Judge throws out CPS challenge to innocence of protesters who blockaded London arms fair – The Independent

Posted May 25th, 2016 in appeals, Crown Prosecution Service, demonstrations, inquiries, news, weapons by sally

‘A judge has thrown out an appeal by the Crown Prosecution Service against a decision to acquit protesters who tried to blockade the world’s biggest arms fair.’

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The Independent, 24th May 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Drone killings: Legal case ‘needs clarifying’ – BBC News

‘The legal case for using drone strikes outside of armed conflict needs “urgent clarification” from ministers, a cross-party parliamentary committee has said.’

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BBC News, 10th May 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK drone strikes ‘could leave all those involved facing murder charges’ – The Guardian

‘British drone pilots, intelligence officers and ministers could face murder charges if the government does not clarify its policies on targeted killing, a parliamentary committee has warned.’

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The Guardian, 10th May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

UK’s claims over Saudi bombing in Yemen ‘deeply disappointing’, say MPs – The Guardian

‘The British government’s claim that Saudi Arabia’s bombing campaign in Yemen has not breached international humanitarian law is “deeply disappointing” and contributes to an “anything goes” attitude from the opposing sides in the conflict, the international development select committee has said.’

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The Guardian, 4th May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bradford judge spares girl jail for stabbing abuser – BBC News

‘A judge has spared a teenage girl who stabbed the man who sexually abused her as a child from a prison sentence.’

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BBC News, 20th April 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Pressure builds for investigation into London arms trade fair after judge sees evidence of illegal weapons sales – The Independent

‘Anti-arms trade campaigners have put pressure on the Government to act after officials’ business-as-usual response to a court ruling warning that illegal arms could be changing hands at at London arms fair.’

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The Independent, 16th April 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Returning refugees to Yemen may breach human rights, says UK – The Guardian

Posted April 15th, 2016 in export controls, human rights, news, refugees, Saudi Arabia, weapons by tracey

‘Indiscriminate acts of violence by both sides in the civil war in Yemen, including Saudi bombing of medical centres, is so widespread that the Britain has declared sending asylum seekers back to most parts of the country would likely be a breach of the European convention on human rights.’

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The Guardian, 14th April 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

UK has ‘legal duty’ to challenge Saudi Arabia over Yemen airstrikes – The Guardian

Posted April 14th, 2016 in international law, news, war, weapons by sally

‘The British government must challenge Saudi Arabia over whether it is using UK weapons to breach international humanitarian law by launching indiscriminate airstrikes in Yemen, a leading lawyer has told the UK arms export control select committee.’

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The Guardian, 13th April 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Teenager found guilty of stabbing 18-year-old to death with ‘Zombie Killer’ knife – The Independent

Posted April 4th, 2016 in homicide, news, weapons, young offenders by sally

‘A teenage boy has been found guilty of stabbing 18-year-old Stefan Appleton to death with a 2 foot-long ‘Zombie Killer’ machete in a north London park.’

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The Independent, 1st April 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Regina v Nguyen – WLR Daily

Regina v Nguyen, Attorney General’s Reference No 79 of 2015

‘The defendant pleaded guilty to attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm contrary to section 18 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861 and to having an offensive weapon contrary to section 1(1) of the Prevention of Crime Act 1953. He was sentenced to three years and four months’ imprisonment and 12 months’ imprisonment respectively. The Attorney General applied to the Court of Appeal under section 36 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 for leave to refer the sentence as unduly lenient. At the same time the prosecution applied to the Crown Court under the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 for the sentence to be varied on the grounds that new material showed that, contrary to the way in which the case had been presented at the sentencing hearing, the complainant had been specifically targeted by the defendant. The time limit for making a variation order was subsequently extended by a Crown Court judge, and a variation order was later made by the sentencing judge. The defendant appealed against the varied sentence. On the hearing in the Court of Appeal it was common ground that there was no power to extend the time limit for the making of a variation order, so that the variation order had been invalid.’

WLR Daily, 23rd March 2016

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

MPs to investigate use of British weapons by Saudi Arabia in Yemen ‘humanitarian disaster’ – The Independent

Posted March 11th, 2016 in export controls, news, Saudi Arabia, select committees, weapons by tracey

‘MPs have launched an investigation whether British-made arms are being used by Saudi Arabian forces in a widely-criticised military campaign in Yemen.’

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The Independent, 10th March 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Police fail to respond to psychiatric units amid rise in attacks on staff – The Guardian

‘Police refused to respond to calls for help from staff at psychiatric units covering a large swath of east London and Essex on more than 125 occasions last year. The figures were released in response to a Guardian freedom of information request that sheds new light on how overstretched staff in mental health units are increasingly on the receiving end of violence.’

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The Guardian, 7th March 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Whistleblower judge: austerity policies have made courts dangerous – The Guardian

‘A district judge who is suing the Ministry of Justice after whistleblowing her complaints about courtroom dangers – death threats, violent claimants and hostage-taking – has spoken out for the first time about her experience of an under-resourced justice system.’

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The Guardian, 23rd January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Human rights groups condemn steep rise in UK arms sales to Saudis – The Guardian

Posted January 20th, 2016 in EC law, human rights, international law, news, Saudi Arabia, statistics, weapons by sally

‘More than £1bn worth of bombs, missiles and rockets were sold under government licence to Saudi Arabia over three months last summer, according to human rights groups.’

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The Guardian, 19th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Government to introduce rules to stop ‘political’ boycotts – BBC News

‘The government is to introduce new rules to stop “politically-motivated” boycotts by local councils.’

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BBC News, 3rd October 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Militant leftwing’ councils to be blocked from boycotting products – The Guardian

Posted October 5th, 2015 in Israel, local government, news, pensions, public procurement, sanctions, weapons by sally

‘Councils and local authorities are to be blocked from boycotting Israeli products or pursuing other foreign policy goals that conflict with the government.’

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The Guardian, 3rd October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Police taser ‘most likely’ cause of fire that killed petrol-soaked man – The Independent

Posted October 2nd, 2015 in inquests, news, police, weapons by tracey

‘A 50,000-volt police Taser was the “most likely” cause of a petrol-soaked man catching fire and dying, an inquest jury has ruled.’

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The Independent, 1st October 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Zack Davies given life imprisonment for racially motivated machete attack – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted September 14th, 2015 in assault, attempted murder, attempts, murder, news, racism, sentencing, weapons by tracey

‘Zack Davies has today been sentenced to life imprisonment for attempted murder after he attacked a man with a machete in a racially aggravated attack in January. He must serve a minimum of 14 years.’

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Crown Prosecution Service, 11th September 2015

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Diver jailed for fraudulently selling three cannon found in UK waters – The Guardian

Posted September 7th, 2015 in costs, fraud, jurisdiction, news, proceeds of crime, sentencing, weapons, wrecks by sally

‘A professional diver has been jailed for two years after he falsely claimed to have found three rare 17th-century cannon in international waters so he could sell them to the highest bidder rather than surrendering them to the nation.’

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The Guardian, 4th September 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Drunk gran who Tasered shopkeeper in racist attack is spared jail – The Independent

Posted August 19th, 2015 in assault, news, racism, sentencing, suspended sentences, weapons by sally

‘A drunk grandmother who attacked a shopkeeper with a Taser in a racist tirade has reportedly been spared jail.’

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The Independent, 18th August 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk