City solicitors urge MoJ to withdraw “premature” consultation on defamation costs protection – Litigation Futures

Posted November 12th, 2013 in consultations, costs, defamation, news, privacy, solicitors by sally

“City solicitors have urged the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to withdraw its consultation on costs protection in defamation and privacy claims because it does not deal with the central issue of how eligibility for protection will be assessed.”

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Litigation Futures, 7th November 2013

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Watch that Charter – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted November 12th, 2013 in asylum, EC law, human rights, news, torture, treaties by sally

“AB, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2013] EWHC 3453 (Admin). Here unfolds a story of sophisticated abuse of the asylum system in this country by an individual skilfully shamming persecution. Nor did the security agents who escorted the claimant on his departure come up smelling of roses: it emerged during the course of these proceedings that they had falsified a room clearance certificate to boost the defence case.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 8th November 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Hospital closures and the rule of law – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted November 12th, 2013 in appeals, consultations, hospitals, news, rule of law by sally

“Trust Special Administrator appointed to South London Healthcare NHS Trust v. LB Lewisham & Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign [2013] EWCA Civ 1409, 8 November 2013. It takes a bit of time to close a hospital or make major changes to it. This is because you must go through a complicated set of consultations with all those likely to be affected before action can be taken. Many, if not most, people say this is a good thing, and Parliament has embedded these duties of consultation in the law.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 8th November 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Sex in the IPT – Panopticon

Posted November 12th, 2013 in appeals, investigatory powers, news, police, stay of proceedings, tribunals by sally

“As with all the best headlines, this one is slightly misleading. Readers can scarcely fail to have noticed the coverage surrounding the major ongoing case regarding a former undercover (under-the-covers?) police officer, Mark Kennedy, who (together with others) infiltrated political and environmental activists over a period of years. Claims were commenced in the High Court, with part of the conduct complained of involving ensuing sexual relations between activists/their partners and undercover officers.”

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Panopticon, 8th November 2013

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

Injured holidaymaker entitled to compensation, but Court of Appeal upholds ‘local standards’ defence – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 12th, 2013 in appeals, compensation, health & safety, holidays, news, personal injuries by sally

“The High Court was wrong to state that a Barbados hotel had to comply with the latest safety standards on an ongoing basis in order for a tour operator to escape liability for injury to a holidaymaker, the Court of Appeal has ruled.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 11th November 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

High Court date set for office-to-home conversion rights challenge – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 12th, 2013 in housing, judicial review, local government, news, planning by sally

“A judicial review of the Government’s procedure in deciding which areas to exempt from recently introduced rights allowing offices to be transformed into homes without planning permission will be heard in the High Court on 4 December.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 11th November 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Luton custody death: Police officers and staff suspended – BBC News

Posted November 12th, 2013 in complaints, crime, death in custody, inquiries, news, police by sally

“Five police officers and two staff have been suspended from duty after a man died in police custody.”

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BBC News, 11th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Marine A ‘should not be treated like a common criminal’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 12th, 2013 in armed forces, courts martial, mental health, murder, news, sentencing by sally

“A Royal Marine convicted of murdering a wounded Taliban captive should not be treated as a common criminal, a former commander of British troops in Afghanistan has said.”

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Daily Telegraph, 11th November 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Baby death: Natasha Sultan to be sentenced for killing daughter – BBC News

Posted November 12th, 2013 in guilty pleas, infanticide, mental health, news by sally

“A mother who had post-natal depression when she killed her baby daughter in a ‘sudden explosion of violence’ is to be sentenced later.”

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BBC News, 12th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Vengeful polo trainer jailed after setting fire to love rival’s car – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 12th, 2013 in arson, guilty pleas, news, sentencing by sally

“A vengeful husband who set fire to a polo-playing love rival’s car who had started dating his wife has been jailed for more than three years.”

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Daily Telegraph, 12th November 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

‘Spy watch’ GP report shows concerns were raised – BBC News

Posted November 12th, 2013 in doctors, news, reports, sexual offences, video recordings, whistleblowers by sally

“A report into a GP who filmed intimate sexual examinations with a camera hidden in a watch has found a senior GP had concerns about his behaviour.”

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BBC News, 12th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Tackling child abuse: is mandatory reporting the answer? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted November 11th, 2013 in child abuse, hospitals, local government, news, police, social services, statutory duty by michael

“Former Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC, has called for an overhaul of the law concerning safeguarding children. In a previous post I considered the current legislation and whether it goes far enough. I concluded that there is a need for a more general duty to have due regard to the need to eliminate abuse of minors over and above the existing welfare duty in s11 of the Children Act 2004.”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 8th November 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

The Victims’ Code – A Lack of Substance or a Victory for Victims? – Criminal Law & Justice Weekly

Posted November 11th, 2013 in codes of practice, news, victims by michael

“Last week, the Government published its Victims’ Code. Earlier in the year, I wrote in CL&J about the ‘rise and rise of the victim’s voice’ ((2012) 177 JPN 473). And so it comes to pass: a culmination (one hopes) of all the political rhetoric about ‘putting victims first’, and ‘being on the side of victims’.”

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Criminal Law & Justice Weekly, 9th November 2013

Source: www.criminallawandjustice.co.uk

Man jailed for 20 weeks after trying to kill his neighbours’ cat – The Independent

Posted November 11th, 2013 in animal cruelty, news, sentencing by michael

“A man has been sentenced to 20 weeks in jail after he tried to kill his neighbours’ cat.”

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The Independent, 11th November 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Trial of doctor accused of kidnapping photojournalists in Syria collapses – The Guardian

Posted November 11th, 2013 in evidence, kidnapping, news, prosecutions, victims, witnesses by michael

“The trial of an NHS doctor accused of kidnapping a British photographer in Syria has collapsed after the prosecution was unable to hear evidence from two alleged victims.”

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The Guardian, 11th November 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

G4S staff at Brook House centre ‘falsified document’ – BBC News

“A High Court judge has asked prosecutors to consider forgery and contempt charges after claiming staff at an immigration removal centre falsified a document.”

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BBC News, 11th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Violent rapists face tougher sentences – The Guardian

Posted November 11th, 2013 in news, rape, sentencing, violence by michael

“Tougher penalties for extremely violent rapes are to be introduced later this year, the new chairman of the Sentencing Council, Lord Justice Treacy, has revealed.”

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The Guardian, 11th November 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Police find body in Thames in search for barrister – The Guardian

Posted November 11th, 2013 in barristers, missing persons, news by michael

“It is thought Gianni Sonvico, 23, may have fallen into the Thames near the Tower Hill area of London, at around 11pm on Friday 25 October. He has not been seen since.”

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The Guardian, 8th November 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

South Yorkshire Police criticised over child sex victim protection – BBC News

Posted November 11th, 2013 in child abuse, news, police, prosecutions, prostitution, sexual grooming, victims by michael

“There is ‘serious concern’ about the protection given by South Yorkshire Police to victims of child sexual exploitation, a watchdog has found.”

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BBC News, 11th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Elizabeth House judicial review granted – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 11th, 2013 in environmental protection, judicial review, local government, London, news, planning by michael

“A High Court judge yesterday granted permission to an application by Westminster City Council and English Heritage for a judicial review of the decision by the Secretary of State (SoS) not to call in proposals for a £800 million redevelopment of Elizabeth House near London’s Waterloo Station.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 8th November 2013

Source: www.OUT-LAW.com