Dating website fraudsters jailed over £1.6m scam – BBC News
‘Two men who conned a woman out of £1.6m by using a fictional character to contact her on a dating website have been jailed.’
BBC News, 8th January 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Nearly 300 British veterans face investigation over alleged Iraq war crimes – The Guardian
‘Nearly 300 British personnel who served in Iraq have been contacted by investigators looking into allegations of war crimes, with some of them facing interrogation on their doorsteps, officials have said.’
The Guardian, 9th January 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Diplomats use Vienna Convention to fight London basement digout – Daily Telegraph
‘An argument over an extension plan next door to the French embassy in London has gone global as an unlikely alliance of diplomats has formed, citing the 1961 Vienna Convention, in a bid to kill it off.’
Daily Telegraph, 9th January 2016
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
City watchdog denies going soft on banks after dropping inquiry – The Guardian
‘The acting chief executive of the City watchdog has denied claims it has gone soft on banks following the decision to drop its inquiry into banking culture.’
The Guardian, 9th January 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Traveller Movement condemns Met Police inquiry into racism as ‘a whitewash’ – The Independent
‘The Metropolitan Police is examining whether its staff need to change the way they engage with members of the two ethnic minority groups, despite its official investigation into the racism claims concluding without any officers being formally disciplined or charged.’
The Independent, 9th January 2016
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Family judge criticised for not naming council that breached father’s rights – The Guardian
‘A family court judge has come under fire after refusing to name a council that violated a man’s parental rights by taking his four-year-old daughter into care without a proper investigation.’
The Guardian, 10th January 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Too many people unfit to plead face criminal trials, says Law Commission – The Independent
‘Commission will tell Government legal tests to determine whether someone is mentally fit for trial are Victorian legacies.’
The Independent, 10th January 2016
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Deliberately understating claim value to avoid higher court fees is an ‘abuse of process’, court rules – OUT-LAW.com
‘It was an “abuse of process” for individuals to deliberately understate the value of their claims against a law firm so that they could avoid paying higher court fees up front and issue their claims within the limitation period, the High Court has ruled.’
OUT-LAW.com, 7th January 2016
Source: www.out-law.com
Appeal court: profits from sale of ship should be treated as mitigation of loss from breach of contract – OUT-LAW.com
‘A High Court judge “overcomplicated matters” by attempting to develop a set of principles governing whether the innocent party to a breach of contract should have its award of damages reduced to reflect a benefit it obtained from that breach of contract, an expert has said.’
OUT-LAW.com, 8th January 2016
Source: www.out-law.com
Taxi driver told to pay more than £9,000 in costs after losing council appeal – Local Government Lawyer
‘A taxi driver in Kent has been ordered to pay more than £9,000 in costs after losing an appeal against a council’s decision to suspend his licence.’
Local Government Lawyer, 6th January 2016
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
SRA asks: Are solicitors to blame for declining criminal advocacy standards? – Legal Futures
‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is to research this year whether standards of criminal advocacy are declining and whether solicitors are to blame. As part of the research, the SRA said it would ask judges whether solicitor and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) advocates were “working beyond their level of competence”.’
Legal Futures, 8th January 2016
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
High Court finds abuse of process in how law firm sued fellow solicitors – Legal Futures
‘The High Court has found a Newcastle law firm’s conduct an abuse of process after it repeatedly failed to pay the proper court fees when it issued claims.’
Legal Futures, 8th January 2016
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
DPP: Controlling and coercive behaviour can “limit victims’ basic human rights” as new domestic abuse law introduced – Crown Prosecution Service
‘Domestic abusers who subject victims to controlling or coercive behaviour could face up to five years in jail under a new law which comes into force today (29 December 2015). The new legislation will mean the CPS can for the first time prosecute specific offences of domestic abuse if there is evidence of repeated, or continuous, controlling or coercive behaviour.’
Crown Prosecution Service, 29th December 2015
Source: www.cps.gov.uk
The Race to Court under EU Brussels II: A New Approach? – Family Law Week
‘Stuart Clark, a solicitor at The International Family Law Group LLP, reports on a recent Irish case which could have important implications for the priority of divorce proceedings in international cases.’
Family Law Week, 8th January 2016
Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk
Dementia charity warned to take action over data protection failings – Daily Telegraph
‘The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has ordered The Alzheimer’s Society to take action or risk prosecution after finding serious failings in the way volunteers handled data about people who used the charity.’
Daily Telegraph, 7th January 2016
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Snooper’s charter would be out of date in five years, says defence industry – The Guardian
‘The accelerating pace of technology means the government’s landmark snooper’s charter bill will only have a limited shelf life and will need to be revisited within five years, Britain’s defence and security industry has told MPs and peers.
They have warned that there are serious questions over whether fundamental parts of the new law that will overhaul of surveillance powers will be relevant in the near future as the technological landscape changes.’
The Guardian, 7th January 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Bar owner fined £20,000 after beer mix-up leaves man fighting for life – Daily Telegraph
‘A bar owner has been fined £20,000 after a man was left fighting for his life when he was given line cleaner containing caustic soda to drink rather than beer. Spanish TV producer David Caminal, 48, had to have his oesophagus removed after he drank just a small amount of the fluid when it was served by mistake at the New Conservatory, in the centre of Leeds, in July 2014.’
Daily Telegraph, 8th January 2016
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Gang members banned from Birmingham’s Ladywood – BBC News
‘Three brothers and a friend have been banned for two years from the area of Birmingham in which they live following the imposition of gang injunctions.’
BBC News, 8th January 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Motorist with 51 points escapes driving ban – Daily Telegraph
‘A motorist with 51 penalty points – more than four times the permitted maximum – on their licence is still allowed on the road, it has been revealed. The driver, based in Oxford, is one of three in the UK with more than 40 points on their licence who have not been disqualified. The information was released by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) following a Freedom of Information request from the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM). It also shows that 3 million of the 45 million licence holders in the UK carry penalty points, of which 13 have accumulated 28 or more.’
Daily Telegraph, 7th January 2015
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Organisations should learn lessons on outsourcing from BT Cornwall case, says expert – OUT-LAW.com
‘Both customers and suppliers can learn lessons on outsourcing from a recent dispute ruled on by the High Court in London.’
OUT-LAW.com, 7th January 2016
Source: www.out-law.com
