‘Breaking Bad’ drugs gang jailed – BBC News
‘A 78 year-old who plotted to set up a crystal meth production line likened to the TV series Breaking Bad has been jailed for 18 years.’
BBC News, 27th July 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
London borough defeats High Court challenge to basement policy – Local Government Lawyer
‘The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea has fought off a High Court challenge to its revised basement policy.’
Local Government Lawyer, 27th July 2015
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Libor trial: jury considers verdict in Tom Hayes case – The Guardian
‘The jury in the trial of former trader Tom Hayes, who is charged with eight counts of conspiracy to defraud by manipulating global Libor interest rates, has retired to consider its verdict.’
The Guardian, 27th July 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Limitation, latent damage and tax mitigation scheme claims – Hardwicke Chambers
‘As (relatively) recent press coverage of celebrity participants shows, litigation relating to tax mitigation (or avoidance) schemes is on the rise. HMRC has taken an increasingly harder line in recent years both in tightening the legislation surrounding tax avoidance and in refusing and litigating claims for tax relief based on “losses” incurred in tax mitigation schemes. Investors who have lost out are increasingly turning to their original financial advisers for recompense. Unfortunately, many such claims are only considered or intimated after the primary limitation period has passed.’
Hardwicke Chambers, 15th June 2015
Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk
Ofcom clears Top Gear over ‘pikey’ pun – BBC News
‘Ofcom has backed a BBC Trust decision not to censure the BBC over using the word “pikey” in an edition of Top Gear.’
BBC News, 27th July 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
New insolvency legislation: A guide to the new Deregulation Act 2015 and Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 – Hardwicke Chambers
‘The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 (SEEBA) and the Deregulation Act 2015 were added to the statute book on 26 March. Both contain provisions that make significant changes to the Insolvency Act 1986.’
Hardwicke Chambers, 10th June 2015
Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk
The ABCs of ACVs – Hardwicke Chambers
‘As of eight weeks ago, visitors to Maida Vale have one less pub to drink in. That’s because in April, overzealous developers bulldozed The Carlton Tavern public house to the ground. Local residents can breathe a sigh of relief, however, for the pub is going to be rebuilt brick by brick – such is the punishment meted out to the developers for bulldozing the pub in violation of planning rules. View the report on the BBC website. ‘
Hardwicke Chambers, 10th June 2015
Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk
The Seventh Veil? – New Square Chambers
‘Mark Hubbard considers new legislation requiring greater transparency in the ownership and management of companies.’
New Square Chambers, 29th June 2015
Source: www.newsquarechambers.co.uk
Insurers win the latest round in credit hire match – Hardwicke Chambers
‘The insurers have won the most recent bout in what has been an ongoing slugfest between them and credit hire organisations (CHOs) for more than 20 years. The Court of Appeal has given guidance about calculating the basic hire rate (BHR) which favours the Insurers.’
Hardwicke Chambers, 2nd June 2015
Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk
Uncertain times for insurance NEDs – Hardwicke Chambers
‘Amongst the mass of regulatory measures introduced in recent times to prevent a repeat of the 2008 financial crisis, perhaps the most potent is that provided by section 36 of the Financial Services (Banking Reform) Act 2013, headed “Offence relating to a decision causing a financial institution to fail”. It comes into force on 7 March 2016.’
Hardwicke Chambers, 1st June 2015
Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk
Listed Building Prosecutions: A Practical Guide “Pitfalls Which Local Planning Authorities Should Avoid” – No. 5 Chambers
‘There are three principal weapons in the local authority armoury to tackle breaches of planning control in respect of listed buildings: (i) criminal prosecution (ii) listed building enforcement notice and (iii) injunction pursuant to section 44A (1) of the Listed Buildings Act 1990. They are not mutually incompatible. Criminal prosecution can be pursued alongside service of an enforcement notice or injunctive proceedings.’
No. 5 Chambers, 2nd July 2015
Source: www.no5.com
Daughter wins £164,000 after decade-long legal battle over will with charities – The Guardian
‘After a decade-long legal fight with three animal welfare charities over her mother’s decision to cut her out of any inheritance, a poverty-stricken daughter has finally been awarded £164,000 by senior judges.’
The Guardian, 28th July 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Norwich paedophile ring: Woman at centre of gang who made children ‘sexual play things’ guilty of 23 offences – The Independent
‘A woman has been found guilty of being at the centre of a paedophile ring which set children up as “sexual play-things” over more than a decade.’
The Independent, 27th July 2015
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Neighbours from hell: Damages for residual diminution in value – New Square Chambers
‘The recent decision of the Court of Appeal in Raymond v Young [2015] EWCA Civ 456 concerned the principles to be applied when considering what damages to award to property owners who were the victims of shocking harassment, trespass and nuisance conducted by their neighbours over a period of several years.’
New Square Chambers, 26th May 2015
Source: www.newsquarechambers.co.uk
Supreme Court Judgment in Coventry and Ors v Lawrence and another [2015] UKSC 50 – Henderson Chambers
‘The Supreme Court has handed down its Judgment in Coventry v Lawrence in which it considered the compatibility of the system for the recovery of success fees and ATE premiums under the Access to Justice Act 1999 with the European Convention on Human Rights, Articles 6 and Article 1 Protocol 1. The Court held by a majority of 5-2 (Lord Neuberger, Lord Dyson, Lord Sumption, Lord Mance and Lord Carnwarth in the majority and Lord Clarke and Lady Hale dissenting) that the system is compatible. Success fees and ATE premiums entered into under the AJA 1999 scheme will therefore remain to be recoverable by successful claimants. Whether the decision will be challenged before the ECtHR in Strasbourg and, if so,whether the European Court will take the same view as the Supreme Court remains to be seen.’
Henderson Chambers, 24th July 2015
Source: www.hendersonchambers.co.uk
How Interesting? The public interest disclosure requirement of s.43B(1) of the Employment Rights Act – No. 5 Chambers
‘Not everything that may be interesting to the public is likely to be ‘in the public interest’. But is that a commonly held or understood view? Does the retention of a subjective test in s.43B(1) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (detriment due to the making of a ‘public interest’ disclosure) mean that the purpose of the 2013 amendment to that section will not always achieve the intended aim?’
Full story
No. 5 Chambers, 30th July 2015
Source: www.no5.com
Requesting a court revisit its judgment – Law Society’s Gazette
‘The recent case of Heron Bros Ltd v Central Bedfordshire Council (No 2) [2015] EWHC 1009 (TCC) considered the extent to which a court may exercise its discretion and revisit its judgment in the light of a new point.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 27th July 2015
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
