Court increases sentences for trio jailed for sexually assaulting unconscious teen – The Guardian

Posted June 7th, 2013 in appeals, news, sentencing, sexual offences, video recordings by sally

“Three men to serve five and a half years after appeal judges rule original sentence for assault on 18-year-old was too lenient.”

Full story

The Guardian, 7th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Man sues over forensics live bullet conviction mix-up – BBC News

Posted June 7th, 2013 in evidence, firearms, forensic science, human rights, negligence, news by sally

“A man wrongfully convicted of possessing ammunition after forensics staff mixed
up his £3 keyring and a live bullet is suing the government.”

Full story

BBC News, 7th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Opemipo Jaji jailed for raping girl, 11, in Enfield park – BBC News

“A man has been jailed for life, and ordered to serve a minimum of eight years, for raping an 11-year-old girl.”

Full story

BBC News, 7th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted June 7th, 2013 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Olympic Airlines SA Pension & Life Insurance Scheme v Olympic Airlines SA [2013] EWCA Civ 643 (06 June 2013)

Lumos Skincare Ltd v Sweet Squared Ltd & Ors [2013] EWCA Civ 590 (06 June 2013)

High Court (Administrative Court)

Kola, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2013] EWHC 1434 (Admin) (06 June 2013)

Aslam, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2013] EWHC 1495 (Admin) (06 June 2013)

High Court Family Division)

A Council v M & Ors (Judgment 4: Foreign Adoption: Refusal of Recognition) [2013] EWHC 1501 (Fam) (06 June 2013)

Source: www.bailii.org

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted June 7th, 2013 in legislation by sally

The Stamp Duty and Stamp Duty Reserve Tax (ICE Clear Europe Limited) Regulations 2013

The Duty to Participate in Education or Training (Alternative Ways of Working) Regulations 2013

The Dangerous Dogs (Fees) (England and Wales) Order 2013

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Command Papers – official-documents.gov.uk

Posted June 7th, 2013 in parliamentary papers by sally

Foreign involvement in the critical national infrastructure: the implications for national security,Cm 8629 (PDF)

Source: www.official-documents.gov.uk

 

Surveillance camera code of conduct comes into force – Home Office

“New guidance in place over police and local authority use of CCTV and Automatic Number Plate Recognition.”

Full press release

Home Office, 4th June 2013

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Not in my court – NearlyLegal

Posted June 7th, 2013 in covenants, forfeiture, housing, leases, news by sally

“Forfeiture is, for the most part, beloved by landlords and hated/feared by tenants. For what might be relatively minor breaches of covenant, you can lose your lease and the landlord make an enormous windfall. The legislative trend is (slowly) in favour of restricting (and possibly even abolishing) forfeiture as demonstrated by s.168, Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002. By s.168, Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002, a landlord may not serve a notice under s.146, Law of Property Act 1925, or otherwise exercise a right of re-entry (i.e. forfeiture) in respect of a breach of a covenant (other than one to pay rent – which is unaffected by s.146, see s.146(11); or service/administration charges, which are dealt with under s.81, Housing Act 1996), unless the breach has been admitted by the tenant or determined by a court, LVT or arbitral tribunal.”

Full story

NearlyLegal, 3rd June 2013

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

PCT: incredible alternatives – LegalVoice

Posted June 7th, 2013 in competition, criminal justice, law firms, legal aid, news, solicitors, tenders by sally

“Otterburn Consulting recently completed a survey to inform the Law Society’s response to the government’s consultation ‘Transforming legal aid: delivering a more credible and efficient system on price competitive tendering (PCT).’ The aim was to find out what the impact on firms would be, based on hard evidence and to evaluate whether the proposed system was likely to work in practice.”

Full story

LegalVoice, 7th June 2013

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Bar Council faces probe over cab rank ‘interference’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 7th, 2013 in barristers, codes of practice, Legal Services Board, news by sally

“The Legal Services Board is to formally investigate whether the Bar Council breached rules to interfere in a controversial decision affecting the cab rank rule.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 5th June 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Ofgem widens investigation into alleged rigging of gas and power markets – The Guardian

Posted June 7th, 2013 in competition, energy, inquiries, news, price fixing, whistleblowers by sally

“The energy watchdog, Ofgem, has widened its investigation into alleged manipulation of gas and power markets and warned that doubts over price-setting could lead to higher household bills.”

Full story

The Guardian, 6th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Met crackdown on foreign suspects raises fears justice will be denied – The Guardian

Posted June 7th, 2013 in crime, criminal justice, deportation, immigration, London, news, police, tribunals by sally

“Lawyers say police could ‘circumvent criminal justice’ by using intelligence in civil immigration courts to increase deportations.”

Full story

The Guardian, 6th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Soft’ sentences for knife crime despite Chris Grayling pledge – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 7th, 2013 in cautions, fines, news, offensive weapons, recidivists, sentencing, statistics by sally

“Knife-wielding criminals are being handed soft sentences by the courts despite a pledge by the Government to introduce tough new measures.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 6th June 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Woman sues lawyer whose failure to change a relative’s will ‘cost her £1m’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 7th, 2013 in negligence, news, solicitors, wills by sally

“Woman sues lawyer whose failure to change a relative’s will ‘cost her £1m.’ ”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 6th June 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Men jailed over rape of boy, 14, in Manchester Debenhams – BBC News

Posted June 6th, 2013 in assault, children, closed circuit television, news, rape, sentencing by sally

“Two men have been jailed for 15 years for raping a boy, 14, in the toilets of a Manchester department store.”

Full story

BBC News, 6th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Crown court judges oppose legal aid changes – The Guardian

Posted June 6th, 2013 in Crown Court, judges, legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

“Crown court judges have delivered a damning response to government plans to prevent defendants from choosing their solicitor and slice a further £220m off the legal aid budget.”

Full story

The Guaridan, 6th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Purpose of social networking will determine whether businesses have data protection responsibilities, says ICO – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 6th, 2013 in data protection, internet, news, standards by sally

“Businesses that encourage staff to use social networks for commercial purposes are subject to UK data protection laws, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has said.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 6th June 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

145 specially appointed Government barristers demand rethink on Legal Aid plans – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted June 6th, 2013 in barristers, consultations, judicial review, legal aid, news by sally

“145 barristers on the Attorney General’s Panel of Counsel have signed a letter seeking that the Government to rethink its plans for reform of Legal Aid. I was one of the signatories. The letter is reproduced on the Legal Aid Changes blog.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 6th June 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

EVENTS: Birkbeck – Law on Trial 2013

Posted June 6th, 2013 in Forthcoming events by sally

“What can legal education offer to the present and the future? In the midst of attempts to transform legal education into a commodity for the privileged few, our 2013 season of Law on Trial asks whether it is possible to engage the current climate of professionalization, vocational training and the narrowing of law as an education on citizenship and political imagination from more creative and alternative perspectives.”

Date: 17th – 21st June 2013

Location: Room B34, Malet Street Building, Birkbeck, University of London

Charge: Free

More information can be found here.

Attorney general joins calls for police to confirm names in ‘secret arrests’ – The Guardian

Posted June 6th, 2013 in anonymity, attorney general, media, news, police, privacy, public interest by sally

“The attorney general, Dominic Grieve, has intervened in the debate over so-called secret arrests and said police should confirm the name of a suspect if they have been correctly identified by the media.”

Full story

The Guardian, 4th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk