Sky News reporter cleared over canoe man email hacking – The Guardian

Posted March 19th, 2013 in electronic mail, interception, media, news, public interest by sally

“Sky News correspondent Gerard Tubb will not face prosecution for hacking the email account of ‘canoe man’ John Darwin, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced.”

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The Guardian, 18th March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bloggers may face libel fines under press regulation deal – The Guardian

Posted March 19th, 2013 in bills, defamation, fines, internet, news, publishing by sally

“Bloggers could face high fines for libel under the new Leveson deal with exemplary damages imposed if they don’t sign up to the new regulator, it was claimed on Tuesday.”

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The Guardian, 19th March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Cash-for-crash’ scam in Durham ‘put car insurance up by £100’ – BBC News

Posted March 19th, 2013 in fraud, gangs, insurance, news, sentencing by sally

“A ‘crash-for-cash’ scam run by a 60-strong gang swindled so much money car insurance firms raised bills of people in the area by about £100 a year. The fraud in County Durham involved faking accidents and making false whiplash compensation claims. The 60 either admitted or were found guilty during hearings held at Newcastle Crown Court since last March.”

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BBC News, 18th March 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Unfair terms in consumer contracts – Law Commission

“The Law Commission and the Scottish Law Commission have today recommended reforms to provide better protection for consumers from unfair charges in small print.”

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Law Commission, 19th March 2013

Source: www.justice.gov.uk/lawcommission

Law commissions urge tougher action on hidden charges – BBC News

“Consumers need more protection against hidden charges often tucked away in the
small print, according to two bodies responsible for promoting law reform.”

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BBC News, 19th March 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Politicians agree deal on post-Leveson Royal Charter for press regulation – but Daily Mail Group, News International and Telegraph Media Group refuse to sign up – The Independent

Posted March 19th, 2013 in charters, internet, legislation, media, news, parliament by sally

“Britain’s largest newspaper groups are on a collision course with the Government over press regulation, after last night signalling their anger at the imposition of ‘several deeply contentious’ issues in a Royal Charter announced in Parliament by the Prime Minister.”

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The Independent, 19th March 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Snap inspections expose scandal of ‘institutionalised abuse’ in care homes and hospitals – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 19th, 2013 in care homes, elderly, hospitals, news, quality assurance by sally

“A landmark programme of unannounced inspections in hospitals and care homes has
found that more than a third are still failing to respect elderly people’s basic
dignity, despite a series of scandals.”

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Daily Telegraph, 19th March 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

No tax for Castle Howard painting as judge rules it is ‘plant or machinery’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 19th, 2013 in artistic works, capital gains tax, news, taxation by sally

“The custodians of North Yorkshire stately home Castle Howard have won a tribunal
battle to avoid paying tax on the £9.4m sale of a painting, after a judge ruled
it a piece of ‘plant or machinery’ integral to attracting visitors.”

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Daily Telegraph, 19th March 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Are Bills of Rights Necessary in Common Law Systems? – Justice Dyson Heydon AC

Posted March 18th, 2013 in human rights, legislation, news by sally

Are Bills of Rights Necessary in Common Law Systems?

Justice Dyson Heydon AC

Inner Temple Reader’s Lecture Series, 21st January 2013

Source: www.innertemple.org.uk

Huntsman Brian Fraser jailed over unlicensed gun after he was cleared of shooting ex-lover – The Independent

Posted March 18th, 2013 in DNA, evidence, firearms, grievous bodily harm, news, restraining orders by sally

“A huntsman who was cleared of shooting his former lover outside her country home has been jailed for eight months for possessing a firearm without a licence.”

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The Independent, 18th March 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Labour MP given ‘substantial damages’ after Sun accessed text messages – The Guardian

Posted March 18th, 2013 in damages, inquiries, interception, media, news, privacy, telecommunications, victims by sally

“The Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh has accepted ‘very substantial damages’ from News International, with the Sun admitting that it accessed text messages from her mobile phone after it was stolen, the high court has heard.”

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The Guardian, 18th March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Jacob Rowbottom: Entrenching a Royal Charter – some initial thoughts – UK Constitutional Law Group

Posted March 18th, 2013 in bills, charters, legislation, media, news, parliament by sally

“After much political manoeuvring over the weekend, a deal has been struck on the Royal Charter to implement Leveson. A key point is that it will prevent the Charter being unilaterally changed by future governments.”

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UK Constitutional Law Group, 18th March 2013

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

Landlord jailed over ‘sophisticated’ Gumtree lettings scam – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 18th, 2013 in fraud, internet, landlord & tenant, news, sentencing by sally

“A landlord who conned would-be tenants out of more than £6,000 by advertising on the Gumtree listings website in a ‘highly sophisticated scam’ has been jailed for two years.”

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Daily Telegraph, 18th March 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Armed protection officer who bunked off work to meet lover sentenced to nine months in prison – The Independent

“An armed diplomatic security officer who abandoned his duties for extra-marital sex has been sentenced to nine months in prison.”

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The Independent, 18th March 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Brumder v Motornet Service and Repairs Ltd and another – WLR Daily

Brumder v Motornet Service and Repairs Ltd and another [2013] EWCA Civ 195; [2013] WLR (D) 102

“In a personal injury claim, it did not lie in the mouth of a claimant who was a defendant company’s sole director and shareholder to assert that the company had not proved that it had done all it could to ensure compliance with safety regulations when it was only through the claimant that the company could act. In such a case the company would be entitled to raise a defence to that effect.”

WLR Daily, 14th March 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Regina (Daws Hill Neighbourhood Forum and others) v Wycombe District Council – WLR Daily

Posted March 18th, 2013 in judicial review, law reports, local government, planning by sally

Regina (Daws Hill Neighbourhood Forum and others) v Wycombe District Council [2013] EWHC 513 (Admin); [2013] WLR (D) 101

“Section 61G(5) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, as inserted, required a local planning authority, in determining an application for a neighbourhood area, to consider whether the area proposed was appropriate, after considering the specific factual and policy matrix that existed in an individual case.”

WLR Daily, 13th March 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Regina v F – WLR Daily

Posted March 18th, 2013 in appeals, criminal procedure, jurisdiction, law reports, witnesses by sally

Regina v F [2013] WLR (D) 100

“The requirement to inform the Crown Court immediately of a prosecutor’s intention to appeal against a preliminary ruling arose when the ruling was formally given and not on earlier communication by e-mail of the conclusion which the trial judge had reached.”

WLR Daily, 14th March 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Facilitating the Return of Abducted Children – The judgment of the European Court of Human Rights – Family Law Week

Posted March 18th, 2013 in child abduction, damages, France, human rights, news by sally

“Esther Lieu, a Pupil at Coram Chambers, and Adam Weiss, Legal Director, The AIRE Centre, explain the ECtHR’s recent decision in Raw v France which considered, amongst other matters, the enforcement of court orders and the circumstances in which a parent could represent their children in Strasbourg proceedings.”

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Family Law Week, 18th March 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.com

Update from the Chairman – The Bar Council

Posted March 18th, 2013 in barristers, consultations, fees, legal aid, news, public interest by sally

“These are remarkably difficult times for all the publicly-funded Bar. Whilst there is great concern and unrest at the criminal Bar, civil and family practitioners will see entire practice areas removed from the scope of legal aid in just a few weeks. The Bar Council has to watch and protect the interests of all practitioners.”

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The Bar Council, 15th March 2013

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

The Cost of Care……The position following the Tower Hamlets decision – Family Law Week

“Jacqui Thomas, barrister of 37 Park Square Chambers, Leeds, considers the implications of the recent Tower Hamlets judgment for the cost of kinship care.”

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Family Law Week, 17th March 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.com