – BBC News

Posted March 20th, 2014 in anonymity, costs, fines, internet, news, sexual offences, trials, victims by sally

‘A woman who tweeted the identity of the alleged victim in the trial of Coronation Street’s Michael Le Vell has been fined.’

Full story

BBC News, 20th 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Remains of Shipman’s victims destroyed without telling relatives – The Guardian

Posted March 18th, 2014 in complaints, news, police, victims, whistleblowers by sally

‘The police watchdog has begun an investigation after Greater Manchester police admitted keeping the remains of Harold Shipman’s victims for 12 years and then destroying them without telling bereaved relatives. The Independent Police Complaints Commission said on Monday that it was investigating whether senior officers misled the families of 12 of the serial killer’s victims over the storage of organs.’

Full story

The Guardian, 17th March 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Jeffrey Davies’s colleagues sacked for gross misconduct – BBC News

‘Two South Wales Police officers have been sacked after an investigation into how a colleague sexually assaulted domestic violence victims.’

Full story

BBC News, 10th March 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Support for industrial disease victims – Ministry of Justice

‘Sufferers of a deadly industrial disease will be the focus of work to improve the compensation claims process for them, new Justice Minister Lord Faulks said today.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 6th March 2014

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

DPP seeks public views on bringing non-recent cases to court – where a nominal penalty is likely – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted February 27th, 2014 in consultations, Crown Prosecution Service, delay, news, prosecutions, victims by sally

‘The Director of Public Prosecutions has today instructed prosecutors not to dismiss complaints about crimes allegedly committed decades ago just because of the lapse in time of reporting, in a shift of focus towards ensuring potential victims have their day in court.’

Full story

Crown Prosecution Service, 27th February 2014

Source: http://blog.cps.gov.uk

Judge approves Savile compensation scheme – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 27th, 2014 in banking, compensation, executors, news, trusts, victims by sally

‘Victims of serial sex offender Jimmy Savile are a step closer to getting compensation after a judge sanctioned a scheme to award payouts.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 26th February 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Revealed: How the CPS betrays victims of crime – numbers of witness protection staff falls by 57% in just three years – The Independent

Posted February 25th, 2014 in Crown Prosecution Service, news, reports, victims, witnesses by sally

‘The Crown Prosecution Service has cut the number of staff it employs to look after witnesses – some of whom are victims of crime – by more than half in just three years, an investigation has revealed.’

Full story

The Independent, 24th February 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk