Spanking images ex-teacher jailed – BBC News
‘A retired teacher who was caught with indecent images on his computer of boys being spanked has been jailed.’
BBC News, 18th September 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
No one has the right to expect the State to make them better parents – UK Human Rights Blog
‘In the course of care proceedings, they had been compelled to pay about £200,000 to provide a therapeutic residential placement for a family pursuant to section 38(6) of the Children Act 1989. The case had a happy ending; the family stayed together. But the local authority wanted to make it clear for the future that this had been an improper use of section 38(6) of the Children Act 1989 and argued that the court could not compel a local authority to pay for therapy for parents under a statutory provision directed at assessments of the child.The House of Lords – as they then were – agreed. However, they went further than simply restating the purpose behind section 38(6).’
UK Human Rights Blog, 18th September 2015
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
Settled Gypsies could be forced back on to the road by new planning laws – The Independent
‘Gypsies and Travellers across Britain will be driven off sites they have made their home by new planning laws requiring them to prove that they are still itinerant. The move could cause a large increase in the number of unauthorised roadside camps, and force many families – including the infirm and those with children in school – on to the road against their will.’
The Independent, 19th September 2015
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Rogue landlords should face jail terms to deter them from taking advantage of renters, say national bodies – The Independent
‘Rogue landlords should face harsher consequences, including jail terms, to deter them from taking advantage of “vulnerable” renters, national bodies have said.’
The Independent, 19th September 2015
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Doesn’t it make you proud to be English? – Nearly Legal
‘The Immigration Bill 2015 has been published and will have a Second Reading in the House of Commons on October 13, 2015. It contains some truly remarkable provisions about housing. But first, short re-cap to remind you how we got to this stage.’
Full story
Nearly Legal, 19th September 2015
Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk
Can access to justice in employment disputes be restored by a new single jurisdiction? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange
‘In 2013 radical changes were introduced to the Employment Tribunal system, which, since its inception in the 1970s, had enabled employees to bring their disputes before a legally qualified Chairman free of charge. Since 2013 legal costs have been incurred automatically upon issuing proceedings. Before issuing proceedings the parties have an opportunity to reach a settlement via the ACAS early conciliation process. But there may be little incentive for an employer to engage in a conciliated settlement, where the employee is unlikely to be able to afford the tribunal fees.’
Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 18th September 2015
Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk
Depressed man killed himself as a direct result of DWP’s ‘fit to work’ ruling, coroner finds – The Independent
‘A coroner has concluded for the first time that a man with severe mental illness killed himself as a direct result of being found “fit to work” by the Government’s outsourced disability assessors.’
The Independent, 20th September 2015
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Police given advice on spotting domestic abuse patterns – BBC News
‘Police officers will receive specialist advice on how to spot patterns of domestic abuse under new guidance.’
Full story
BBC News, 21st September 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Westminster child sex abuse inquiry ‘split over credibility of witness’ – The Guardian
‘Scotland Yard’s high-profile inquiry into an alleged Westminster paedophile ring is split over the veracity of the allegations under investigation and faces external criticism of its conduct.’
The Guardian, 21st September 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Injunction and damages in libel case awarded against anonymous website – UK Human Rights Blog
‘Brett Wilson LLP v Person(s) Unknown, Responsible for the Operation of the Website solicitorsfromhell.co.uk, 7 September (Warby J) [2015] EWHC 2628 (QB). This was a claim in libel by a firm of solicitors who acted for another firm which also claimed against the operators of SFHUK, causing the original site to be shut down (Law Society v Rick Kordowski [2011]). In this case the words complained of appeared on a new site, but despite efforts by the present claimants, it was not possible to find out who was operating it. The site alleged various aspects of mismanagement, including incompetence and fraud. It also quoted a client of the claimant firm who alleged overcharging and who refused to pay their fees. (It is worth noting that the site appears to have been taken down since default judgement was given in this case).’
UK Human Rights Blog, 17th September 2015
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
The importance of privacy in ancillary relief proceedings – High Court – UK Human Rights Blog
‘DL v SL [2015] EWHC 2621 (Fam) 27 July 2015 (Mostyn J). This was a simple, if contentious, divorce case in which the judge took the opportunity to make a point about balancing the principle of open judgment – allowing media coverage of cases – against the privacy of the parties involved. Whilst he was ready to acknowledge that publicity ensures not only the probity of the judge but the veracity of the witnesses, and that such publicity served promote understanding and debate about the legal process, in some cases privacy should trump the rights of the press.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 16th September 2015
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
Court refuses bid to reconsider ruling because of missing page in bundle – Litigation Futures
‘A party that accidentally omitted an important page from its trial bundle has failed in its attempt to persuade the judge to reconsider his ruling. The claimant in Absolute Lofts as West London Ltd v Artisan Home Improvements Ltd & Anor (No2) [2015] EWHC 2632 (IPEC) made the application the day after His Honour Judge Hacon handed down his decision.’
Litigation Futures, 18th September 2015
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
Tightening the payout rules for business insurance – Law Commission
‘Businesses can suffer serious loss if insurance companies delay paying claims. But under Law Commission reforms introduced into Parliament today, insurers would be obliged to make prompt payment or face a claim for damages.’
Law Commission, 16th September 2015
Source: www.justice.gov.uk/lawcommission
Court fee rise will give wealthy the upper hand, says Bar Council – The Bar Council
‘SMEs will be disadvantaged in chasing late payments from big business customers.
Wealthy individuals and big business will have the upper hand in court proceedings if further increases in court fees get the go ahead under plans announced by the Ministry of Justice, the Bar Council has warned.’
The Bar Council, 14th September
Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk
The Creative Foundation v Dreamland Leisure Ltd and others – WLR Daily
‘Any part of demised premises which has been justifiably removed from the premises by a tenant in accordance with the tenant’s obligation to repair the premises, and which becomes a chattel having substantial value, vests in the landlord.’
WLR Daily, 11th September 2015
Source: www.iclr.co.uk
Newquay pupil sex teacher banned for life – BBC News
‘A married teacher who had sex with a pupil and ignored a warning has been banned from the classroom for life.’
BBC News, 17th September 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Counter-extremism bill could play into terrorists’ hands, says watchdog – The Guardian
‘David Cameron’s counter-extremism bill, which will ban non-violent extremists, risks provoking a backlash in Britain’s Muslim communities and playing into the hands of terrorist recruiters, a government watchdog has warned. David Anderson QC, the independent reviewer of terrorism laws, said the legislation to counter extremist ideology also risks legitimising state scrutiny of – and citizens informing on – the political activities of large numbers of law-abiding people.’
The Guardian, 17th September 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Metropolitan Police to be investigated over dozen more claims of historical corruption –
‘The police watchdog is to investigate fresh claims that child sex abuse probes dating back to the 1970s were brushed under the carpet because they involved MPs.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) will oversee 12 more allegations of historic corruption within the Metropolitan Police in addition to the 17 investigations announced earlier this year.’
Daily Telegraph, 17th September 2015
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Illegal migrants in UK face jail if caught driving – The Guardian
‘People who drive a car while they are in Britain illegally face being jailed and having their vehicle seized under powers included in the government’s latest immigration bill. Most of the measures in the legislation, published on Thursday, are designed to create “a hostile environment” for migrants who are in Britain unlawfully and have already been strongly trailed by ministers since the general election. The Commons second reading of the bill is scheduled for 13 October, shortly after the Conservative party conference.’
The Guardian, 17th September 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
