The laws that allow intelligence agencies to spy on foreign diplomats – The Guardian

“The powers that allow Britain’s intelligence agencies to spy on individuals, including foreign diplomats, were set out in the 1994 Intelligence Services Act (ISA). They were framed in a broad way to allow those involved in espionage to conduct all manner of operations with ministerial authority, and the types of techniques used during the G20 summit four years ago suggest a creativity and technological capability that Ian Fleming could only have dreamed of.”

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The Guardian, 16th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prison experts urge replacement of run down ‘dungeons’ with ‘superjails’ – the Guardian

Posted June 17th, 2013 in budgets, news, prisons by sally

“More than 30 ‘run down and poorly located’ jails, including some of the prison system’s most famous names – Dartmoor, Holloway, Pentonville, Wandsworth and Wormwood Scrubs – should be shut down and replaced with a new generation of ‘superjails’, according to prison experts.”

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The Guardian, 17th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Louis Theroux conman pleads guilty to Somerset fraud – BBC News

Posted June 14th, 2013 in fraud, impersonation, news by sally

“A man who claimed to be TV presenter Louis Theroux to stay in a pub free of charge has pleaded guilty to fraud.”

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BBC News, 14th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

What are secret courts and what do they mean for UK justice? – The Guardian

Posted June 14th, 2013 in closed material, intelligence services, news, private hearings by sally

“The Justice and Security Act was given parliamentary approval on 25 April this year. One of the main justifications for expanding so-called secret courts was to prevent intelligence provided by US sources being exposed in British courts.”

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The Guardian, 14th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bristol sex abuse supply teacher John Alway jailed – BBC News

Posted June 14th, 2013 in news, sentencing, sexual offences, teachers by sally

A supply teacher who sexually abused at least seven girls at four schools has been jailed for more than 10 years.

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BBC News, 14th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Stripping Away the Veil of Deceit: Prest v Petrodel – Family Law Week

Posted June 14th, 2013 in company law, divorce, financial provision, matrimonial home, news by sally

“John Wilson QC of 1 Hare Court analyses the Supreme Court’s judgment in the landmark case of Prest v Petrodel and considers its implications for family lawyers.”

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Family Law Week, 14th June 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.com

Feeling like burning down some mosques in Portsmouth, anyone want to join me?’: Woman avoids jail after post-Woolwich Facebook comments – The Independent

“A 24-year-old woman who posted racist comments on Facebook following the death of Drummer Lee Rigby has avoided a jail sentence.”

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The Independent, 14th June 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Couple jailed after letting 40 teens film them having sex in public – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 14th, 2013 in news, outraging public decency, sentencing by sally

“A drunken couple have been jailed after ‘playing to an audience’ by allowing a crowd of up to 40 teenagers to film them having sex in public.”

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Daily Telegraph, 14th June 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Paul Gascoigne launches libel action against Daily Star – The Guardian

Posted June 14th, 2013 in defamation, media, news, privacy by sally

“Paul Gascoigne has launched a six-figure legal claim against the Daily Star over a leaked mobile phone video allegedly stolen from his flat.”

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The Guardian, 14th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Crime in Context speech – Ministry of Justice

Posted June 14th, 2013 in crime, news, recidivists, rehabilitation, speeches by sally

“Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP’s ‘Crime in Context’ speech. Originally given at Civitas. This is the text of the speech as drafted, which may differ slightly from the delivered version.”

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Ministry of Justice, 13th June 2013

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Care Proceedings: the Operation and Effect of Pre-Proceedings – What do lawyers need to know? – Family Law Week

Posted June 14th, 2013 in care orders, case management, children, local government, news, time limits by sally

“Professor Judith Masson, School of Law University of Bristol, and Dr Jonathan Dickens, Centre for Research on Children and Families, University of East Anglia, explain the lessons learned for future practice from research conducted into the use of the pre-proceedings process in care cases.”

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Family Law Week, 13th June 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.com

English courts can stop parties bringing foreign legal proceedings in breach of arbitration agreements – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 14th, 2013 in arbitration, foreign jurisdictions, injunctions, news, Supreme Court by sally

“English courts have the power to prevent parties to an arbitration agreement from beginning legal proceedings in foreign courts in breach of that agreement, the Supreme Court has ruled.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 13th June 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

European Court of Justice grapples with secret evidence in UK immigration case – UK Human Rights Blog

“The European Court of Justice has, in recent days, handed down a judgment that hits several hot buttons: UK immigration law, EU human rights, secret evidence, and suspicions of terrorism. In ZZ the Court has had to rule on the use of secret evidence before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC).”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 14th June 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

High Court warns parties not to try their luck with stricter approach to compliance – Litigation Futures

Posted June 14th, 2013 in costs, courts, news, proportionality, time limits by sally

“It would be ‘unfortunate’ if the stricter post-Jackson approach to compliance with orders should encourage parties to refuse reasonable requests for time extensions in the hope that the court might refuse any extension at all, the High Court has said.”

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Litigation Futures, 14th June 2013

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Bar pledges full support for CPS Advocate Panel extension to safeguard children involved in sexual offences – The Bar Council

Posted June 14th, 2013 in barristers, children, news, prosecutions, rape, sexual offences, victims by sally

“The Bar Council, the Circuit Leaders and the Criminal Bar Association have today announced their joint support for the extension of the Crown Prosecution Services’ (CPS) Advocate Panel’s rape remit to include sexual offences involving children.”

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The Bar Council, 13th June 2013

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Judge asks why paedophile was let off with a ‘slap on the wrist’ by police – Daily Telegraph

“A judge has demanded an inquiry into an ‘inexplicable’ decision to let a paedophile off with a caution.”

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Daily Telegraph, 13th June 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Ministry of Justice plans to cut court services trigger strikes – The Guardian

“Court staff are being called out on strike on Monday amid growing opposition to the Ministry of Justice’s proposals to contract out services, cut legal aid and limit the use of judicial review.”

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The Guardian, 13th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Freedom of information and unpublished data from a randomised controlled trial on ME/CFS – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted June 14th, 2013 in freedom of information, news, tribunals, universities by sally

“Rosalind English has recently posted on incomplete academic work in the climate change field. This appeal is closely related, in that it concerns a university’s claim to hold on to data from a publicly-funded randomised controlled trial pending peer-reviewed publication.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 12th June 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Reforms to cut the Judicial Review period will come into force next month – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 14th, 2013 in fees, judicial review, news, time limits by sally

“The Ministry of Justice has confirmed that new rules in relation to Judicial Review of planning decisions will come into force on 1 July.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 13th June 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Dale Cregan gets life sentence for worst police killing in a generation – The Guardian

Posted June 14th, 2013 in murder, news, police, recidivists, sentencing by sally

“A man who lured two police officers into a gun and grenade attack with ‘premeditated savagery’ while on the run for murdering a father and son was told on Thursday that he would spend the rest of his life in jail. Dale Cregan, 30, described by Greater Manchester police’s chief constable, Sir Peter Fahy, as a “scourge on our society”, was given a whole-life sentence at Preston crown court by Mr Justice Holroyde QC at the end of a four-month trial that laid bare the brutality of Manchester’s underworld.”

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The Guardian, 13th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk