England and Wales court cells ‘squalid and dangerous’ – BBC News

Posted November 6th, 2015 in courts, detention, health & safety, news, prisons by sally

‘Conditions at cells in courts in England and Wales are an “accident waiting to happen”, a report has said.’

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BBC News, 6th November 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Interception, Authorisation and Redress in the Draft Investigatory Powers Bill – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted November 5th, 2015 in bills, interception, investigatory powers, news, tribunals, warrants by sally

‘The Government has published a draft Bill on Investigatory Powers that it hopes to see through Parliament within a year. If it becomes law, the Investigatory Powers Bill will replace much, but not all, of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, as well as the Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act 2014.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 5th November 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Wales – it’s just more appealing – Nearly Legal

Posted November 5th, 2015 in appeals, civil procedure rules, housing, news, tribunals, Wales by sally

‘Clarise Properties Ltd v Rees [2015] EWCA Civ 1118 (Lawtel/Westlaw only from what I can see) is an interesting* permission to appeal decision. It appears that devolution has caused an odd little difference in the test for permission to appeal from the UT(LC) depending on whether the case started in England or Wales.’

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Nearly Legal, 5th November 2015

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Gay canon Jeremy Pemberton was not discriminated against – BBC News

‘A gay clergyman prevented from taking up a post as a hospital chaplain was not discriminated against, an employment tribunal panel has ruled.’

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BBC News, 4th November 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Proportion of rape reports leading to charges falls sharply – The Guardian

Posted November 5th, 2015 in crime, news, prosecutions, rape, statistics by sally

‘The proportion of rape reports to police that led to a charge fell sharply in 2014/15, according to new official figures.’

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The Guardian, 5th November 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

UK government to reform communication surveillance laws – OUT-LAW.com

‘Data recording what websites internet users have visited will need to be retained for up to 12 months by telecommunication service providers under proposed new surveillance laws that have been outlined by the UK government.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 4th October 2015

Source: www.out-law.com

FOI and Article 10: life after Kennedy (and Kenedi) – Panopticon

Posted November 5th, 2015 in freedom of expression, freedom of information, human rights, news by sally

‘The right to freedom of expression under Article 10(1) of the European Convention on Human Rights includes “freedom… to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority”. Does that mean that there is a human right to freedom of information?’

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Panopticon, 4th November 2015

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

Michael Gove hints at possible scrapping of criminal courts charge – The Guardian

Posted November 5th, 2015 in courts, criminal courts charge, criminal procedure, judiciary, news by sally

‘Michael Gove has given his broadest hint so far that he is seeking to ditch the highly unpopular criminal courts charge and could give magistrates and judges discretion over its enforcement.’

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The Guardian, 3rd November 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

CPS fined £200,000 over theft of interview film laptops – BBC News

Posted November 5th, 2015 in Crown Prosecution Service, data protection, fines, news, video recordings by sally

‘The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has been fined £200,000 by the information watchdog after the theft of laptops containing videos of police interviews.’

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BBC News, 4th November 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Mid Staffs NHS trust admits ‘very significant’ breaches over patient deaths – The Guardian

‘The NHS trust that ran Stafford hospital has pleaded guilty to “very significant” health and safety breaches connected to the deaths of four elderly patients in its care.’

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The Guardian, 4th November 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ex-prison officer jailed for selling George Michael stories to the Sun – The Guardian

‘A former prison officer has been jailed for 12 months for selling stories about George Michael’s time behind bars to the Sun.’

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The Guardian, 3rd November 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Late Saudi King Fahd’s ‘secret wife’ wins payout – BBC News

‘A woman who says she was the “secret wife” of the late King Fahd of Saudi Arabia has won a multimillion-pound claim at the High Court.’

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BBC News, 3rd November 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judge calls for fast-track civil contempt procedure after application is stymied by criminal trial – Litigation Futures

‘A claimant found to have brought a bogus personal injury claim – but then cleared of fraud in the Crown Court – can only face civil contempt proceedings if there is new evidence, the High Court has ruled.’

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Litigation Futures, 4th November 2015

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Crown courts in England and Wales ‘chaotic and archaic’ – BBC News

Posted November 4th, 2015 in barristers, criminal justice, Crown Court, delay, news, reports, solicitors, victims, witnesses by sally

‘Victims and witnesses are often left marginalised in a court system that is “archaic” and “chaotic”, a report by the Criminal Justice Alliance has said.’

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BBC News, 4th November 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

#killallwhitemen row: charges dropped against student diversity officer – The Guardian

‘Bahar Mustafa, the Goldsmiths student diversity officer who was due to appear in court after allegedly tweeting the hashtag #killallwhitemen, has had charges against her dropped.’

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The Guardian, 3rd November 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

UK surveillance powers explained – BBC News

‘A new law setting out what powers the UK state will have to monitor communications between citizens is set to be unveiled. How will it work?’

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BBC News, 4th November 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Watford landlord fined £30,000 for housing 12 tenants in five-person flat – The Guardian

‘A landlord who made almost £27,000 a year by cramming 12 tenants into a property meant for five – with some sleeping in storerooms – has been fined £30,000 after pleading guilty to overcrowding.’

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The Guardian, 4th November 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Large companies could face £20m fines for corporate manslaughter – The Guardian

Posted November 3rd, 2015 in company law, corporate manslaughter, fines, health & safety, news, sentencing by sally

‘Major companies convicted of corporate manslaughter will face fines of up to £20m under new sentencing guidelines.’

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The Guardian, 3rd November 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Assessing Damages when the Claimant was Already Seriously Incapacitated: Court of Appeal Decision – Zenith PI Blog

Posted November 3rd, 2015 in appeals, damages, disabled persons, hospitals, negligence, news, personal injuries by sally

‘In Reaney -v- University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust [2015] EWCA Civ 1119 the Court of Appeal considered the appropriate approach to the award of damages when injuries are caused to a claimant who, prior to the defendant’s negligence, was already seriously disabled.’

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Zenith PI Blog, 2nd November 2015

Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com

Nurse found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter – The Guardian

Posted November 3rd, 2015 in homicide, negligence, news, nurses by sally

‘An agency nurse has been found guilty of causing the death of a six-year-old boy by gross negligence.’

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The Guardian, 2nd November 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk