Sex consent could still lead to rape charge, judges say – BBC News
“A woman who agreed to sex might still be the victim of rape, the High Court has ruled.”
BBC News, 24th April 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: news
Isn’t it time to abolish most women’s prisons? – Daily Telegraph
“A parliamentary campaign launched today from Soroptimist and the Prison Reform Trust, suggests women and their families are disproportionately affected by a jail term. Ahead of Vicky Pryce’s expected release next month, Cathy Newman appraises the effectiveness of female imprisonement in the UK and considers the alternatives.”
Daily Telegraph, 25th April 2013
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Class A drugs policy failing, say prison governors – BBC News
“Current policy on illegal drugs creates victims of crime and more prisoners at a cost to taxpayers, the Prison Governors Association (PGA) has argued.”
BBC News, 25th April 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Police back change in law to treat 17-year-olds in custody as juveniles – The Guardian
“Senior police officers are backing a change to the law so that 17-year-olds are treated as juveniles in custody and their parents are informed if they are arrested.”
The Guardian, 24th April 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Supreme Court find A1P1 breach in retrospective legislation – UK Human Rights Blog
“When can an agricultural landlord turf out his tenant farmer? The answer to this question has ebbed and flowed since the Second World War, but one element of the latest attempt by the Scottish Parliament to redress the balance in favour of tenants has just been declared incompatible with Article 1 of the 1st Protocol (A1P1) as offending landlords’ rights to property. The Supreme Court has so ruled, upholding the Second Division of the Court of Session’s ruling in March 2012.”
UK Human Rights Blog, 24th April 2013
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
McNally: ‘Access to justice’ doesn’t mean access to a lawyer – LegalVoice
“It was time to ‘move on’ from the ‘bruising’ LASPO debate, the Lord McNally said yesterday. The legal aid minister told delegates at an event organised by the Westminster Legal Policy Forum that this month’s cuts would save £180m per annum alone. ‘Yet on the criminal side, we’re still spending £1 billion every year. A significant proportion of this spending is swallowed up by a few very high cost cases,’ the legal aid minister added.”
LegalVoice, 24th April 2013
Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk
How can the courts manage the Facebook phenomenon? – UK Human Rights Blog
“In this somewhat chaotic action, the Plaintiff sued ten defendants, in anonymised form by her father and next friend.”
UK Human Rights Blog, 24th April 2013
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
Can Britain withdraw from the European human rights convention? – The Guardian
“It is theoretically possible to withdraw temporarily from the European convention on human rights particularly over matters involving terrorism.”
The Guardian, 24th April 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
A Behaviour-based Approach to Sentencing for Sexual Offences – Criminal Law and Justice Weekly
“The Sentencing Council’s consultation paper on sexual offences sets out its intentions and the principles surrounding the way in which such offences ought to be approached by the courts. Although a new guideline is welcomed, it is disappointing that the consultation paper and the draft guideline continue in the same or a similar vein to the guidelines issued by the Sentencing Council and the Sentencing Guidelines Council in the past; they adopt a mechanistic approach which is restrictive and fails to appreciate the often complex nature of sexual offences.”
Criminal Law and Justice Weekly, 13th April 2013
Source: www.criminallawandjustice.co.uk
Keir Starmer to stand down as director of public prosecutions – The Guardian
“The director of public prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC, is to stand down after five years in the high-pressure legal post.”
The Guardian, 24th April 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
The Future of Legal Aid – Why we Need to Act Now – Garden Court Chambers Blog
“Connor Johnston, co-chair of the Young Legal Aid Lawyers, discusses the latest threats to legal aid.”
Garden Court Chambers Blog, 24th April 2013
Source: www.gclaw.wordpress.com
Five disabled people lose challenge over scrapped scheme that gave them independence – The Independent
“Five disabled people have lost their High Court challenge over the Government’s decision to abolish a scheme that helps them live independently.”
The Independent, 24th April 2013
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Implementing a new framework for legal aid – Ministry of Justice
“The Government wants to reduce unnecessary costs and make sure that legal aid helps those who need it the most.”
Ministry of Justice, 23rd April 2013
Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice
Action on time-wasting judicial reviews – Ministry of Justice
“New controls will tackle the soaring number of judicial review applications being made in England and Wales.”
Ministry of Justice, 23rd April 2013
Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice
Dame Julie Mellor – Constitutional Role of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman – UCL Constitution Unit
“Dame Julie Thérèse Mellor, DBE was appointed as Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and the Health Service Commissioner for England (Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman) in January 2012.
The Ombudsman is mandated to consider complaints that public bodies have not acted fairly. As a watchdog body independent of government and accountable to Parliament, its constitutional role is delicate and complex. Dame Julie will discuss that role, and how best the Ombdusman can maximize its independence and impact as a check on executive power.”
UCL Constitution Unit, 23rd April 2013
Source: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit
UK security breach study should prompt retailers to consider cyber insurance, expert says – OUT-LAW.com
“Small and medium-sized online retailers can benefit from a ‘network of experts’ at “discounted rates” by taking out cyber liability or data breach insurance policies, an expert has said.”
OUT-LAW.com, 23rd April 2013
Source: www.out-law.com
Pussy energy drink ads banned over ‘sexually explicit reference’ – The Guardian
“Posters promoting an energy drink that featured the word ‘pussy’ in large letters have been banned by the advertising watchdog for being likely to cause serious and widespread offence.”
The Guardian, 24th April 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Strasbourg ties itself in knots over advertising ban – UK Human Rights Blog
“In what was a profoundly sad day for democracy, on 22 April 2013 the European Court of Human Rights found in favour of the UK government in a landmark test case concerning a TV advertisement produced by ADI in 2005, and subsequently banned under the Communications Act 2003.”
UK Human Rights Blog, 23rd April 2013
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
Minister pledges overhaul of ‘shameful’ child protection rules after Rochdale ‘watershed’ – Daily Telegraph
“Rules on whether children can be placed in care homes far away from family and friends are to be overhauled in the wake of the Rochdale grooming scandal.”
Daily Telegraph, 24hth April 2013
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Civil recovery still an option in cases of complex fraud or bribery, SFO confirms – OUT-LAW.com
“The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) remains open to pursuing civil recovery where appropriate in cases of serious or complex fraud, including bribery and corruption offences, it has confirmed.”
OUT-LAW.com, 23rd April 2013
Source: www.out-law.com
