Category: weapons

Activists bring case at appeal court over UK arms sales to Saudis – The Guardian

Posted April 13th, 2018 in appeals, export controls, international trade, news, Saudi Arabia, war crimes, weapons by tracey

‘Human rights campaigners have begun an attempt to overturn a high court judgment that allows the British government to continue to export arms to Saudi Arabia for use in Yemen.
The Campaign Against Arms Trade brought the case against Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, seeking permission to appeal against a decision last July that granting licences for the export of arms from the UK to Saudi Arabia was not unlawful. CAAT has warned that British weapons could be used to kill or injure Yemeni civilians.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 12th April 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Longer jail terms likely for knife and acid possession – The Guardian

Posted March 1st, 2018 in hazardous substances, news, offensive weapons, sentencing, weapons by sally

‘Adults convicted of possessing a knife or acid for use as an offensive weapon in public are likely to face longer prison terms when new sentencing guidelines for judges in England and Wales are introduced.’

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The Guardian, 1st March 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Acid listed as ‘highly dangerous weapon’ in new sentencing guidance – BBC News

Posted March 1st, 2018 in hazardous substances, news, offensive weapons, sentencing, weapons by sally

‘People caught with acid or other corrosive substances in public could face up to six months in jail under new guidelines for England and Wales.’

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BBC News, 1st March 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Nazi obsessive who threatened to bomb mosques after Manchester attack jailed – The Independent

Posted February 12th, 2018 in bomb hoaxing, news, sentencing, weapons by tracey

‘A Nazi-sympathiser who threatened to petrol bomb mosques after the Manchester Arena attack and who had an array of medieval weapons at his home has been jailed for eight years.’

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The Independent, 10th February 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Tasers used 58 times in mental health settings – BBC News

Posted February 2nd, 2018 in mental health, news, police, statistics, weapons by sally

‘Police drew, aimed or fired Tasers in mental health hospitals, wards, and clinics 58 times in the first six months of figures being recorded.’

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BBC News, 1st February 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Two men sentenced for supplying weapons and ammunition – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted February 1st, 2018 in conspiracy, firearms, press releases, sentencing, weapons by tracey

‘A man who sold firearms to criminals has been jailed for 14 years today for conspiracy to transfer prohibited weapons and ammunition. Dr Mohinder Surdhar was sentenced today at Birmingham Crown Court. He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to conspiracy to transfer prohibited weapons and ammunition. His co-conspirator, Paul Edmunds was previously sentenced to 30 years in prison on 21 December for supplying guns and ammunition linked to more than 100 crimes around the country.’

Full press release

Crown Prosecution Service, 31st January 2018

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Security bodies and legal advice: some Upper Tribunal droning – Panopticon

Posted January 19th, 2018 in aircraft, disclosure, freedom of information, news, weapons by tracey

‘The Times’ Lawyer of the Week this morning discusses an Upper Tribunal FOIA appeal brought by Rights Watch UK (for whom Daniel Carey, the Lawyer of the Week, acted pro bono), seeking disclosure of the Attorney General’s advice on drone strikes in Syria. The case was Corderoy & Ahmed v IC, AGO, Cabinet Office [2017] UKUT 495 (AAC). Whether you consider it a win, a loss or a draw (and if so for whom) will depend on which side you’re on here and, as counsel on all sides were colleagues at 11KBW, I will attempt a studied neutrality. I confess I have not found all aspects of the judgment easy to follow, but here you go.’

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Panopticon, 18th January 2018

Source: panopticonblog.com

Boy, 17, found guilty of planning Isis-inspired attack on Cardiff concert – The Guardian

Posted November 28th, 2017 in news, terrorism, weapons, young offenders by sally

‘A teenager has been found guilty of planning an Islamic State-inspired terrorist attack on a pop concert a month after the Manchester Arena bombing.’

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The Guardian, 27th November 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Acid attackers jailed after permanently disfiguring two men whose cars they were attacking – The Independent

Posted November 2nd, 2017 in crime, grievous bodily harm, hazardous substances, news, sentencing, weapons by tracey

‘A teenager and his adult accomplice have been jailed for inflicting “life changing injuries” on two men with an acid attack.’

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The Independent, 2nd November 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Wife who bought knife for husband guilty over terror plot – BBC News

Posted October 27th, 2017 in accomplices, news, terrorism, weapons by sally

‘A woman who bought a combat knife and training dummy for her husband has been found guilty of helping him prepare for a planned terror attack in Birmingham.’

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BBC News, 26th October 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Carrying acid in public could lead to six months in jail – BBC News

Posted October 16th, 2017 in government departments, grievous bodily harm, hazardous substances, news, sentencing, statistics, weapons by sally

‘People caught twice carrying acid in public should receive a mandatory six-month prison sentence, the Home Office has proposed.’

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BBC News, 14th October 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Home Office to review air weapons regulation in England and Wales – Home Office

Posted October 11th, 2017 in coroners, government departments, licensing, press releases, weapons by tracey

‘The government is to review the regulation of air weapons licensing, following a request from the Suffolk coroner.’

Full press release

Home Office, 10th October 2017

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

UK couple sentenced for using BB gun to punish their children – The Guardian

Posted September 6th, 2017 in child abuse, domestic violence, news, sentencing, suspended sentences, weapons by sally

‘A husband and wife have been sentenced for shooting their children with a BB gun as punishment for not doing their chores satisfactorily.’

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The Guardian, 5th September 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Government to consider laser pen licence after attack rise – BBC News

Posted August 14th, 2017 in aircraft, consultations, government departments, licensing, news, weapons by sally

‘Buying powerful laser pens could require a licence in future, the government has said, amid concerns over the number of attacks on aircraft.’

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BBC News, 12th August 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

People who carry out ‘life-changing’ acid attacks face life sentences – The Guardian

Posted August 7th, 2017 in crime, Crown Prosecution Service, hazardous substances, London, news, sentencing, statistics, violence, weapons by sally

‘Criminals caught with acid can expect to receive the same prison sentences as those convicted of carrying a knife, according to new judicial guidelines that have come into effect.’

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The Guardian, 4th August 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Metropolitan Police use force disproportionately against black people in London, new statistics reveal – The Independent

Posted August 2nd, 2017 in London, news, police, race discrimination, restraint, statistics, weapons by tracey

‘The Metropolitan Police used force more than 12,600 times in just three months, with a disproportionate amount of incidents involving black people, new statistics have revealed.’

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The Independent, 1st August 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Sentencing guidelines and offences involving corrosive substances – Sentencing Council

Posted July 27th, 2017 in crime, grievous bodily harm, hazardous substances, news, press releases, sentencing, weapons by tracey

‘Reports of assaults and robberies involving the use of acid or other corrosive substances have increased in profile recently, with questions being asked as to how offenders who attack or threaten people with such substances are dealt with by the courts. In its guidelines for judges and magistrates, the Sentencing Council is clear that use of a corrosive substance is a factor that shows high culpability on the part of the offender.’

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Sentencing Council, 26th July 2017

Source: www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk

Daniella Lock: Questions Regarding Judicial Deference in R (Campaign Against the Arms Trade) v Secretary of State for International Trade – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted July 21st, 2017 in EC law, export controls, international trade, news, Saudi Arabia, weapons by tracey

‘Last week, the High Court rejected a claim for judicial review, brought by the NGO “Campaign Against the Arms Trade” against the Secretary of State for International Trade, regarding the exporting of arms to Saudi Arabia. The judges presiding over the case were Lord Justice Burnett and Mr Justice Haddon-Cave. It is argued here that there are several important questions to be asked about the approach to judicial deference taken in this case. They relate to the ‘behind-the-scenes’ role that deference may have played in the judges’ approach to complex factual material in this case, and the extent to which further clarity, as to the treatment of such material in future cases, may be desirable.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 20th July 2017

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Home Secretary announces action plan to tackle acid attacks – Home Office

Posted July 17th, 2017 in criminal justice, government departments, hazardous substances, news, press releases, sentencing, weapons by tracey

‘Victims and survivors will be at the centre of a new government strategy aimed at reducing the number and impact of acid attacks.’

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Home Office, 16th July 2017

Source: www.gov.uk

High Court allows UK government to continue exporting arms to Saudi Arabia – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted July 12th, 2017 in export controls, news, Saudi Arabia, weapons by sally

‘A challenge to the legality of UK’s sale of arms to Saudi Arabia has failed. The claim sprang from the conflict in Yemen and the border areas of Saudi Arabia. It focussed on airstrikes conducted by a coalition led by Saudi Arabia in support of the legitimate government of Yemen against the Shia-led Houthi rebellion. UK arms export policy states that the government must deny licenses for sale of arms to regimes if there is a ‘clear risk’ that the arms ‘might’ be used in ‘a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law. This in turn is based on the EU Common Position 2008/944/CFSP on arms export control, which explicitly rules out the authorising of arms licences by Member States in these “clear risk” circumstances.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 11th July 2017

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com