Jury were right to clear Sun quartet – they shouldn’t have been on trial – The Guardian

‘Yet another jury has cleared more Sun journalists who were charged with offences related to the paying of public officials.’

Full story

The Guardian, 20th March 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Paedophile cases may need to be streamlined, warns top officer – Daily Telegraph

‘National Crime Agency chief hints at possible updates to the way child pornography offences are prosecuted, as it emerges more than 260 people have been charged in new investigation.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 20th March 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Miscarriage of justice review body is dismissed as the Court of Appeal’s ‘lap dog’ in hard-hitting report – The Independent

‘Innocent victims of miscarriages of justice are “languishing in jail” due to delays and faults in the case review system, according to MPs behind a hard-hitting report to be published this week.’

Full story

The Independent, 22nd March 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

City worker nicknamed ‘Shagger’ jailed for campaign of threats against women – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 23rd, 2015 in domestic violence, harassment, news, restraining orders, sentencing by sally

‘Married father Michael Nartey sentenced after terrorising five lovers – some of whom also had children by him – in vile campaign of abusive text messages.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 22nd March 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

MoD ‘mole’ Bettina Jordan-Barber jailed over Sun leaks – The Guardian

‘A “mole” at the Ministry of Defence who made £100,000 from leaking stories to the Sun has been jailed for 12 months, it can now be reported after verdicts were delivered in a related trial.’

Full story

The Guardian, 20th March 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Strangeways riot: Ex-inmates recall siege, 25 years on – BBC News

‘The Strangeways riot was the longest in British penal history and dramatically changed the way UK prisons were run. Twenty-five years on, four people at the centre of the siege explain their part in the drawn-out drama.’

Full story

BBC News, 23rd March 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lord Woolf: Conditions in prisons are as bad now as they were 25 years ago

Posted March 23rd, 2015 in inquiries, judges, news, prisons, recidivists, standards, statistics, violent disorder by sally

‘Conditions in prisons are as bad now as they were at the time of one of Britain’s worst jail riots, a former lord chief justice has warned.’

Full story

The Independent, 23rd March 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Supreme court to rule on Prince Charles letters – The Guardian

‘The supreme court’s judgment on whether the government unlawfully blocked the publication of a series of secret letters written by Prince Charles is due to be made public on Thursday next week, court officials have announced.

Full story

The Guardian, 20th March 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Transparency in the Court of Protection: press should be allowed names – UK Human Rights Blog

‘A healthcare NHS Trust v P & Q [2015] EWCOP (13 March 2015). The Court of Protection has clarified the position on revealing the identity of an incapacitated adult where reporting restrictions apply.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 19th March 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Supreme Court splits the baby over the benefit cap – Mike Spencer – UK Human Rights Blog

‘R(on the application of SG and others (previously JS and others)) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2015] UKSC 16. The Supreme Court was sharply divided yesterday over whether the benefit cap breaches the Human Rights Act.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 19th March 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Statements of Case – Advice mainly to beginners, but we can all learn – Zenith PI

‘Advice mainly to beginners, but we can all learn.’

Full story

Zenith PI, 18th March 2015

Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com

Supreme Court quashes council decision over offer of housing 50 miles away – Local government Lawyer

Posted March 20th, 2015 in appeals, benefits, homelessness, housing, local government, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘The Supreme Court has unanimously upheld an appeal by a homeless mother of five over a London borough’s offer of accommodation 50 miles away near Milton Keynes.
The Court heard oral submissions in Nzolameso v City of Westminster earlier this month (17 March). It has now quashed Westminster City Council’s decision that it had properly discharged its duty to secure accommodation available for occupation by the appellant.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 19th March 2015

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Paralegal hopes to be first solicitor admitted through ‘equivalent means’ route – Legal Futures

‘Paralegal Shaun Lawler has said he hopes to be the first solicitor admitted to the profession through the ‘equivalent means’ route rather a traditional training contract.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 20th March 2015

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Technical Issues in Charity Law – Law Commission

Posted March 20th, 2015 in charities, consultations, news by sally

‘A consultation exploring whether aspects of charity law can be reformed to remove unnecessary regulation while safeguarding the public interest in ensuring that charities are properly run.’

Full press release

Law Commission, 20th March 2015

Source: www.justice.gov.uk/lawcommission

Final Report of the Vulnerable Witnesses and Children Working Group – Judiciary of England & Wales

‘Final Report of the Vulnerable Witnesses and Children Working Group.’

Full texts

Judiciary of England and Wales, 17th March 2015

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Court of Appeal rejects tobacco smugglers’ attempts to write off confiscation orders worth more than £2.7m – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted March 20th, 2015 in confiscation, Crown Prosecution Service, customs and excise, news by sally

‘On Tuesday 17 March 2015, The Court of Appeal rejected an attempt by Robert Doran and Patrick Gray to write off confiscation orders made against them for £1,456,325.00 and £1,244,982.44 respectively, finding in favour of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).’

Full story

Crown Prosecution Service, 18th March 2015

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Aster Communities Ltd (formerly Flourish Homes Ltd) v Akerman-Livingstone (Equality and Human Rights Commission intervening) – WLR Daily

Aster Communities Ltd (formerly Flourish Homes Ltd) v Akerman-Livingstone (Equality and Human Rights Commission intervening); [2015] UKSC 15; [2015] WLR (D) 121

‘The approach to be taken to a defence to a claim for possession of residential premises which alleged unlawful discrimination against a disabled person, contrary to the Equality Act 2010, was different from that which applied to a defence which alleged a breach of an individual’s rights under article 8 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. In particular, summary judgment would not normally be an appropriate procedure for dealing with a possession claim where a disability discrimination defence was raised.’

WLR Daily, 11th March 2015

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Dalton and others v British Telecommunications plc – WLR Daily

Posted March 20th, 2015 in costs, fees, law reports, news, noise, personal injuries by sally

Dalton and others v British Telecommunications plc; [2015] EWHC 616 (QB); [2015] WLR (D) 125

‘The term “disease” in section V of the former CPR Pt 45 included any illness (whether physical or physiological), disorder, ailment, affliction, complaint, malady or derangement other than a physical or physiological injury solely caused by an accident or other similar single event.’

WLR Daily, 13th March 2015

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Kandola v Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Frankfurt, Germany; Droma v State Prosecutor Nurnberg-Furth, Bavaria, Germany; Ijaz v The Court of Milan (An Italian Judicial Authority) – WLR Daily

Posted March 20th, 2015 in appeals, extradition, law reports by sally

Kandola v Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Frankfurt, Germany: Droma v State Prosecutor Nurnberg-Furth, Bavaria, Germany; Ijaz v The Court of Milan (An Italian Judicial Authority); [2015] EWHC 619 (Admin); [2015] WLR (D) 126

‘In the context of an extradition appeal the court set out the approach to be taken in applying section 12A of the Extradition Act 2003.’

WLR Daily, 13th March 2015

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Last minute adjournment in criminal legal aid appeal – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 20th, 2015 in adjournment, appeals, criminal justice, judicial review, legal aid, news by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has adjourned delivering judgment on the lord chancellor’s criminal legal aid reforms until Wednesday. The case had originally been listed for this morning.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 19th March 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk