Constance Briscoe faces retrial over alleged lying in Chris Huhne case – The Guardian

Posted February 3rd, 2014 in news, perverting the course of justice, retrials, road traffic offences by sally

‘Jury fails to reach verdict after three-week trial of part-time judge accused of perverting course of justice in speeding points case.’

Full story

The Guardian, 31st January 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Secret hearings could allow police to seize journalists’ notes if bill passes – The Guardian

Posted February 3rd, 2014 in bills, closed material, disclosure, inquiries, media, news, police by sally

‘The seizure of journalists’ notebooks, photographs and digital files could be conducted in secret hearings, owing to a little-publicised clause in a government bill aimed at cutting red tape, media organisations have warned. Requests for notebooks, computer disks, photographs or videos must currently be made in open court and representatives of news groups can be present. But the clause – in the deregulation bill, which comes before the Commons on Monday – significantly alters the way courts consider so-called “production orders”, stripping out current safeguards.’

Full story

The Guardian, 31st January 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Widow begins case to keep dead husband’s sperm – The Independent

Posted February 3rd, 2014 in assisted reproduction, human tissue, married persons, news, time limits, widows by sally

‘A widow’s High Court case to preserve her late husband’s sperm has begun.’

Full story

The Independent, 31st Janaury 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Judge orders mentally ill woman to have forced caesarean – Daily Telegraph

‘ A High Court judge has given doctors permission to perform an urgent caesarean section on a mentally-ill woman with diabetes. The woman was delivered of a baby boy within hours of Mr Justice Hayden giving specialists at the Royal Free London NHS Trust approval for the procedure, following a five-hour hearing at the Court of Protection.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 1st February 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Bullying in armed forces on rise, MoD figures reveal – The Guardian

‘Shocking official figures reveal a surge in the incidence of bullying in the armed forces, with one in 10 military personnel claiming to have been the victim of “discrimination, harassment or bullying in a service environment” during the past year.’

Full story

The Guardian, 1st February 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

RSPCA risks losing power to prosecute – Daily Telegraph

‘The RSPCA’s role in prosecuting cases of animal cruelty could be overhauled to restore public confidence.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 1st February 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Iran sues MoD firm over the Shah’s tanks – The Independent

‘The Iranian government is taking a Ministry of Defence-owned company to the High Court to end a £400m row over British-made Chieftain tanks that has dragged on for 35 years.’

Full story

The Independent, 2nd February 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Sussex landowners mount ‘legal blockade’ against fracking – BBC News

‘Landowners in the Sussex Downs National Park are mounting a “legal blockade” to block a potential fracking site. Solicitors for residents near Fernhurst, in West Sussex, have written to Celtique Energie and the Energy Secretary Ed Davey to explicitly deny permission to drill under their land.’

Full story

BBC News, 3rd February 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Honeymoon murder suspect Shrien Dewani loses attempt to block extradition to South Africa – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 31st, 2014 in appeals, extradition, mental health, murder, news by sally

‘Shrien Dewani has been fighting removal from the UK to face proceedings over wife Anni’s death until he has recovered from mental health problems.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 31st January 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Command Papers – official-documents.gov.uk

Posted January 31st, 2014 in parliamentary papers by sally

Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, Cm 8791 (PDF)

Increasing the Transparency of Donations and Loans to Political Parties in Northern Ireland, Cm 8804 (PDF)

Agreement between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Kingdom of the Netherlands relating to the Exploitation of the ORCA Field, Cm 8802 (PDF)

Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Japan on the Security of Information, Cm 8803 (PDF)

Source: www.official-documents.gov.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted January 31st, 2014 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Kanu, R. v [2014] EWCA Crim 67 (23 January 2014)

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Barnes v Revenue And Customs [2014] EWCA Civ 31 (30 January 2014)

Innerspaces Self Storage Ltd v Harding & Ors [2014] EWCA Civ 46 (30 January 2014)

Murrills v Berlanda & Anor [2014] EWCA Civ 6 (30 January 2014)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Keene (Trustees of the Graphic Reproduction Federation) v Wellcom London Ltd & Ors [2014] EWHC 134 (Ch) (30 January 2014)

Roadchef (Employee Benefits Trustees) Ltd v Hill & Anor [2014] EWHC 109 (Ch) (29 January 2014)

High Court (Administrative Court)

Thakeham Village Action Ltd, R (On the Application Of) v Horsham District Council [2014] EWHC 67 (Admin) (29 January 2014)

Zerom, R (On the Application Of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2014] EWHC 92 (Admin) (30 January 2014)

High Court (Commercial Court)

Trafigura Beheer BV v Navigazione Montanari Spa [2014] EWHC 129 (Comm) (30 January 2014)

Deutsche Bank AG v Sebastian Holdings Inc & Anor [2014] EWHC 112 (Comm) (30 January 2014)

Source: www.bailii.org

Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014

Posted January 31st, 2014 in elections, legislation, lobbying, third parties, trade unions by sally

Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 published

Full text of Act

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Mesothelioma Act 2014

Mesothelioma Act 2014 published

Full text of Act

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

European Union (Approvals) Act 2014

Posted January 31st, 2014 in EC law, legislation, regulations, treaties by sally

European Union (Approvals) Act 2014 published

Full text of Act

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014

Posted January 31st, 2014 in auditors, health, legislation, local government by sally

Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 published

Full text of Act

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted January 31st, 2014 in legislation by sally

The Special Educational Needs (Direct Payments) (Pilot Scheme) (Extension and Amendment) Order 2014

The Football Spectators (2014 World Cup Control Period) Order 2014

The Heavy Fuel Oil (Amendment) Regulations 2014

The Criminal Justice (Electronic Monitoring) (Responsible Person) Order 2014

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Recorded rape figures vary widely across England and Wales – BBC News

Posted January 31st, 2014 in news, police, rape, statistics by sally

‘New figures show wide variations in the way police record and classify rape allegations across the 43 police forces in England and Wales.’

Full story

BBC News, 31st January 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Diakité v Commissaire général aux réfugiés et aux apatrides – WLR Daily

Posted January 31st, 2014 in asylum, EC law, international law, interpretation, law reports, war by sally

Diakité v Commissaire général aux réfugiés et aux apatrides (Case C-285/12); [2014] WLR (D) 37

‘An internal “armed conflict” existed, for the purposes of article 15(c) of Council Directive 2004/83/EC, if a state’s armed forces confronted one or more armed groups or if two or more armed groups confronted each other. It was not necessary for that conflict to be categorised as “armed conflict” not of an international character under international humanitarian law; nor was it necessary to carry out, in addition to an appraisal of the level of violence present in the territory concerned, a separate assessment of the intensity of the armed confrontations, the level of organisation of the armed forces involved or the duration of the conflict.’

WLR Daily, 30th January 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

IA (Iran) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees intervening) – WLR Daily

Posted January 31st, 2014 in asylum, burden of proof, law reports, refugees, Scotland, treaties, United Nations by sally

IA (Iran) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees intervening) [2014] UKSC 6; [2014] WLR (D) 36

‘National decision-makers had an independent and autonomous responsibility under the Convention and Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees (1951) (Cmd 9171) and (1967) (Cmnd 3906) to determine the applications of those who had applied for asylum. An earlier decision of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (“UNHCR”) to grant refugee status was not binding on the national decision-maker, nor did it create any presumption or shift the burden of proof.’

WLR Daily, 29th January 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Man jailed for trying to arrange child rape on webcam – The Guardian

Posted January 31st, 2014 in child abuse, indecent photographs of children, internet, news, sentencing by sally

‘A man who tried to persuade parents to sexually abuse and rape their children online has been jailed for five years.’

Full story

The Guardian, 30th January 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk