Appeal court extends jail term over claw hammer attack – The Guardian

Posted January 30th, 2015 in appeals, attempted murder, attempts, murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘A man who smashed the skulls of three sisters with a claw hammer as they slept in a London hotel room has had his minimum term increased from 18 years to 27.’

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The Guardian, 29th January 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Boy, 16, who murdered teacher Ann Maguire loses challenge to jail term – The Guardian

Posted January 30th, 2015 in appeals, murder, news, school children, sentencing, teachers, young offenders by sally

‘The 16-year-old boy who murdered teacher Ann Maguire has lost a challenge to his 20-year minimum term.’

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The Guardian, 29th January 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Neo-Nazi Richard Harris jailed for Blackwood racial attack – BBC News

Posted January 30th, 2015 in news, racism, sentencing, wounding by sally

‘A neo-Nazi has been jailed for five years for attacking an Asian man on the day of Fusilier Lee Rigby’s funeral.’

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BBC News, 29th January 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Court rules that West Brom tracker rate rise on buy-to-let mortgages was legal – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 30th, 2015 in banking, interest, mortgages, news by sally

‘A judge has rejected claims that the lender illegally increased its tracker rates for buy-to-let customers.’

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Daily Telegraph, 29th January 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Sandra Dunham given 18 days’ home confinement in US fraud case – BBC News

Posted January 30th, 2015 in extradition, fraud, guilty pleas, money laundering, news, sentencing by sally

‘A woman who admitted a $1m (£640,000) expenses fraud and money-laundering will not spend any more time in jail.’

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BBC News, 29th January 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Most racial discrimination investigations into police officers result in no action – The Independent

Posted January 30th, 2015 in news, police, race discrimination, statistics by sally

‘Eight in 10 investigations into alleged racial discrimination by police officers result in no further action being taken, figures released by a watchdog show today.’

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The Independent, 30th January 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

UK broke law in fewer than 1% of European human rights cases in 2014 – The Guardian

Posted January 30th, 2015 in delay, human rights, news, statistics by sally

‘The United Kingdom was found to have acted unlawfully in fewer than one per cent of the cases lodged against it last year at the European court of human rights (ECHR), it has been revealed.’

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The Guardian, 29th January 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Haroon Aswat’s extradition to US legal, judges rule – BBC News

Posted January 29th, 2015 in extradition, human rights, mental health, news, terrorism by sally

‘The extradition of British terror suspect Haroon Aswat to the United States was lawful, European Court of Human Rights judges have ruled.’

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BBC News, 29th January 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

P2P lending platforms’ marketing scrutinised by FCA – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 29th, 2015 in advertising, banking, financial regulation, news by sally

Peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platforms risk being told what terminology they can and cannot use in their marketing material if concerns identified by the UK’s City watchdog go unaddressed, an expert has said.

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OUT-LAW.com, 28th January 2015

Source: www.out-law.com

Acquitted defendants costs regime not incompatible with ECHR – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted January 29th, 2015 in bills, costs, human rights, news by sally

‘The Court (Burnett LJ giving the sole judgment) has ruled on whether the statutory changes made to the ability of acquitted defendants in the Crown Court to recover their costs from central funds are compatible with the ECHR.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 28th January 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Hayley Hooper: The Counter Terrorism and Security Bill: A Potential Further Erosion of Citizenship Rights in the UK – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted January 29th, 2015 in bills, citizenship, human rights, news, passports, terrorism by sally

‘The Counter Terrorism and Security Bill was introduced into the House of Commons on 7 January 2015 using a semi-fast-track procedure. The Bill provides for new powers to seize travel documents from individuals suspected of terrorism, for increased powers to retain internet data under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA), and more intrusive measures under the Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Act 2011. This comment focuses on one aspect of the Bill: the “temporary exclusion orders” (TEOs) proposed in Chapter Two. These TEOs would allow the Home Secretary to make an executive order to invalidate an individual’s passport whilst s/he is abroad if there is “reasonable suspicion” that s/he has been involved in terrorism or terrorism related activity outside of the United Kingdom. Such orders may remain in force for up to two years. This means that affected individuals can only return to the UK if they become the subject of a “managed return” during which they may be subject to conditions consistent with obligations in the existing Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Act.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 27th Janaury 2015

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

McCarthy and EU family permits – Free Movement

Posted January 29th, 2015 in EC law, families, freedom of movement, immigration, news, visas by sally

‘Last last year the Court of Justice of the European Union handed down judgment in the case of McCarthy v United Kingdom C-202/13. In some ways it is a very straightforward case: the UK is not permitted to require residence card holding family members of EEA nationals to apply for yet further documentation in the form of an entry permit.’

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Free Movement, 29th January 2015

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Tahira Ahmed murder: Life sentence for wife decapitation – BBC News

Posted January 29th, 2015 in murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘A man who decapitated his wife at their home in west London has been sentenced to life in prison.’

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BBC News, 28th January 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lord Chief Justice calls for independent review of legal market – Legal Futures

Posted January 29th, 2015 in competition, fees, judges, legal services, news, reports by sally

‘There needs to be an independent review of the operation of the legal market to investigate whether the Legal Services Act 2007 is working and why fees have not fallen in the light of greater competition, the Lord Chief Justice said today [27 January].’

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Legal Futures, 27th January 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Catch-33: Stringent documentary requirements upheld for legal aid in domestic violence cases – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted January 29th, 2015 in documents, domestic violence, evidence, news, regulations by sally

‘The campaign group Rights of Women has been unsuccessful in its judicial review of Regulation 33 of the Civil Legal Aid (Procedure) Regulations 2012 (as amended) which sets out the list of documents which will be accepted as evidence that a legal aid applicant has suffered or is at risk of suffering domestic violence. The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) purports to retain legal aid for victims of domestic violence. However, such funding is only available where at least one of the documents listed in Regulation 33 is submitted to the Legal Aid Agency.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 28th January 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Copyright owners free to choose where to bring web infringement claims but restrictions placed on damages – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 29th, 2015 in copyright, damages, EC law, foreign jurisdictions, internet, news by sally

‘A ruling by the EU’s highest court could mean that businesses have to take multiple cases across Europe if they want to claim damages for copyright infringement, an expert has said.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 27th January 2015

Source: www.out-law.com

Unnoticed – NearlyLegal

Posted January 29th, 2015 in appeals, easements, housing, landlord & tenant, news, repairs by sally

‘Mr Edwards rented a second floor flat from Mr Kumarasamy. Mr K was the leaseholder of that flat, but did not own any other part of the property. Mr K’s lease granted him “the right to use on foot the entrance hall, lift and staircases giving access to the flat; the right to use an access road and parking space and the right to use the Bin Store (which is part of the Communal Areas as defined) and other facilities provided by the landlord. Regulations forming part of the lease in fact require all domestic rubbish to be placed in the Bin Store.”’

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NearlyLegal, 28th January 2015

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Alexander Horne: Evidence under oath, perjury and parliamentary privilege – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘The issue of select committee powers has received renewed interest during the 2010-15 Parliament, culminating in a report from Liaison Committee on Select committee effectiveness, resources and powers (in October 2012); and, subsequently, a report by the Joint Committee on Parliamentary Privilege in July 2013 (and a Government response later that year).’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 29th January 2015

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

Witness statements by advocates – Free Movement

Posted January 29th, 2015 in advocacy, barristers, immigration, news, tribunals, witnesses by sally

‘Where something goes badly wrong at a hearing it is sometimes necessary for the advocate who was present to explain events as part of the appeal process. It has become customary in immigration proceedings for the advocate to have to write a witness statement and therefore, because he or she is by doing so giving evidence, to stand down from the case and hand over to a colleague. Upper Tribunal judges have seemed insistent that an advocate can barely breath a word of what might have happened at the previous hearing without spontaneously combusting.’

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Free Movement, 28th January 2015

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Pornography online is driving ‘horrific’ crimes, says top judge – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 29th, 2015 in internet, judges, murder, news, pornography, violence, violent offenders by sally

‘Lord Chief Justice warns that extreme material on the internet appears to be intensifying the actions of some murderers.’

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Daily Telegraph, 27th January 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk