RIPA: hacked voicemails and undercover officers – Panopticon

“The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) has featured prominently in the news in recent weeks, both as regards undercover police officers/’covert human intelligence sources’ and as regards the phone-hacking scandal.”

Full story

Panopticon, 28th June 2013

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

Bar gets into shape for ABSs – Law Society’s Gazette

“The Bar Standards Board is simplifying criteria for approving new business entities, ahead of an application to become a licensing authority for alternative business structures.”

Full story

Law Soceity’s Gazette, 28th June 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Ofcom to investigate BT for over-charging Anytime customers – The Guardian

Posted July 1st, 2013 in consumer protection, news, ombudsmen, telecommunications by sally

“BT has been accused of over-charging its customers – possibly by millions of pounds – after adding an extra 1p to the cost of calls to mobiles for some customers on its most popular package.”

Full story

The Guardian, 28th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Five guilty of painter’s murder in Holloway estate – BBC News

Posted July 1st, 2013 in conspiracy, gangs, grievous bodily harm, murder, news, sentencing by sally

“Five gang members, including a 15-year-old boy, have been jailed for murdering a painter and decorator in London.”

Full story

BBC News, 28th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Mid Wales MP wants 19th Century child neglect law changes – BBC News

Posted July 1st, 2013 in bills, child neglect, legislation, mental health, news, psychiatric damage by sally

“A mid Wales MP is bidding to change child neglect laws that date back to the 19th Century, which he claims are now ‘nonsense’. Ceredigion MP Mark Williams wants criminal legislation based on 1868 poor laws to be updated to include emotional and psychological abuse.”

Full story

BBC News, 30th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Courtroom treatment of vulnerable victims faces review – The Guardian

“An investigation is being launched into aggressive courtroom cross-examination of vulnerable victims in the wake of high-profile child sex abuse cases, Damian Green has confirmed. The justice minister said work would be carried out over the summer to find ways to curb hostile practices after a growing number of cases in which witnesses were left ‘deeply traumatised.'”

Full story

The Guardian, 1st July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Calls for police ethics crackdown and positive discrimination in recruitment – The Guardian

“An investigation by the home affairs select committee into the standards of police leadership in England and Wales, after a series of scandals involving the most senior officers, found a patchwork of training, standards and accountability countrywide.”

Full story

The Guardian, 1st July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

EU referendum law hits trouble – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 1st, 2013 in bills, EC law, news, referendums by sally

“An official House of Commons analysis says a series of further Parliamentary votes will be required in 2016 to enshrine a future referendum in law. It warns that the legislation being debated in Parliament this week – if passed – could have little legal relevance as it could be ignored by a future government.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 1st July 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

The Daily Telegraph have recently introduced a limited paywall. Users will be permitted to view 20 Daily Telegraph articles per month for free, after which they will need to pay a subscription fee to access content.

Sex offence claims rise in wake of Savile scandal – Daily Telegraph

“Reports of sex offences overall, both historic and current, has also increased, with one police force seeing allegations almost double since last October, when the Savile affair first emerged.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 1st July 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

The Daily Telegraph have recently introduced a limited paywall. Users will be permitted to view 20 Daily Telegraph articles per month for free, after which they will need to pay a subscription fee to access content.

Banks obliged to cancel recurring payments – The Guardian

“Banks will be required to cancel continuous payments often used by gyms and payday lenders when asked to do so by customers, following an investigation by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).”

Full story

The Guardian, 28th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bath hotel firm fined over unsafe window cleaner – BBC News

Posted June 28th, 2013 in costs, fines, health & safety, hotels, news by sally

“A restaurant and hotel firm has been fined £15,000 after a window cleaner was
filmed balancing precariously on a ledge outside one of its buildings.”

Full story

BBC News, 28th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Double jeopardy case: Wendell Baker jailed for pensioner rape – BBC News

Posted June 28th, 2013 in DNA, double jeopardy, news, rape, sentencing by sally

“A man convicted under the amended double jeopardy law of raping a pensioner has been jailed for life.”

Full story

BBC News, 28th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Deicsions

Posted June 28th, 2013 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

AR (Iran), R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2013] EWCA Civ 778 (28 June 2013)

RM (Zimbabwe) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2013] EWCA Civ 775 (28 June 2013)

Intrigue Shipping Inc & Ors v Nikitin & Ors [2013] EWCA Civ 749 (27 June 2013)

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Saunders & Ors v R [2013] EWCA Crim 1027 (28 June 2013)

Lawrence, R v [2013] EWCA Crim 1054 (28 June 2013)

Edmondson & Ors v R. [2013] EWCA Crim 1026 (28 June 2013)

Tahery, R. v [2013] EWCA Crim 1053 (27 June 2013)

Austin, R. v [2013] EWCA Crim 1028 (27 June 2013)

McNally v R. [2013] EWCA Crim 1051 (27 June 2013)

High Court (Administrative Court)

Simpson & Ors, R (on the application of) v Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police [2013] EWHC 1858 (Admin) (28 June 2013)

Derbyshire County Council v High Peak Magistrates’ Court [2013] EWHC 1762 (Admin) (27 June 2013)

Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs v Assistant Deputy Coroner for Inner North London [2013] EWHC 1786 (Admin) (27 June 2013)

High Court (Family Division)

UL v BK [2013] EWHC 1735 (Fam) (24  June 2013)

High Court (Technology and Construction Court)

Co-Operative Group Ltd v Birse Developments Ltd & Ors [2013] EWHC 1790 (TCC) (27 June 2013)

Igloo Regeneration (General Partner) Ltd & Ors v Powell Williams Partnership [2013] EWHC 1718 (TCC) (24 June 2013)

Source: www.bailii.org.uk

Ian Brady should stay in psychiatric hospital, tribunal rules – The Guardian

Posted June 28th, 2013 in imprisonment, mental health, news, prisons, tribunals by sally

“The Moors murderer Ian Brady should stay in psychiatric hospital, a mental health tribunal has ruled. The judge-led panel decided Brady was still sufficiently mentally ill to continue holding him at Ashworth secure mental hospital in Merseyside, where he has been since 1985.”

Full story

The Guardian, 28th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Phone hacking: Go-ahead for Brooks and Coulson cases – BBC News

Posted June 28th, 2013 in costs, interception, media, news, prosecutions, telecommunications by sally

“Five former News of the World staff members, including ex-editors Rebekah Brooks
and Andy Coulson, have lost a legal attempt to block their prosecution on phone
hacking charges.”

Full story

BBC News, 28th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

New directors’ pay reporting requirements on course for October as final regulations published – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 28th, 2013 in company directors, company law, news, remuneration, reports by sally

“Changes to the information that companies must include in their remuneration
reports are set to come into force from 1 October following the Government’s
publication of the final rules.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 27th June 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

The Pollen Estate Trustee Co Ltd v Revenue and Customs Comrs; King’s College London v Same – WLR Daily

The Pollen Estate Trustee Co Ltd v Revenue and Customs Comrs: King’s College London v Same: [2013] EWCA Civ 753;   [2013] WLR (D)  255

“Where a charity contributed to the purchase of a property, to be held on trust for it and other, non-charitable, contributors in proportion to their contributions, the ‘chargeable interest acquired’ by reference to which stamp duty land tax was to be levied under Part 4 of the Finance Act 2003 was the equitable estate collectively acquired by the beneficiaries under the trust. However, paragraph 1(1) of Schedule 8 to the 2003 Act was to be interpreted as exempting the land transaction from charge to the extent of the charity’s interest.”

WLR Daily. 26th June 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Regina ((JB) (Jamaica)) v Secretary of State for the Home Department – WLR Daily

Regina ((JB) (Jamaica)) v Secretary of State for the Home Department: [2013] EWCA Civ 666;   [2013] WLR (D)  252

“Since the undisputed evidence was that homosexuals were routinely persecuted in Jamaica, the Secretary of State had acted unlawfully in designating Jamaica, under section 94(5)(a) of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, as a state where there was ‘in general no serious risk of persecution of persons entitled to reside in that state.’ ”

WLR Daily, 12th June 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Raju and others v Secretary of State for the Home Department – WLR Daily

Posted June 28th, 2013 in appeals, education, immigration, law reports, notification by sally

Raju and others v Secretary of State for the Home Department: [2013] EWCA Civ 754;   [2013] WLR (D)  253

“Table 10 of Appendix A of paragraph 245FD of the Immigration Rules required that an applicant for leave to remain under the Tier 1 (Post-Study Work) provisions of the points-based system therein should have obtained the appropriate qualification before making the application in order to obtain the necessary points.”

WLR Daily, 25th June 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted June 28th, 2013 in legislation by sally

The National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) (Fresh Signatures for Absent Voters) Order 2013

The Education (National Curriculum) (Key Stages 1 and 2 Assessment Arrangements) (England) (Amendment) Order 2013

The Rent Officers (Housing Benefit and Universal Credit Functions) (Amendment) Order 2013

The Child Support (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2013

The Health and Safety (Miscellaneous Revocations and Amendments) Regulations 2013

The Social Security (Persons Required to Provide Information) Regulations 2013

The Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment (Amendment) Regulations 2013

The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 2) Regulations 2013

The Biocidal Products (Fees and Charges) Regulations 2013

The Biocidal Products and Chemicals (Appointment of Authorities and Enforcement) Regulations 2013

The Mobile Homes (Pitch Fees) (Prescribed Form) (England) Regulations 2013

The Penalties for Disorderly Behaviour (Amount of Penalty) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2013

The National Health Service (Direct Payments) (Repeal of Pilot Schemes Limitation) Order 2013

The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (Designated Sites under Section 128) (Amendment) Order 2013

The Lawrence Sheriff School (Pupil Premium Admissions Priority) Order 2013

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk