Bar Council Responds to New Legal Aid Consultation – The Bar Council

Posted September 6th, 2013 in barristers, consultations, legal aid, news by sally

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has today responded to the publication of the Ministry of Justice’s new legal aid consultation.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 5th September 2013

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

More bribery prosecutions imminent as SFO confirms eight cases under investigation – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 6th, 2013 in bribery, corruption, fraud, news, prosecutions, Serious Fraud Office by sally

“The head of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has responded to critics of the UK’s new anti-corruption legislation, confirming that the department has eight cases under investigation.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 5th September 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

UK judge defends ‘demonised’ Strasbourg court – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 6th, 2013 in courts, human rights, judges, news, speeches by sally

“Sir Nicolas Bratza, until last year president of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, said that although the court has been ‘demonised in the popular press and elsewhere as the elephant in the room, a kangaroo court and a Mickey Mouse tribunal’, the work of UK courts in applying the ECHR has been ‘exemplary.’ ”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 5th September 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Cancer fund father Kevin Wright jailed for theft and fraud – BBC News

Posted September 6th, 2013 in charities, fraud, news, sentencing, theft by sally

“A man who stole from children’s cancer charities, including one to help his son, has been jailed for five years.”

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BBC News, 5th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judge rejects ban on naming and shaming social workers – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 6th, 2013 in anonymity, injunctions, news, reporting restrictions, social services by sally

“The most senior family judge in England and Wales has rejected a legal bid to ban the naming and shaming of social workers in a controversial case which saw a baby taken from his parents against their will.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 5th September 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Former rider for Queen’s horse trainer jailed for jealous attack – The Guardian

Posted September 6th, 2013 in grievous bodily harm, news, sentencing by sally

“A horse rider who worked for the Queen’s trainer has been jailed for four years after attacking an ex-jockey in a jealous rage, leaving him looking like ‘the victim of a road traffic accident.’ ”

Full story

The Guardian, 5th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Red Caps’ families take legal action for public inquiry – BBC News

Posted September 6th, 2013 in armed forces, crime, human rights, inquiries, Iraq, murder, news by sally

“The families of four Royal Military Police NCOs killed by an Iraqi mob are to bring a Human Rights Act claim to try to force a public inquiry.”

Full story

BBC News, 5th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

NSA and GCHQ unlock privacy and security on the internet – The Guardian

“US and British intelligence agencies have successfully cracked much of the online encryption relied upon by hundreds of millions of people to protect the privacy of their personal data, online transactions and emails, according to top-secret documents revealed by former contractor Edward Snowden.”

Full story

The Guardian, 6th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Nurses and midwives set to face three-yearly checks – BBC News

Posted September 6th, 2013 in consultations, midwives, news, nurses, professional conduct by sally

“Nurses and midwives in the UK look set to face three-yearly checks from the end of 2015 under proposals being put forward.”

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BBC News, 6th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

First female genital mutilation prosecution ‘close’, says CPS – BBC News

Posted September 6th, 2013 in Crown Prosecution Service, female genital mutilation, news, prosecutions by sally

“The likelihood of the first prosecution in the UK for female genital mutilation is higher than ever before, the director of public prosecutions says.”

Full story

BBC News, 6th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Nigel Kennedy escapes prosecution over fraud claims – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 6th, 2013 in elections, fraud, news, prosecutions, time limits by sally

“A Conservative MP has called for voting crimes to be punished retrospectively after it emerged that Nigel Kennedy, the violinist, will not face prosecution for alleged electoral fraud.”

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Daily Telegraph, 6th September 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Jacob Rowbottom: Third Party Spending Controls and the Lobbying Bill – UK Constitutional Law Group

Posted September 5th, 2013 in bills, elections, lobbying, news, third parties by sally

“The Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill is proving to be controversial for various reasons – not least for proposing amendments to controls on third party spending during election campaigns (under the current law independent organisations have to register with the Electoral Commission if they spend over a certain amount on election material, and such spending is subject to an overall cap). Many of the criticisms have focused on the potential for the proposed law to apply to the political speech of charities, think tanks, blogs and campaign groups.”

Full story

UK Constitutional Law Group, 4th September 2013

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

When can CFAs replace legal aid? – Legal Aid Handbook

Posted September 5th, 2013 in fees, legal aid, news by sally

“Many practitioners are concerned about the implications of recent delays in granting legal aid whilst the LAA is making detailed investigations about whether CFAs are available – even in cases where they clearly are not.”

Full story

Legal Aid Handbook, 4th September 2013

Source: www.legalaidhandbook.com

UK judges have breathed new life into Human Rights Convention, says former court president – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted September 5th, 2013 in human rights, judiciary, media, news, political parties, speeches, treaties by sally

“Yesterday Sir Nicolas Bratza spoke candidly about the responsibility of certain UK politicians and media outlets in tarnishing this countries human rights legacy. He called on lawyers and NGOs to help rekindle the fire for human rights at home.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 4th September 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Rachel Manning murder: Police apologise to Barri White and Keith Hyatt – BBC News

Posted September 5th, 2013 in miscarriage of justice, murder, news, perverting the course of justice, police by sally

“Thames Valley Police have apologised to two men wrongly convicted over the murder of a 19-year-old woman from Milton Keynes in 2000.”

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BBC News, 5th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Regulator to review banks’ complaint handling processes as ombudsman complaints reach record levels – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 5th, 2013 in banking, complaints, financial regulation, financial services ombudsman, news by sally

“The financial industry regulator is to conduct a review of the way in which customer complaints to banks and building societies are handled, one of its directors has confirmed.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 4th September 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Expecting business to respect human rights without incentives or Sanctions – UK Human Rights Blog

“Cross-government coordination on an issue that affects trade, international development, foreign affairs, business activity and human rights is remarkable, especially at such a difficult economic time. So the UK’s Action Plan on Business and Human Rights, which is the government’s long-awaited strategy for implementing the 2011 UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, is to be applauded for this achievement. Yet, while the Plan establishes clear expectations that UK companies should respect human rights, there are no effective legal requirements placed on them to do so.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 4th September 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Greater Transparency in the Family Courts – New Draft Guidance – RPC Privacy Law

Posted September 5th, 2013 in consultations, family courts, law reports, news, reporting restrictions by sally

“Proposed new guidance recommends that decisions of the family courts should always be published, unless there are compelling reasons against publication. Sir James Munby, President of the Family Division of the High Court, has issued the proposed judiciary guidance to facilitate the ‘need for greater transparency’ in the family courts.”

Full story

RPC Privacy Law, 4th September 2013

Source: www.rpc.co.uk

Law firm shut down after top judge’s complaint over ‘untruthful’ asylum case – Daily Telegraph

“A law firm has been closed down after one of the country’s most senior judges asked regulators to investigate its last-minute bids to block the deportation of failed asylum seekers.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 4th September 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

UN to investigate impact of ‘bedroom tax’ on human rights of low-income households – The Independent

Posted September 5th, 2013 in benefits, housing, human rights, news, social security, United Nations by sally

“The impact of the so-called ‘bedroom tax’ on the human rights of low-income households is being examined by a senior United Nations official.”

Full story

The Independent, 4th September 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk