New allegations of police misconduct in Stephen Lawrence case to be investigated – Ministry of Justice

Posted June 25th, 2013 in news, police, professional conduct, whistleblowers by sally

“Allegations that undercover officers were used to smear reputations of Stephen Lawrence’s family will be investigated, says Home Secretary.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 24th June 2013

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Regulator widens criteria for entity approval – Bar Standards Board

Posted June 25th, 2013 in alternative business structures, barristers, news by sally

“It will be easier for barristers to set up legal businesses after the Bar Standards Board agreed last week to make the criteria for approving new entities more flexible.”

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 24th June 2013

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

UNISON applies for judicial review of employment tribunal fees – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 25th, 2013 in employment tribunals, judicial review, news, trade unions, tribunals, women by sally

“UNISON has applied to the High Court for a judicial review of the Ministry of Justice’s decision to introduce employment tribunal fees from the end of next month, it has announced.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 25th June 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

CPS under fire for failures in two serious cases – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 25th, 2013 in Crown Prosecution Service, delay, news, professional conduct, trials by sally

The Crown Prosecution Service has been criticised by two separate Crown court judges after sending an ‘incompetent’ advocate to prosecute a murder trial and for ‘lamentable failures’ that delayed a rape trial.

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 25th June 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Ballet dancer Jack Widdowson’s attacker jailed for 13 years – BBC News

“A man who attacked a ballet dancer, broke his neck and left him lying in the street has been jailed for 13 years.”

Full story

BBC News, 24th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Watchdog wants new code of conduct for UK bankers – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 25th, 2013 in banking, codes of practice, news, professional conduct by sally

“Bankers should be subject to a new code of conduct overseen by a body similar to the General Medical Council, a consumer watchdog has claimed.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 25th June 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Lord chief justice warns Chris Grayling on courts privatisation plans – The Guardian

Posted June 25th, 2013 in constitutional reform, contracting out, courts, judges, judiciary, news, tribunals by sally

“The justice secretary, Chris Grayling, has been warned by the lord chief justice, Lord Judge, not to undermine the independence of the judiciary through plans to privatise parts of the court service or make it self-financing.”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Jake Davis: Freed hacker faces strict tech rules – BBC News

Posted June 25th, 2013 in computer crime, electronic monitoring, news, probation, young offenders by sally

“A convicted hacker who was detained in a young offender institution has been released – but will now face strict limitations on his technology use.”

Full story

BBC News, 24th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Spinster sisters could win legal right to be treated as married couples, Peers told – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 25th, 2013 in bills, carers, civil partnerships, families, human rights, married persons, news by sally

“The introduction of same-sex marriage could finally open the way for carers and relatives such as unmarried sisters who live together to be given the same legal status as married couples, the House of Lords has been told.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 24th June 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Jeremy Forrest: child protection experts warn against romanticising case – The Guardian

“To glance at some headlines, a reader might think this was a conventional love story: ‘I still love him’; ‘He’s wonderful, I’ll fight for him’. But this was, child protection professionals agree, a relationship built around abuse.”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Military judge raises court martial concerns – BBC News

Posted June 25th, 2013 in armed forces, courts martial, judges, juries, news by sally

“The UK’s senior military judge has expressed concern about the way in which members of the armed forces can be convicted of serious offences by a majority of just one member of a military jury.”

Full story

BBC News, 25th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Official: 13,000 more criminals to be jailed every year from Chris Grayling reforms – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 25th, 2013 in bills, detention, news, prisons, probation by sally

“Thousands of criminals who re-offend after serving only a few months in prison will be locked up again under a new Ministry of Justice crackdown, the department’s own estimates show.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 24th June 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Privatising probation service will put public at risk, officials tell Grayling – The Guardian

Posted June 25th, 2013 in contracting out, documents, news, probation, rehabilitation by sally

“The justice secretary, Chris Grayling, has been warned by his most senior officials that plans to privatise 70% of the probation service lack support, are being pushed through on an aggressive timetable and potentially endanger public safety, leaked documents show.”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Stephen Lawrence’s father demands judicial inquiry into police spying – The Guardian

Posted June 25th, 2013 in inquiries, news, police, professional conduct, whistleblowers by sally

“The home secretary, Theresa May, came under pressure from the father of the murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence to set up an independent inquiry into the Guardian’s revelations that undercover police spied on and attempted to smear his family.”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Keanu Williams case: Mother guilty of murdering toddler – BBC News

“A mother has been found guilty of murdering her two-year-old son.”

Full story

BBC News, 24th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Father who abused children wins right to stay in Britain – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 24th, 2013 in child cruelty, deportation, families, human rights, news by sally

“An illegal immigrant jailed for hitting his children has won a battle against deportation in the UK.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 24th June 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Rapist cab driver sent to prison – The Independent

Posted June 24th, 2013 in abuse of position of trust, news, rape, sentencing, sexual offences, taxis by sally

“An unlicensed cab driver was jailed for seven years and three months today after being found guilty of raping a female passenger.”

Full story

The Independent, 24th June 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Magistrate suspended after telling court how cannabis killed her brother – Daily Telegraph

“A magistrate has been reprimanded for highlighting the dangers of cannabis after her own brother’s addiction to the drug led to his death.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 24th June 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Lady Hale becomes most senior female judge in British legal history – The Guardian

Posted June 24th, 2013 in diversity, judges, news, Supreme Court, women by sally

“Lady Hale has become the most senior female judge in British legal history with her appointment as deputy president of the UK’s supreme court.”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Hills Contractors and Construction Ltd v Struth and another – WLR Daily

Posted June 24th, 2013 in civil procedure rules, documents, law reports, service, solicitors by sally

Hills Contractors and Construction Ltd v Struth and another [2013] EWHC 1693 (QB); [2013] WLR (D) 246

“A photocopy of a sealed claim form sent with a letter to the defendants’ solicitors for the purposes of document exchange was not proper service of the claim form for the purposes of CPR r 6.3(b).”

WLR Daily, 17th June 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk