Firm ‘lacked high standards of conduct’ in client transfer bid – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 17th, 2015 in law firms, legal aid, legal representation, news, professional conduct by sally

‘The lord chief justice has lambasted the largest legal aid firm in the country for a failed application to transfer a representation order for a convicted drug supplier.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 17th July 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Proposal on the provision of court and tribunal estate in England and Wales – Ministry of Justice

Posted July 17th, 2015 in consultations, courts, tribunals by sally

‘Proposal on the provision of court and tribunal estate in England and Wales.’

Full consultation

Ministry of Justice, 16th July 2015

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Knife crime in England and Wales up for first time in four years – The Guardian

Posted July 17th, 2015 in crime, news, offensive weapons, statistics by sally

‘Knife crime has increased in England and Wales for the first time in four years, with the number of assaults with blades rising 13%, according to the latest set of police recorded crime figures.’

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The Guardian, 16th July 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Two men Tasered and pepper-sprayed by Dorset police to get £100,000 payout – The Guardian

Posted July 17th, 2015 in compensation, news, police, weapons by sally

‘Police also agree to pay legal costs in region of £90,000 to John Naylor and Darren Corbridge following August 2010 incident.’

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The Guardian, 16th July 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Undercover police practices ‘could have led to unsafe convictions’ – BBC News

Posted July 17th, 2015 in demonstrations, miscarriage of justice, news, police, spying by sally

‘More than 80 activists who were investigated by undercover officers could have been victims of miscarriages of justice, a report has concluded.’

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BBC News, 16th July 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

MP privacy rules broken ‘deliberately’ in jail phone monitoring – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 17th, 2015 in interception, news, parliament, prison officers, prisons, privacy by sally

‘Independent report reveals new details of how prison officers listened in to telephone calls between MPs and prisoners from their constituencies.’

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Daily Telegraph, 17th July 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

John ‘Goldfinger’ Palmer: IPCC ‘will not investigate’ how police failed to notice dead fraudster had been shot six times by hitman – The Independent

Posted July 17th, 2015 in complaints, murder, news, police by sally

‘The police watchdog will not directly investigate how officers failed to notice that a notorious gangland figure found dead in his garden had been shot six times by a professional hitman.’

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The Independent, 16th July 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Sex gang victim escapes six years of exploitation to see captors jailed – The Independent

‘Members of an international sexual exploitation ring were jailed on Thursday after one victim escaped and told police of her horrific six-year ordeal at their hands.’

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The Independent, 17th July 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Prison education must be ‘overhauled’, Michael Gove says – BBC News

Posted July 17th, 2015 in education, news, prisons, recidivists, rehabilitation by sally

‘Education in prisons must be overhauled in order to tackle a “persistent failure to reduce re-offending”, the justice secretary is to say.’

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BBC News, 17th July 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

High court to rule on MPs’ claim that data retention act damages privacy – The Guardian

‘High court judges will give their decision on Friday on an accusation that the government has imposed laws which allow the police and security services to “spy on citizens” without proper safeguards.’

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The Guardian, 17th July 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

CPS seize £40,000 from canoe fraudster John Darwin – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted July 16th, 2015 in fraud, news, proceeds of crime by sally

‘The Crown Prosecution Service has recovered £40,000 from John Darwin, who was found guilty of deception in 2008 with his wife over a life insurance scam. He faked his own death and was reported missing in a canoe in the sea off Seaton Carew in March 2002. Meanwhile, his wife collected hundreds of thousands of pounds in life insurance payouts, with John Darwin hiding in the marital home.’

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Crown Prosecution Service, 16th July 2015

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Review of possible miscarriages of justice – Attorney General’s Office

‘Mark Ellison QC and Alison Morgan’s review on the impact of undisclosed undercover police activity on the safety of convictions.’

Full review

Attorney General’s Office, 16th July 2015

Source: www.gov.uk/ago

FGM and the Serious Crime Act 2005 – Family Law Week

Posted July 16th, 2015 in crime, female genital mutilation, news by sally

‘Nkumbe Ekaney QC of Albion Chambers and Charlotte Proudman of Mansfield Chambers consider the important provisions introduced to protect girls and women from FGM.’

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Family Law Week, 15th July 2015

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Man jailed for murder of Nottingham boxer Joshua Bradley – BBC News

Posted July 16th, 2015 in murder, news, offensive weapons by sally

‘A man who stabbed an “accomplished” boxer through the heart in a street brawl has been handed a life sentence.’

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BBC News, 15th July 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Criminal trials could take place in town halls to save money, says Michael Gove -Daily Telegraph

Posted July 16th, 2015 in courts, criminal procedure, electronic monitoring, magistrates, news, trials by sally

‘Magistrates’ courts could meet in town halls or even hotel suites in a bid to save money, the Justice Secretary has said. Michael Gove confirmed there will be a new programme of court closures but the minister stressed he was keen to retain the way justice is dispensed at a local level.’

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Daily Telegraph, 15th July 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Revenge porn victims include pensioner in 60s and girls as young as 11 – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 16th, 2015 in harassment, news, pornography, victims by sally

‘Victims of revenge porn have ranged from a pensioner in her 60s and girls as young as 11, according to the latest police figures.’

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Daily Telegraph, 16th July 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Body in carpet murder: Court appeal to be heard in 2016 – BBC News

‘An appeal against the conviction of two men for the “body in a carpet” killing of a teenage girl more than two decades ago will be heard next year.’

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BBC News, 15th July 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Michael McIntyre spy-cam tweet investigated for data protection breach – The Guardian

Posted July 16th, 2015 in codes of practice, data protection, London, news, police, privacy by sally

‘A picture tweeted by a police helicopter team showing comedian Michael McIntyre standing in a London street is being investigated by the Information Commissioner’s Office for a possible breach of data protection laws.’

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The Guardian, 15th July 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legal aid safety net does not work, rules UK high court – The Guardian

Posted July 16th, 2015 in appeals, disabled persons, human rights, legal aid, news by sally

‘The safety net to ensure that vulnerable claimants are provided with legal aid and access to justice does not work, the high court has ruled.’

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The Guardian, 15th July 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Criminal Bar Association votes to take industrial action – BBC News

Posted July 16th, 2015 in barristers, industrial action, legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

‘Criminal barristers in England and Wales have voted for industrial action to support solicitors taking action over government cuts to legal aid.’

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BBC News, 15th July 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk