Porn baron left penniless after losing bitter court battle with ‘bullying’ dominatrix – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 16th, 2016 in appeals, bullying, company directors, news, pornography by sally

‘Judge says case involving kinky businessman and his ex-girlfriend perhaps shows it is unwise to mix business with pleasure.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 15th February 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Why the UK replica furniture market is about to be hit by new copyright laws – The Independent

Posted February 16th, 2016 in copyright, intellectual property, news by sally

‘Are you sitting comfortably? Then lucky you. By the end of October – after a six-month “amnesty” for retailers – that luxury will cost you more, maybe 12 times more, than now. And it’s all thanks to the bloody European Union. ‘

Full story

The Independent, 15th February 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Turnford van murder: Driver guilty of Frank Buckley killing – BBC News

Posted February 16th, 2016 in murder, news by sally

‘A killer van driver who reversed over his victim’s head during a violent confrontation has been found guilty of murder.’

Full story

BBC News, 15th February 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

What are ‘professional witnesses’ and why is there such high demand for their services? – The Independent

Posted February 16th, 2016 in expert witnesses, news, private investigators, witnesses by sally

‘Too many offences escape prosecution for want of anyone willing to give evidence. When the police can’t help, it’s time fpr a new approach…’

Full story

The Independent, 15th February 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

The Leveson inquiry isn’t over, Cameron must keep his promise – The Guardian

‘It was clear from the start that the Leveson inquiry was to be conducted in two parts. The first section, examining the culture, practices and ethics of the media, reported back in 2012.’

Full story

The Guardian, 15th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

City lawyers concerned about change to SFO – The Independent

Posted February 16th, 2016 in fraud, legal profession, national crime agency, news, Serious Fraud Office by sally

‘Senior City lawyers are railing against plans to subsume the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) into the National Crime Agency (NCA), amid fears of yet more disruption to the prosecution of white-collar crime.’

Full story

The Independent, 16th February 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

BBC’s Jimmy Savile abuse report to be published next week – The Guardian

Posted February 16th, 2016 in BBC, news, recidivists, reports, sexual offences by sally

‘The long-awaited report into sexual abuse at the BBC, prompted by the Jimmy Savile scandal, has been delivered to the corporation and will be published by the broadcaster next week.’

Full story

The Guardian, 15th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Smoothing the adoption process – BBC News

Posted February 16th, 2016 in adoption, fostering, news by sally

‘Finding a permanent loving home for a baby approved for adoption can take take several months. In 2012, the government said it would change the law to allow potential adopters to foster a baby while the courts were deciding on its future. So what has the Foster to Adopt experience been like for those taking this route?’

Full story

BBC News, 19th February 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Reporting restrictions: When can you take notes in court? – BBC News

Posted February 16th, 2016 in courts, media, news, reporting restrictions by sally

‘As a reporter, I am used to getting out my notebook and writing down what’s said by witnesses, lawyers and judges.’

Full story

BBC News, 16th February 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Prisons fail to act on inmates’ suicide risks, says watchdog – The Guardian

Posted February 16th, 2016 in news, prisons, reports, suicide by sally

‘Clues that prisoners may take their own lives are too often missed, a watchdog has warned.’

Full story

The Guardian, 16th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Early guilty pleas: Justice for whom? – UK Human Rights Blog

‘New guidelines incentivising people accused of criminal offences in England and Wales to plead guilty as early as possible were proposed last week. While existing rules allow for a maximum one-third reduction in the sentence to those who plead guilty at the ‘first reasonable opportunity’, this benefit is now only available to those who plead guilty at their very first court hearing, with the available reduction falling on a steeper sliding scale thereafter.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 15th February 2016

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Barrister suspended after text harassment conviction – Legal Futures

‘A barrister who was convicted of harassing his ex-partner with texts was last week suspended for three months by a bar tribunal for damaging the trust and confidence the public has in the profession.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 15th February 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

GCHQ hacking does not breach human rights, security tribunal rules – The Guardian

‘Hacking of computers, networks and smartphones in the UK or abroad by GCHQ staff does not breach human rights, a security tribunal has ruled.’

Full story

The Guardian, 12th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

High Court enforcement continued – Nearly Legal

‘In what has turned into a continuing series, there are further updates on enforcement of possession orders via the High Court, obtaining writs and the scandalous conduct of many High Court Enforcement Officers.’

Full story

Nearly Legal, 13th February 2016

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

‘Sexting’ children should not be prosecuted, guidelines say – Daily Telegraph

‘The proposed guidance will also offer advice to school leaders on when it is appropriate to report “sexting incidents” to the authorities.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 14th February 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Allow Huntington’s disease sufferer to die, judge rules – The Guardian

Posted February 15th, 2016 in consent, food, health, medical treatment, news by sally

‘A man in his 30s who is in the advanced stages of Huntington’s disease and repeatedly pulls out a feeding tube attached to his stomach should be allowed to die, a judge has ruled.’

Full story

The Guardian, 12th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Without prejudice privilege – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The ‘without prejudice’ privilege refers to the inadmissibility of any party communications targeted toward settlement. The objective of this privilege is to encourage parties engaging in settlement consideration, by ensuring any information disclosed in the pursuit of settlement cannot be submitted in litigation proceedings (see Lord Griffiths in Rush & Tomkins v GLC [1989] 1 AC 1280).’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 15th February 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Police mindset at Hillsborough was ‘all about public disorder’, inquest hears – The Guardian

‘South Yorkshire police officers requested dog handlers to come to Hillsborough in 1989 when people were trying to escape the lethal crush because police believed it was a pitch invasion, the new inquests into the disaster have heard.’

Full story

The Guardian, 12th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Court of Appeal reaffirms death of “near miss” rule for part 36 offers – Litigation Futures

Posted February 15th, 2016 in appeals, costs, damages, news, part 36 offers, professional conduct by sally

‘There is no longer a “near miss” rule for part 36 offers, appeal judges have made clear as they overturned a High Court decision which seemed to suggest that there was one.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 15th February 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Failing on systematic failings – Nearly Legal

Posted February 15th, 2016 in homelessness, housing, judicial review, local government, news, statutory duty by sally

‘This was a quite extraordinary judicial review (or rather four joined judicial review claims with another 16 cases put in evidence in support) in which what was in the end at stake was not any remedy for the individual claimants – it was agreed that their individual issues had been remedied and the claims were academic on that basis – but whether there were systemic failings in Birmingham’s handling of homeless applications such that Birmingham:

generally, discourage and divert applications so that individuals are denied their statutory rights to have their situation properly inquired into and be given interim accommodation whilst those inquiries are being made.’

Full story

Nearly Legal, 14th February 2016

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk