Elsie Scully-Hicks: Dad jailed for life for murder – BBC News
‘A man who murdered his 18-month-old daughter just two weeks after formally adopting her has been handed a life sentence.’
BBC News, 7th November 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
2011 amendments to Construction Act 1996 are under review – Practical Law: Construction Blog
‘On 1 May 2018 it will be 20 years since the Construction Act 1996 came into force. I think it is fair to say that, despite initial reservations by some about its introduction, most people would agree that, overall, the statutory adjudication and payment provisions have been successful. That said, like any adolescent, its teenage years have been somewhat difficult, which is mainly down to the 2011 amendments (introduced by Part 8 of the LDEDC Act 2009) to both the Act and the Scheme for Construction Contracts 1998.
Therefore, I was delighted to receive an email from a friend a couple of weeks ago letting me know that the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) had published a consultation on the 2011 amendments. The consultation can be accessed here and you have until 19 January 2018 to submit your thoughts.
Not only that, but the government has also published a consultation on the practice of cash retention under construction contracts (with the same January deadline). Although it is a very relevant and worthwhile consultation, it is the consultation on the 2011 amendments that I want to focus on today.’
Practical Law: Construction Blog, 7th November 2017
BAILII: Recent Decisions
Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)
Lewis & Anor, R v [2017] EWCA Crim 1734 (01 November 2017)
High Court (Administrative Court)
High Court (Chancery Division)
VB Football Assets v Blackpool Football Club & Ors [2017] EWHC 2767 (Ch) (06 November 2017)
Source: www.bailii.org
Online betting company pays out £2.3m over social responsibility failures – Local Government Lawyer
‘Betting operator Gala Interactive, part of Ladbrokes Coral, has agreed to pay £2.3m for breaching rules on social responsibility.’
Local Government Lawyer, 7th November 2017
Source: localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
An end to private hearing deals and unilateral emails to court: CPRC to strengthen open justice – Litigation Futures
‘A default position that all court hearings should be conducted in public, and parties and witnesses named, is under consideration by the Civil Procedure Rule Committee (CPRC) as part of a push to emphasise the importance of open justice, it has emerged.’
Litigation Futures, 7th November 2017
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
The government response to the report from the House of Lords Select Committee on the Licensing Act 2003 – Home Office
‘The government response to the report from the House of Lords Select Committee on the Licensing Act 2003: post-legislative scrutiny.’
Home Office, 6th November 2017
Source: www.gov.uk/home-office
Covert recordings: what should family lawyers advise? – Family Law
‘Covert recording is no longer limited to the realms of spies and detectives. With advancements in technology anyone can takeout their phone and record without anyone else knowing. The technology (including spy ware) is readily available and relatively inexpensive so it’s inevitable that people will seek to use it. It is now the case that practitioners are frequently seeing covert recordings arise in the context of family proceedings which involve the recording of family members, children and professionals. This may be a result of what is perceived to be a growing mind set of distrust in the competency of the family justice system and professionals working within it or because individuals are simply hoping to bolster their case with the footage they have obtained.’
Family Law, 6th November 2017
Source: www.familylaw.co.uk
Rapist who saw women as ‘lesser beings’ is jailed – BBC News
‘A man who raped a stranger on a riverbank and regarded women as “lesser beings” has been jailed for 12 years.’
BBC News, 6th November 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
David Evans fined £3,000 in curious case of Black Dave and Tango Sky – The Guardian
‘David Evans described as “very lenient” the fine of £3,000 meted out to him by racing’s ruling body after the trainer admitted he had delayed news of a non-runner in the hope of backing another horse in the same race at better odds. Evans staked £6,000 at 4-1 on Black Dave but lost his money when the horse, from his stable near Pandy in Monmouthshire, could finish only fourth.’
The Guardian, 6th November 2017
Source: www.theguardian.com
Man jailed for ‘I’ve got acid’ attack in Solihull – BBC News
‘A man has been jailed for a roadside “acid” attack when he squirted a bottle of cleaning solution at two others.’
BBC News, 6th November 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Elsie Scully-Hicks: Murdered by adopted father – BBC News
‘Elsie Scully-Hicks was just 18 months old when she died from catastrophic injuries. Her adopted father Matthew Scully-Hicks inflicted a catalogue of violence on her in the eight months she lived with him.’
BBC News, 6th November 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Mother to bring alleged rapist to justice via crowdfunding after prosecutors refuse to press charges – The Independent
‘A mother who says she was raped by a stranger has now set up a crowdfunding page to bring her alleged attacker to justice.’
The Independent, 6th November 2017
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Little Plumpton fracking households to share £100,000 – BBC News
‘Residents living near a fracking site in Lancashire are to receive up to £2,000 each as part of a shale gas exploration payment from Cuadrilla.’
BBC News, 6th November 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Deaths and serious incidents in police custody – Home Office
‘The review’s aims included examining the procedures and processes surrounding deaths and serious incidents in police custody, including the lead up to such incidents and the immediate aftermath, through to the conclusion of official investigations. The report makes 110 recommendations.’
Home Office, 30th November 2017
Source: www.gov.uk/home-office
BAILII: Recent Decisions
Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
Secretary of State for the Home Department v Onuorah [2017] EWCA Civ 1757 (03 November 2017)
Arthur v Revenue And Customs [2017] EWCA Civ 1756 (03 November 2017)
Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)
Chapman & Ors, R v (Rev 1) [2017] EWCA Crim 1743 (01 November 2017)
High Court (Administrative Court) Decisions
Magiera v District Court of Krakow, Poland [2017] EWHC 2757 (Admin) (03 November 2017)
High Court (Chancery Division)
Campbell v Campbell [2017] EWHC 2747 (Ch) (03 November 2017)
High Court (Commercial Court)
JSC BTA Bank v Ablyazov & Anor [2017] EWHC 2702 (Comm) (06 November 2017)
High Court (Family Division)
N v J (Power to Set Aside Return Order) [2017] EWHC 2752 (Fam) (03 November 2017)
S (Child as Parent: Adoption: Consent) [2017] EWHC 2729 (Fam) (02 November 2017)
High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)
Optical Express Ltd & Ors v Associated Newspapers Ltd [2017] EWHC 2707 (QB) (03 November 2017)
Bloomsbury Law Solicitor v Macpherson [2017] EWHC 2708 (QB) (03 November 2017)
Visage Ltd & Anor v Mehan & Ors [2017] EWHC 2734 (QB) (03 November 2017)
Source: www.bailii.org
Law and religion round-up – 5th November – Law & Religion UK
‘A week in which the Westminster sexual exploitation scandal continued to claim scalps, there was an important report on House of Lords reform – and Brexit rumbled on’
Law & Religion UK, 5th November 2017
Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com
Calls to Lower Voting Age Sidelined – But is There a Human Rights Argument? – Rightsinfo
‘MPs in Westminster today debated proposals to lower the voting age across the UK to 16 – but could there be a human rights argument for this?’
Rightsinfo, 3rd November 2017
Source: rightsinfo.org
Lawyers aim to “intimidate” clients who complain, says report – Legal Futures
‘Some clients worry being “bamboozled by legal jargon” if they complain to their lawyers, a fear that can be borne out by responses that are “seeming calculated to ‘overwhelm’ or ‘intimidate’ the customer”, according to new research.’
Legal Futures, 6th November 2017
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
