Sentencing Council launches new definitive guideline on bladed articles and offensive weapons offences – Sentencing Council

Posted March 2nd, 2018 in offensive weapons, press releases, sentencing by sally

‘The Sentencing Council has published a new guideline for the sentencing of offenders convicted of the possession of a bladed article or offensive weapon, such as acid, in public, and of using one to threaten someone.’

Full press release

Sentencing Council, 1st March 2018

Source: http://sentencingcouncil.judiciary.gov.uk

Supreme Court urges rule committee to clarify status of law firm LLP acting for itself – Litigation Futures

‘The rule committee should look at clarifying whether a law firm LLP which acts for itself in legal proceedings is a litigant in person for the purposes of the CPR, the Supreme Court has said.’

Full Story

Litigation Futures, 1st March 2018

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

MPs outline concerns about government’s push for digital justice – Legal Futures

Posted March 2nd, 2018 in courts, electronic filing, news, select committees, video recordings by sally

‘MPs have expressed concern about the government’s “evident preference” for virtual and online justice over traditional, court-based models without the evidence base to justify it.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 2nd March 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Man jailed for sharing “how to kill disbelievers” video – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted March 2nd, 2018 in press releases, sentencing, terrorism by sally

‘A man who sent a text message containing a link to an extremist instructional video on how to kill someone using knives has been jailed for 16 months.’

Full press release

Crown Prosecution Service, 2nd March 2018

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

New edition of the Equal Treatment Bench Book launched – Courts and tribunals Judiciary

Posted March 2nd, 2018 in equality, judiciary, press releases by sally

‘The Equal Treatment Bench Book has been updated, expanded and improved. It aims to increase awareness and understanding of the different circumstances of people appearing in courts and tribunals. It helps enable effective communication and suggests steps which should increase participation by all parties.’

Full text

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 28th February 2018

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

‘Mate Crime’ duo jailed for longer after Solicitor General intervenes in their case – Attorney General’s Office

Posted March 2nd, 2018 in appeals, false imprisonment, press releases, sentencing, wounding by sally

‘Matthew Ward and Marcus Cullumbine have had their sentences increased after the Solicitor General referred them for being too low.’

Press release

Attorney General’s Office, 1st March 2018

Source: www.gov.uk/ago

Don’t treat litigants in person as an unwelcome problem, judges told – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 2nd, 2018 in judiciary, litigants in person, news by sally

‘Litigants in person should not be seen as an unwelcome problem for the court, judges have been told in 422-page guidance on equal treatment issued by the Judicial College.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 1st March 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Chief coroner considers ‘cab rank’ burial rule to be unlawful – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The law firm challenging a coroner’s policy of applying a “cab rank” rule for burials by refusing to prioritise them on religious grounds has welcomed what he describes as the chief coroner’s “support”.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 1st March 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Child Support Update – Family Law Week

Posted March 2nd, 2018 in child support, news by sally

‘Jody Atkinson TEP, barrister at St John’s Chambers, Bristol, takes stock of the developments in child support law and practice and considers the implications for parents.’

Full Story

Family Law Week, 1st March 2018

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Officers accused of spying on sister of man who died in police custody cleared – The Guardian

Posted March 2nd, 2018 in death in custody, disciplinary procedures, news, police, spying by sally

‘Two police officers accused of spying on the sister of a former paratrooper who was unlawfully killed in police custody have been cleared by a disciplinary panel.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 1st March 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Only one convicted over 2017 ‘double voting’ claims – BBC News

Posted March 2nd, 2018 in complaints, elections, fraud, news by sally

‘Hundreds of complaints about alleged double voting in the 2017 UK general election resulted in only one conviction, according to police data.’

Full Story

BBC News, 2nd March 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Surrey woman who killed husband can challenge murder conviction – The Guardian

Posted March 2nd, 2018 in appeals, domestic violence, murder, news by sally

‘A woman who bludgeoned her husband to death with a hammer has won the latest round in an attempt to appeal against her conviction for murder. Georgina Challen attacked 61-year-old Richard Challen in August 2010 as he ate lunch at the kitchen table in their former home in Claygate, Surrey. In June 2011 a jury at Guildford crown court took 11 hours to find Challen, known as Sally, guilty of murdering the former car dealer. She was jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 years, which was later reduced on appeal by four years. On Thursday, three court of appeal judges allowed Challen leave to appeal against the conviction.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 1st March 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Once secret guidance on MI5’s use of agents who engage in crime published by Theresa May – The Independent

Posted March 2nd, 2018 in intelligence services, news by sally

‘Theresa May has published a previously secret direction relating to MI5’s use of agents who participate in crime. The Prime Minister confirmed that the area of the Security Service’s work was kept under review by a watchdog.’

Full Story

The Independent, 1st March

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Gentleman thief carried out over 100 burglaries mostly on his bicycle – leaving homes he’d raided ‘neat’ and ‘tidy’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 2nd, 2018 in burglary, news, sentencing by sally

‘A gentleman thief who carried out over 100 burglaries mostly on his bicycle before leaving homes “neat” and “tidy” has been jailed for over five years.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 1st March 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Battle of Orgreave: more unreleased police files uncovered – The Guardian

Posted March 2nd, 2018 in archives, demonstrations, miners, news, police, public order, select committees by sally

‘Unreleased files about the Battle of Orgreave from five police forces, including a contemporaneous report by a chief constable on the policing of the miner’s strike, have been uncovered by the Commons home affairs committee.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 1st March 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Leveson inquiry: government confirms second stage axed – The Guardian

Posted March 2nd, 2018 in inquiries, interception, media, news, police, privacy by sally

‘The culture secretary, Matt Hancock, confirmed on Thursday that the government would drop plans for the second phase of the Leveson inquiry into press standards launched in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 1st March 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

High Court grants legal challenge against NHS-Home Office deal to hand over patient data to immigration officials – The Independent

Posted March 2nd, 2018 in confidentiality, immigration, judicial review, medical records, news by sally

‘The High Court has granted a legal challenge against a NHS-Home Office deal to hand over patient data to immigration officials. The challenge, put forward by Migrants Rights Net (MRN), a UK charity advocating for the rights of migrants, will now go to a full hearing.’

Full Story

The Independent, 2nd March 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Government should pay compensation to children sent abroad says sexual abuse inquiry – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 2nd, 2018 in child abuse, children, compensation, news by sally

‘The Government faces paying thousands in compensation to child migrants who were sexually abused during an overseas settlement policy. Britain’s child migration programmes saw thousands, many in care or from poor backgrounds, sent to countries including Australia and New Zealand, partly to save money on care costs. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse found that successive UK governments, which played a “central role” in the policy, “failed to ensure that there were in place sufficient measures to protect children from sexual abuse”.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 1st March 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Soldiers convicted of sex attacks and violent offences being released without supervision, report warns – The Independent

‘Soldiers convicted of sex attacks and violent offences are being released without any supervision because of a loophole in the law, a report has found. HM Inspectorate of Prisons said the public were not being protected by processes at the UK’s only military detention centre, which operates independently of the normal probation system.’

Full Story

The Independent, 1st March 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted March 1st, 2018 in legislation by sally

The Soft Drinks Industry Levy (Enforcement) Regulations 2018

The Public Regulated Service (Galileo) Regulations 2018

The London Government (London Fire Commissioner and Policing) (Amendment) Regulations 2018

The Value Added Tax (Amendment) Regulations 2018

The Social Security (Contributions) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2018

The Compulsory Purchase of Land (Written Representations Procedure) (Ministers) (Miscellaneous Amendments and Electronic Communications) Regulations 2018

The Neighbourhood Planning Act 2017 (Commencement No. 4 and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2018

The Housing and Planning Act 2016 (Commencement No. 7 and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2018

he Portability of Online Content Services Regulations 2018

The Compulsory Purchase (Inquiries Procedure) (Miscellaneous Amendments and Electronic Communications) Rules 2018

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Fees and Frequency of Inspections) (Children’s Homes etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2018

The Higher Education and Research Act 2017 (Consequential, Transitional, Transitory and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2018

The Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2018

The Higher Education and Research Act 2017 (Commencement No. 3) Regulations 2018

The Civil Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2018

The Agricultural and Forestry Vehicles (Type-Approval) Regulations 2018

The Motorcycles (Type-Approval) Regulations 2018

The Street Works (Charges for Occupation of the Highway) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2018

The Income Tax (Pay As You Earn) (Amendment) Regulations 2018

The Wireless Telegraphy (Exemption and Amendment) (Amendment) Regulations 2018

The Energy Information (Amendment) Regulations 2018

The Electricity (Connection Offer Expenses) Regulations 2018

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk