Police officer who blackmailed member of the public has sentence increased – Attorney General’s Office

‘Police officer has sentence increased after Solicitor General Robert Buckland QC MP referred his original sentence to the Court of Appeal.’

Full press release

Attorney General’s Office, 30th November 2017

Source: www.gov.uk/ago

Watchdog calls on MPs to ease rules after being told to toughen up – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 1st, 2017 in accountants, financial regulation, news, takeovers by sally

‘The UK’s accounting watchdog is hoping to make it easier to prosecute accountants after it was slammed for letting KPMG off the hook over its audits of HBOS just before the financial crisis.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 30th November 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Care homes are breaking the law by charging residents after death, says watchdog – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 1st, 2017 in care homes, fees, news by sally

‘Care homes are breaking the law by charging wealthier residents fees after they have died, a regulator has said. People who pay for their own care are also being charged £12,000 year more each than the fees paid by councils, equivalent to a total shortfall of £1bn a year, the Competition and Markets Authority said.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 30th November 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

UK police to lose phone and web data search authorisation powers – The Guardian

Posted December 1st, 2017 in internet, investigatory powers, news, police, telecommunications by sally

‘Senior police officers are to lose the power to self-authorise access to personal phone and web browsing records under a series of late changes to the snooper’s charter law proposed by ministers in an attempt to comply with a European court ruling on Britain’s mass surveillance powers. A Home Office consultation paper published on Thursday also makes clear that the 250,000 requests each year for access to personal communications data by the police and other public bodies will in future be restricted to investigations into crimes that carry a prison sentence of at least six months.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 30th November 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Cancer x-ray services to be reviewed after serious diagnostic failures – The Guardian

Posted December 1st, 2017 in cancer, hospitals, news, quality assurance, x-rays by sally

‘Inspectors have launched a national review into radiology services in the NHS after it emerged patients came to “significant harm” at a hospital where junior doctors were left to interpret chest x-rays, including those for suspected cancer.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 1st December 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Number of asylum seekers waiting longer than target time rises 27% despite drop in applications – The Independent

Posted December 1st, 2017 in asylum, delay, news by sally

‘The number of asylum seekers who wait longer than the six-month decision target has increased by more than a quarter in the past year, despite asylum applications having fallen by 21 per cent in the same period, figures show.’

Full Story

The Independent, 30th November 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Grenfell Tower fire: Inquiry ‘needs a diverse panel’ – BBC News

Posted December 1st, 2017 in diversity, fire, health & safety, inquiries, news by sally

‘The Grenfell Tower fire inquiry could become a whitewash unless there is a diverse panel to oversee proceedings, survivors and bereaved families say. They say chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick should sit with people from a range of backgrounds who understand the issues facing those affected by the blaze, in which 71 people died on 14 June.’

Full Story

BBC News, 1st December 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Children removed after parents’ open relationship contributes to neglect – The Guardian

Posted December 1st, 2017 in adoption, child neglect, children, news by sally

‘Three children are to be removed from their family home amid concerns that their parents’ “open relationship” may have contributed to neglect. The ruling by a family court judge makes clear that the hearing was concerned only with the impact of the parents’ unusual lifestyle on their young children, who are all under the age of five and will now be placed for adoption.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 30th November 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted November 30th, 2017 in legislation by sally

The Banking Act 2009 (Service Providers to Payment Systems) Order 2017

The Environmental Damage (Prevention and Remediation) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2017

The Data-gathering Powers (Relevant Data) (Amendment) Regulations 2017

The National Insurance Contributions (Application of Part 7 of the Finance Act 2004) (Amendment) Regulations 2017

The Payment Systems and Services and Electronic Money (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2017

The Inheritance Tax Avoidance Schemes (Prescribed Descriptions of Arrangements) Regulations 2017

The Tax Avoidance Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2017

The First-tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal (Chambers) (Amendment No. 2) Order 2017

The Tribunal Procedure (Amendment No. 2) Rules 2017

The Statutory Auditors Regulations 2017

The Scotland Act 2016 (Commencement No. 7) Regulations 2017

The Police Federation (England and Wales) Regulations 2017

The Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted November 30th, 2017 in law reports by sally

Supreme Court

Tiuta International Ltd (in liquidation) v De Villiers Surveyors Ltd [2017] UKSC 77 (29 November 2017)

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Smith v Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust& Ors (Rev 2) [2017] EWCA Civ 1916 (28 November 2017)

PR (Sri Lanka), R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2017] EWCA Civ 1946 (28 November 2017)

Aidiniantz vThe Sherlock Holmes International Society Ltd [2017] EWCA Civ 1875 (28 November 2017)

Peterborough & Stamford Hospitals NHS Trust v McMenemy & Ors [2017] EWCA Civ 1941 (28 November 2017)

Mudibo, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2017] EWCA Civ 1949 (28 November 2017)

Merck KGaA v Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp & Ors [2017] EWCA Civ 1834 (24 November 2017)

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

RJ, R v [2017] EWCA Crim 1943 (28 November 2017)

High Court (Administrative Court)

U and U, R (on the application of) v Milton Keynes Council [2017] EWHC 3050 (Admin) (29 November 2017)

Saadawi, R (on the application of) v The Secretary of State for the Home Department [2017] EWHC 3032 (Admin) (29 November 2017)

Save Britain’s Heritage, R (on the application of) v Westminster City Council & Anor [2017] EWHC 3059 (Admin) (29 November 2017)

Baynham v Secretary of State for Communities And Local Government & Anor [2017] EWHC 3049 (Admin) (28 November 2017)

Wright v The Parole Board of England and Wales [2017] EWHC 3007 (Admin) (27 November 2017)

AB v Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) [2017] EWHC 2963 (Admin) (24 November 2017)

Gilfoyle, R (On the Application Of) v Criminal Cases Review Commission (Rev 1) [2017] EWHC 3008 (Admin) (24 November 2017)

R (Director of Public Prosecutions) v Aylesbury Crown Court & Anor [2017] EWHC 2987 (Admin) (24 November 2017)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Glasgow (The Bankruptcy Trustee of Harlequin Property Svg Ltd) v ELS Law Ltd & Ors [2017] EWHC 3004 (Ch) (28 November 2017)

High Court (Commercial Court)

Abdullah & Ors Credit Suisse (UK) Ltd & Anor [2017] EWHC 3016 (Comm) (27 November 2017)

High Court (Family Division)

M (A Child : secure accommodation order) (Rev 1) [2017] EWHC 3021 (Fam) (23 November 2017)

High Court (Patents Court)

Magnesium Elektron Ltd v Neo Chemicals & Oxides (Europe) Ltd & Ors [2017] EWHC 2957 (Pat) (24 November 2017)

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

Philp & Anor v Cook [2017] EWHC 3023 (QB) (28 November 2017)

Serafin v Malkiewicz & Ors [2017] EWHC 2992 (QB) (24 November 2017)

Mohammed v The Home Office [2017] EWHC 3051 (QB) (24 November 2017)

Toms v Ruberry [2017] EWHC 2970 (QB) (24 November 2017)Toms v Ruberry [2017] EWHC 2970 (QB) (24 November 2017)

High Court (Technology and Construction Court)

Severfield (UK) Ltd v Duro Felguera UK Ltd (No. 2) [2017] EWHC 3066 (TCC) (29 November 2017)

HSM Offshore BV v Aker Offshore Partner Ltd [2017] EWHC 2979 (TCC) (28 November 2017)

Freeborn & Anor v Marcal (t/a Dan Marcal Architects) [2017] EWHC 3046 (TCC) (28 November 2017)

Source: www.bailii.org

Family of woman facing deportation after 50 years in UK demand apology – The Guardian

Posted November 30th, 2017 in deportation, detention, elderly, immigration, news by sally

‘The family of a grandmother who was sent to an immigration detention centre and threatened with deportation to Jamaica, a country she left 50 years ago when she was 10, has called on the Home Office to apologise for the treatment she has received. The case of Paulette Wilson, 61, who was detained for a week at Yarl’s Wood immigration detention centre last month, has focused attention on other UK residents, now retired, who have lived in Britain since they were in primary school, who are being pursued by the Home Office. Most had no idea that there was anything wrong with their immigration status.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 29th November 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Serial killer Levi Bellfield gives ‘very detailed confession’ of murdering Lin and Megan Russell in 1996 – The Independent

‘Lawyers acting for the man convicted of murdering Lin and Megan Russell in Kent in 1996 say they have new evidence of his innocence, including a “very detailed confession” to the killings from serial killer Levi Bellfield.’

Full Story

The Independent, 29th November 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Prison inspectors given powers to alert minister to urgent problems – The Guardian

Posted November 30th, 2017 in ministers' powers and duties, news, notification, prisons, reports by sally

‘The justice secretary, David Lidington, has unveiled a series of measures that the government hopes will urgently tackle failing prisons in England and Wales. From Thursday, the chief inspector of prisons has been given new powers to alert the justice secretary directly of any urgent and severe problems he finds during a jail inspection.’

Full press release

Full Story

The Guardian, 30th November 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK class action accuses Google of unlawfully harvesting personal data – The Guardian

Posted November 30th, 2017 in class actions, data protection, internet, news, privacy, telecommunications by sally

‘More than 5 million people in the UK could be entitled to compensation from Google if a class action against the internet giant for allegedly harvesting personal data is successful. A group led by the former executive director of consumer body Which?, Richard Lloyd, and advised by City law firm Mischon de Reya claims Google unlawfully collected personal information by bypassing the default privacy settings on the iPhone between June 2011 and February 2012.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 30th November 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ex-wife of cheating travel boss demands share of his earnings on top of £10m payout – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 30th, 2017 in appeals, delay, divorce, financial provision, news by sally

‘The ex-wife of a travel boss who had multiple affairs is demanding a share of his future earnings on top of a £10m divorce payout, the court of appeal has heard.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 29th November 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Uber says 2.7m Brits hit by breach that was covered up – BBC News

Posted November 30th, 2017 in data protection, disclosure, news, privacy by sally

‘Uber has revealed that 2.7 million British riders and drivers were affected by a 2016 data breach that it covered up for more than a year.’

Full Story

BBC News, 29th November 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Poppi Worthington inquest: father refuses to answer 69 questions over 13 month-old’s death – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 30th, 2017 in evidence, families, inquests, media, news, police, witnesses by sally

‘The father of Poppi Worthington refused to answer 69 questions relating to her death in case it incriminated him as it emerged he is now under witness protection.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 29th November 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Megan Bannister: Men discovered with dead schoolgirl in car jailed and branded ‘callous and morally repugnant’ by judge – The Independent

Posted November 30th, 2017 in careless driving, drug abuse, drug offences, homicide, news, sentencing by sally

‘Two men have been jailed for what a judge called the “callous and morally repugnant” roles they played in supplying a schoolgirl with MDMA shortly before her death.’

Full Story

The Independent, 30th November 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted November 29th, 2017 in legislation by sally

The Policing and Crime Act 2017 (Commencement No. 5 and Transitional Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2017

The Recovery of Costs (Remand to Youth Detention Accommodation) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2017

The Higher Education and Research Act 2017 (Commencement No. 2) Regulations 2017

The Higher Education and Research Act 2017 (Transitory Provisions) Regulations 2017

The State Pension Debits and Credits (Revaluation) (No. 2) Order 2017

The State Pension Revaluation for Transitional Pensions Order 2017

The Civil Procedure Act 1997 (Amendment) Order 2017

The Road User Charging and Workplace Parking Levy (Classes of Motor Vehicles) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2017

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Ombudsman tells council to pay compensation over forcible eviction by landlord – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 29th, 2017 in compensation, homelessness, landlord & tenant, local government, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘Maidstone Borough Council should pay compensation to a homeless family of £4,170 after it accepted their forcible eviction at short notice from temporary accommodation, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has said.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 29th November 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk