Man found guilty over sharing Grant Shapps’s details with ‘Russian spies’ – The Guardian

Posted July 23rd, 2025 in news by sally

‘A man has been found guilty of assisting a foreign intelligence service after handing over personal details of the then defence secretary, Grant Shapps, to two undercover officers he believed to be Russian agents.’

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The Guardian, 22nd July 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judge upholds legal challenge to decision by chief constable to allow police officers to take part in pride event – Local Government Lawyer

Posted July 23rd, 2025 in news by sally

‘Northumbria Police’s Chief Constable made an irrational decision in 2024 when she allowed police officers to take part in a parade by Northern Pride and misunderstood the Public Sector Equality Duty, the High Court has found.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 22nd July 2025

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Man who stabbed wife to death in Bradford street jailed for 28 years – The Guardian

Posted July 23rd, 2025 in news by sally

‘A man has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 28 years after he was convicted of murdering his estranged wife, stabbing her a number of times as she pushed their baby in a pram.’

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The Guardian, 22nd July 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Paralegal jailed for abusing LPAs to steal client money – Legal Futures

Posted July 23rd, 2025 in news by sally

‘A paralegal has been jailed for 20 months after stealing £11,500 from clients whose affairs her firm was managing under lasting powers of attorney (LPAs).’

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Legal Futures, 23rd July 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Court of Protection judge hands down ruling on provision of position statements to observer of hearing – Local Government Lawyer

Posted July 23rd, 2025 in news by sally

‘The Court of Protection has allowed the co-founder of the Open Justice Court of Protection Project to receive the position statements made in a case concerning a living will, but Mr Justice Poole said in future any disputes about provision of a position statement to an observer must be brought to the attention of the judge and resolved during the hearing.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 22nd July 2025

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Mike Lynch’s estate ordered to pay HP £700m in High Court ruling – The Independent

Posted July 23rd, 2025 in news by sally

‘Hewlett-Packard (HP) is set to recoup more than £700m ($944m) from the estate of the late Mike Lynch and his former business partner, Sushovan Hussain, a London High Court judge ruled on Tuesday.’

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The Independent, 22nd July 2025

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Driver who inhaled nitrous oxide gas before and after killing cyclist jailed – The Guardian

Posted July 22nd, 2025 in news by sally

‘A man who was driving without a licence and inhaled nitrous oxide before and after killing an 81-year-old cyclist at a pedestrian crossing has been detained for more than 11 years.’

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The Guardian, 21st July 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

David Erdos: The UK Information Commissioner’s Annual Report 2024/25: Surveying a Systematic Trend Away from Adequate Enforcement – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted July 22nd, 2025 in news by sally

‘The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) Annual Report for 2024/25 released last week sadly provides evidence of a severe and serious weakening of information rights regulation compared to the strong enforcement which is (and remains) promised especially under the (UK) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Despite even last year’s Report generally revealing formal enforcement such as fines, criminal prosecutions and criminal cautions which were in the single digits only, the Report now omits any reference to UK GDPR enforcement notices (as there were none at all during 2024/25) and states that there were just 2 UK GDPR fines during the year (which compares to >200 in both Germany and Spain) and that even the number of outcomes resulting in reprimands fell from 31 to just 9 (a 70% reduction). Coming on top of concerns over the lack of enforcement action in response to many egregious data breaches including one which put up to 100,000 Afghans at risk of grave harm and possibly even caused death, the Report also reveals that the number of reported data breaches which even resulted in a GDPR investigation (let alone enforcement action) dropped from a mere 6% to just 3%. At the same time, the number of data protection complaints which received no response during the expected 90 day timeframe sky-rocketed from just 15.2% in 2023/24 to 70% in 2024/25 (a 360% increase). As the review of the UK’s EU data adequacy status commences later this year, questions must be asked about these worrying trends and what (if anything) can be done to address them.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 22nd July 2025

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Aldi’s appeal canned by the Supreme Court – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 22nd, 2025 in news by sally

‘In January, in Thatchers v Aldi [2025] EWCA Civ 5, the Court of Appeal found that Aldi Stores Ltd’s (Aldi) Taurus Cloudy Lemon Cider infringed Thatchers Cider Company Ltd’s (Thatchers) registered trade mark. That decision marked a turning point for brand owners seeking to challenge supermarket lookalikes. With the Supreme Court’s endorsement, the legal position has been further cemented in favour of brand protection.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 18th July 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Thomas Horsley: Reforming the UK Internal Market: The UK Government’s Response to the Review of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted July 22nd, 2025 in news by sally

‘On 15th July 2025, the UK Government (UKG) published its response to its review and public consultation on Parts 1 and 2 of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 (UKIMA). The Response confirms the UKG’s commitment to (re)position the Common Frameworks (sector-specific intergovernmental agreements coordinating policy in devolved areas previously governed by EU law) ahead of the UKIMA to manage future policy divergence in devolved areas affecting intra-UK trade. It also details six reforms that the UKG will bring forward in coming months. After setting out some brief background to the Review, the first part of this post explores the UKG’s reform proposals, with a focus on changes to the existing UKIMA exclusion process. Thereafter, this post reflects on the UKG’s broader aspiration to manage intra-UK trade under devolution primarily by consensus through the Common Frameworks, rather than by imposition under the UKIMA.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 21st July 2025

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Man who decapitated and dismembered London couple convicted of murder – The Guardian

Posted July 22nd, 2025 in news by sally

‘A man has been found guilty of murdering two men in London whom he decapitated and dismembered before taking their body parts in two suitcases to the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol.’

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The Guardian, 21st July 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Substantial changes’ on infected blood payouts – BBC News

Posted July 22nd, 2025 in news by sally

‘The government has said it is making “substantial changes” to the compensation scheme for thousands of victims of the infected blood scandal.’

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BBC News, 22nd July 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Plans to expand Wimbledon can go ahead, judge rules – BBC News

Posted July 22nd, 2025 in news by sally

‘Plans to almost triple the size of the Wimbledon tennis site are set to proceed after a campaign group’s legal challenge against the decision to grant planning permission was dismissed by a High Court judge.’

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BBC News, 21st July 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Woman jailed for 15 years for shaking her four-month-old baby to death – The Guardian

Posted July 22nd, 2025 in news by sally

‘A woman has been jailed for 15 years for killing her four-month-old daughter by violently shaking her.’

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The Guardian, 21st July 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Evidence in sexual offences prosecutions: a final report – Law Commission

Posted July 22nd, 2025 in news by sally

‘The purpose of this project is to review the law, practice, guidance and procedure in sexual offences cases and to make recommendations for reform to improve the understanding of consent and sexual harm, improve treatment of complainants, and ensure that defendants receive a fair trial.’

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Law Commission, 22nd July 2025

Source: lawcom.gov.uk

Chancel Repair Liability – Law Commission Consultation – Law & Religion UK

Posted July 22nd, 2025 in news by sally

‘On 15 July 2025, the Law Commission published its Consultation on Chancel repair liability and registration. The Law Commission is consulting on reforms to the law governing land registration and chancel repair liability. This project aims to close a historic loophole and save homeowners millions in insurance costs. Those with an interest in this area of law, or are affected by or have the benefit of a chancel repair liability, are requested to complete the questionnaire.’

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Law & Religion UK, 21st July 2025

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

The Afghan super-injunction case: Some constitutional implications – Public Law for Everyone

Posted July 22nd, 2025 in news by sally

‘Following a catastrophic administrative error placing the lives of thousands of Afghans at risk, the UK government obtained a super-injunction, enabling it to attempt to clear up the mess it had created behind a veil of impenetrable secrecy. The courts’ willingness to keep the super-injunction in place for nearly two years raises some important constitutional questions.’

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Public Law for Everyone, 17th July 2025

Source: publiclawforeveryone.com

Upper Tribunal upholds civil penalty against landlord for failure to comply with improvement notice – Local Government Lawyer

Posted July 22nd, 2025 in news by sally

‘The Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) has dismissed an appeal by a landlord against a £3,000 civil penalty imposed by Swale Borough Council for failing to comply with an improvement notice, finding that the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) was entitled to conclude that no reasonable excuse had been established.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 21st July 2025

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

An inquest after a murder: Coroner’s decision not to resume is upheld despite Article 2 challenge – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted July 22nd, 2025 in news by sally

‘At the heart of the case of R (Bailey) v HM Senior Coroner for East London [2025] EWHC 1637 (Admin), a tragedy: the murder of a 14-year-old boy, Jaden Bailey, and the profound grief of his mother. Jaden had been drawn into criminal activity, first in Nottinghamshire, then London. In October 2018 he had been found at a “cuckoo house” in Bournemouth, in possession of cocaine, a mobile phone and £325 in cash. He was brought back to London by the Metropolitan Police, following which an action plan was prepared by the Children’s Social Care Department of the London Borough of Waltham Forest. In November 2018 Jaden was permanently excluded from school after a Snapchat video showed him in possession of an imitation firearm, for which he was arrested and charged, pleading guilty. On 8 January 2019 Jaden was riding a moped in Leyton when he was hit by a car; the occupants of the car got out and stabbed Jaden. He died at the scene.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 21st July 2025

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Addressing unsuitability and mandatory orders- Nearly Legal

Posted July 22nd, 2025 in news by sally

‘R (ex parte AIN) v London Borough of Tower Hamlets. High Court (Admin) 29 April 2025 (Unreported elsewhere. We have a full note of judgment (unapproved) from the claimant’s solicitors, Osbornes Law, for which we are grateful). It is interesting in its treatment of the ‘five factors’ for consideration in making a mandatory order set out in Imam, R (on the application of) v London Borough of Croydon (2023) UKSC 45.

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Nearly Legal, 20th July 2025

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk