Kevin Howe jailed over friend Stephen Walker’s suicide bid – BBC News
“A man who helped his suicidal friend set fire to himself has been jailed for 12 years.”
BBC News, 11th October 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Plebgate: Keir Starmer defends police investigation – The Guardian
“Britain’s most senior prosecutor said he understands concerns surrounding the time it has taken to investigate police officers over the Plebgate saga, which cost Tory MP Andrew Mitchell his cabinet post.”
The Guardian, 13th October 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Stuart Lawrence race complaint against Met upheld – BBC News
“A Metropolitan Police officer accused of racial discrimination against the brother of Stephen Lawrence has a ‘case to answer for misconduct’, the police watchdog has said.”
BBC News, 12th October 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Jail sentence penalties for data breaches will be consulted on despite Government’s scepticism – OUT-LAW.com
“The Government has reiterated its commitment to consult on introducing custodial sentences as a possible penalty for individuals who breach UK data protection laws.”
OUT-LAW.com, 11th October 2013
Source: www.out-law.com
Grayling: legal market needs to be more diverse and innovative – Legal Futures
“The new chairman of the Legal Services Board (LSB) needs to help develop ‘a more diverse and innovative legal services market that attracts new providers’, justice secretary Chris Grayling has said.”
Legal Futures, 14th October 2013
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
The Supreme Court’s curious constitutional U turn over prisoner rights – UK Human Rights Blog
“Writing in his magisterial new work, Human Rights and the UK Supreme Court, Professor Brice Dickson noted that the Human Rights Act had created ‘an internationalized system of human rights protection rather than a constitutional one.’ Indeed, there had been a marked resistance on the part of the Supreme Court to use the common law to achieve the same goal of human rights protection. In Osborn v The Parole Board the Supreme Court seemed to resile from this position.”
UK Human Rights Blog, 13th October 2013
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
Criminal compensation reforms would shift burden of proof on to victims – The Guardian
“Victims of miscarriages of justice will have to prove their innocence in future or endure damaged reputations, human rights groups and Labour’s parliamentary frontbench are warning.”
The Guardian, 14th October 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Six years, three judges, £350,000 in costs to the taxpayer… and no change: Judge hits out at ‘astonishing’ cost of Court of Protection case – The Independent
“A High Court Judge has hit out at the ‘astonishing’ cost of a six year legal battle in the Court of Protection which ended today after all parties agreed a woman should stay in care.”
The Independent, 11th October 2013
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Sexual offences: Wrong questions asked of victims, says Keir Starmer – BBC News
“Victims of sexual offences have been afraid of reporting them because police have asked ‘the wrong questions’, the director of public prosecutions for England and Wales has said.”
BBC News, 13th October 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Nine in 10 walk free for first violent crime – Daily Telegraph
“The majority of people convicted for the first time of violent crime are walking free, new figures show.”
Daily Telegraph, 12th October 2013
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Gloucester cellar sex attack youths jailed for attack on boy – BBC News
“Two teenagers who carried out a ‘sadistic’ sex attack on a boy, have been jailed for 10 years each.”
BBC News, 11th October 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Sisters must receive MMR vaccine, court rules – The Guardian
“A judge has ruled that two sisters must receive the MMR vaccine even though neither they nor their mother want them to have it.”
The Guardian, 12th October 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
New police anti-terror powers could be unlawful, say MPs – The Independent
“Intrusive anti-terrorism powers that give police the right to detain travellers for up to six hours without suspicion, as well as download data from their phones and laptops, are unlawful, a group of MPs has warned.”
The Independent, 11th October 2013
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Schedule 7 powers too intrusive, says committee – The Guardian
“Stop and search powers at ports and airports – used to detain the partner of the Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald for nine hours during the summer – are too intrusive, according to a parliamentary committee.”
The Guardian, 11th October 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
South Yorkshire sex abusers not to face extra charges – BBC News
“Two men who pleaded guilty to more than 50 ‘appalling’ child sex offences will not face trial over 14 other allegations, prosecutors have said.”
BBC News, 14th October 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Human Rights Act must stay, says CPS director Keir Starmer – The Independent
“Repealing the Human Rights Act would be ‘retrograde step’ that would hurt the victims of crime and witnesses alike, the outgoing director of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has warned.”
The Independent, 13th September 2013
Source: www.independent.co.uk
GCHQ accused of monitoring privileged emails between lawyers and clients – The Guardian
“GCHQ is probably intercepting legally privileged communications between lawyers and their clients, according to a detailed claim filed on behalf of eight Libyans involved in politically sensitive compensation battles with the UK.”
The Guardian, 13th October 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
BAILII: Recent Decisions
Supreme Court
Secretary of State for the Home Department v Al -Jedda [2013] UKSC 62 (9 October 2013)
Osborn v The Parole Board [2013] UKSC 61 (9 October 2013)
High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)
ABC v Avtar Lit [2013] EWHC 3020 (QB) (10 October 2013)
High Court (Chancery Division)
Couper & Ors v Albion Properties Ltd & Ors [2013] EWHC 2993 (Ch) (08 October 2013)
High Court (Administrative Court)
High Court (Technology and Construction Court)
CG Group Ltd v Breyer Group Plc [2013] EWHC 2959 (TCC) (03 October 2013)
KNN Coburn LLP v GD City Holdings Ltd [2013] EWHC 2879 (TCC) (02 October 2013)
Sabic UK Petrochemicals Ltd v Punj Lloyd Ltd [2013] EWHC 2916 (TCC) (10 October 2013)
Source: www.bailii.org
Human rights attacked again – the thorny issue of ‘just satisfaction’ – Legal Week
The attack on human rights protection is relentless. The Daily Mail and The Telegraph this week reported that judges in Strasbourg have handed criminals taxpayer-funded payouts of £4.4m – an average of £22,000 a head. Recipients since 1998 include the traitor George Blake, extremist cleric Abu Qatada and the IRA killer dubbed Mrs Doubtfire.
Legal Week, 10th October 2013
Source: www.legalweek.com
War criminal Charles Taylor to serve 50-year sentence in British prison – The Guardian
“Charles Taylor, the convicted former Liberian president, will serve his 50-year sentence for war crimes in a British prison, the ministry of justice has confirmed.”
The Guardian, 10th October 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
