Current Awareness

‘Anyone reading that John Hart, an 83-year-old man with prostate cancer, had been sent to prison by a High Court judge might naturally raise an eye-brow in surprise. However, HHJ Wildblood QC did just that following judgments at [2018] EWHC 548 (Fam), [2018] EWHC 549 (Fam) and dated 23 February and 18 March 2018 respectively. These decisions are the latest in the long-running saga in the Hart v Hart divorce which has now been ongoing in various guises for some six and a half years.’

Full Story

Family Law, 23rd March 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Lorry drivers jailed for fatal crash on motorway – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted March 26th, 2018 in careless driving, dangerous driving, press releases, sentencing by sally

‘Two lorry drivers have been jailed after they caused a motorway crash which killed eight people travelling in a minibus.’

Full press release

Crown Prosecution Service, 23rd March 2018

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Tube terror attack youth jailed for life – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted March 26th, 2018 in attempted murder, attempts, explosives, murder, press releases, sentencing, terrorism, transport, young offenders by sally

‘A teenager from west London who was convicted of attempted murder after his homemade bomb exploded in a packed tube carriage has been jailed for life and ordered to serve at least 34 years in prison.’

Full press release

Crown Prosecution Service, 23rd March 2018

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Speech by Sir Geoffrey Vos, Chancellor of the High Court: Integrity and independence in the judiciary and the financial services industry – a comparative study – Courts & Tribunals Judiciary

Posted March 26th, 2018 in courts, financial dispute resolution, financial regulation, judges, judiciary, professional conduct, speeches by sally

‘Speech by Sir Geoffrey Vos, Chancellor of the High Court: Integrity and independence in the judiciary and the financial services industry – a comparative study.’

Full speech

Courts & Tribunals Judiciary, 21st March 2018

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Statement from the Chair of the Bar on AGFS – The Bar Council

Posted March 26th, 2018 in barristers, consultations, criminal justice, fees, legal aid, press releases by sally

‘Statement from the Chair of the Bar on AGFS.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 24th March 2018

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

BSB agrees approach on the role of the Inns of Court in the future of Bar training – Bar Standards Board

Posted March 26th, 2018 in barristers, consultations, inns of court, legal education, press releases, pupillage by sally

‘Following its recent consultation, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) has agreed in principle how it should prescribe the future role of the Inns of Court in the training and qualification of barristers.’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 23rd March 2018

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.

Criminal barristers expecting ‘overwhelming’ support for action – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 26th, 2018 in barristers, criminal justice, fees, industrial action, legal aid, news by sally

‘Criminal barristers are expected to announce direct action this week against what they say is the latest round of government cuts to the legal aid budget. The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) said it will update members on Thursday on the results of a survey it sent to them asking whether they wanted to take action. CBA chair Angela Rafferty said this morning that the signs are that “there will be overwhelming support for unified action.” ’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 26th March 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Family of Tara Newbold call for inquest into her death to resume – The Guardian

Posted March 26th, 2018 in domestic violence, grievous bodily harm, inquests, news by sally

‘The family of a woman who was severely beaten by her partner on the night she died are calling for the resumption of an inquest into her death, after the perpetrator was not charged with murder.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 25th March 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judge uses mobile in court to solve timetable problem in ‘unorthodox’ move – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 26th, 2018 in case management, courts, judges, news, telecommunications by sally

‘A judge broke with tradition by using a mobile phone in court to solve an administrative problem. Lawyers have praised Judge Richard Todd, a divorce court judge, who had a conversation with an office clerk in a bid to avoid a delay while overseeing a High Court case.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 25th March 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Scouts pay out £42,000 over 11-year-old’s autism claim – BBC News

Posted March 26th, 2018 in autism, children, compensation, news by sally

‘An 11-year-old boy has received £42,000 in compensation after his family said his cub scout group discriminated against him for having autism.’

Full Story

BBC News, 26th March 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

First virtual court case held using claimant’s laptop camera – The Guardian

Posted March 26th, 2018 in appeals, courts, news, pilot schemes, taxation by sally

‘The first virtual court case has been held with a claimant appearing via a home laptop camera, while an extremely patient judge sat in a London tribunal and lawyers presented evidence from Belfast.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 26th March 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Lab accidentally created ‘city’ of 180,000 mice and experimented on them without permission – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 26th, 2018 in animals, licensing, news, reports, vivisection by sally

‘A ‘mouse city’ the size of the population of York was accidentally bred by scientists following a laboratory blunder, a new Home Office report has shown. Researchers at an unnamed laboratory bred nearly 180,000 more mice for use in experiments than their license permitted, and carried out unauthorised experiments on them, yet received only a letter of reprimand.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 25th March 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

British children being forced into modern slavery in UK as 5,000 potential victims found – The Independent

Posted March 26th, 2018 in children, drug trafficking, gangs, news, sexual grooming, sexual offences, trafficking in human beings, victims by sally

‘British children are being forced into modern slavery in the UK as more potential victims are reported than ever before. A total of 5,145 potential victims were referred into the system last year, an increase of 35 per cent on the year before, and the National Crime Agency (NCA) believes the number will continue to rise.’

Full Story

The Independent, 25th March 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk