Sex abuser Clifford Lown jailed after filming rape – BBC News

Posted May 4th, 2012 in child abuse, news, rape, sentencing by tracey

“A man who filmed himself raping a woman he had abused when she was a child has been jailed for 20 years.”

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BBC News, 3rd May 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Businesses ‘should help prisoners get work’ – BBC News

Posted May 4th, 2012 in imprisonment, news, rehabilitation by tracey

“Major employers should give prisoners work experience placements and training and help more ex-offenders get work, Ken Clarke has said.”

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BBC News, 4th May 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Internet pornography: government to consult on protecting children – The Guardian

Posted May 4th, 2012 in children, internet, news, pornography by tracey

“The government is to consult on tough measures to protect children from internet pornography. Under plans being draw up by Downing Street, it would be up to customers to ‘opt-in’ to receive adult content online when they take out a broadband contract.”

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The Guardian, 4th May 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Teenager convicted for harassing Pagan – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 4th, 2012 in harassment, news, religiously aggravated offences, young offenders by tracey

“The 16-year-old, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, consistently provoked the female member of staff over her beliefs in what is understood to be the first case of its kind. A court heard how the defendant discovered through friends that his victim was a Pagan – a legally recognised religion – and then ‘jumped on the bandwagon’. He pleaded guilty to religiously aggravated harassment over a period.”

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Daily Telegraph, 3rd May 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Politicians should have thick skins, judge rules in ‘bitchy’ councillor case – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 4th, 2012 in freedom of expression, internet, local government, news by tracey

“People have a right to lampoon and criticise politicians and public officials under the Human Rights Act, the High Court has ruled.”

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Daily Telegraph, 4th May 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Protection of Freedoms Act comes into force and lays out new laws on DNA retention and surveillance cameras – OUT-LAW.com

Posted May 3rd, 2012 in closed circuit television, DNA, fingerprints, legislation, news by sally

“A new code of practice on public surveillance using CCTV systems and automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology will be introduced by new laws recently enacted.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 3rd May 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Plea bargaining: eBay justice – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted May 3rd, 2012 in bribery, corruption, criminal justice, news, plea bargaining by sally

“In 2009, Zoe Pemberton, then aged ten, put her grandmother up for auction on eBay ostensibly as a joke. As part of the description she described her grandmother as ‘annoying and moaning a lot’. She also said that she was ‘cuddly’ and ‘likes word searches’. The public bid up to £20,000 until the lot was taken down. If you believe that our criminal justice system is the grandma of every common law system of the world then it seems that she is about to be auctioned off. News is that the Government intends to consult on a new plea bargaining system after big business suggested that the UK should copy the US. At the same time, amongst lawyers and commentators, opinion of the US plea bargaining system is at an all time low.”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 3rd May 2012

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Protester barred from all Jubilee and Games events – BBC News

Posted May 3rd, 2012 in ASBOs, news, public order, sport by sally

“A man barred from protesting at the site of an Olympic basketball training facility has been ordered by a court to stay away from all Games venues.”

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BBC News, 3rd May 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Strasbourg judges have got it wrong in case of man’s mistreatment in custody – The Guardian

Posted May 3rd, 2012 in detention, human rights, mental health, news by sally

“Judgment in MS v UK from European court leaves publicly funded authorities threatened with litigation from all sides.”

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The Guardian, 3rd May 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Mentally ill man’s detention in police cell breached his human rights – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 3rd, 2012 in detention, human rights, mental health, news by sally

“A violent mentally ill man who was kept in a police cell for more than three days without medical treatment suffered ‘inhuman or degrading treatment’, European human rights judges have ruled.”

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Daily Telegraph, 3rd May 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

The ECHR and democratic legitimacy – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted May 3rd, 2012 in courts, human rights, news, treaties by sally

“Two interesting articles on the UK Human Rights Blog recently raised once again the question of the legitimacy of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 3rd May 2012

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Judges allow Parliament Square tent removal – The Independent

Posted May 3rd, 2012 in demonstrations, injunctions, local government, London, news by sally

“The High Court has lifted an injunction preventing the removal of the last anti-war protest tent near the Houses of Parliament.”

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The Independent, 3rd May 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Legal aid bill is law – the fight back starts now – The Guardian

Posted May 3rd, 2012 in law centres, legal aid, legislation, news, sentencing by sally

“Now the legal aid bill is law, how do we preserve access to justice?”

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The Guardian, 3rd May 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted May 3rd, 2012 in law reports by sally

Supreme Court

Petroleo Brasileiro SA v ENE Kos 1 Ltd [2012] UKSC 17 (2 May 2012)

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

OB v The Director of the Serious Fraud Office [2012] EWCA Civ 501 (02 May 2012)

ConvaTec Ltd & Ors v Smith & Nephew Healthcare Ltd & Ors [2012] EWCA Civ 520 (02 May 2012)

Kizhakudan v Secretary of State for Home Department [2012] EWCA Civ 566 (02 May 2012)

Birmingham City Council v Akhtar & Ors [2012] EWCA Civ 585 (02 May 2012)

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

Qema v News Group Newspapers Ltd [2012] EWHC 1146 (QB) (02 May 2012)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Dramatico Entertainment Ltd & Ors v British Sky Broadcasting Ltd & Ors [2012] EWHC 1152 (Ch) (02 May 2012)

Philippe & Ors v Cameron & Ors [2012] EWHC 1040 (Ch) (02 May 2012)

High Court (Family Division)

WF v HF [2012] EWHC 438 (Fam) (05 March 2012)

London Borough of Islington v Al- Alas & Anor [2012] EWHC 865 (Fam) (19 April 2012)

SJ v JJ & Anor [2012] EWHC 931 (Fam) (02 March 2012)

LSdC (A Child) , Re [2012] EWHC 983 (Fam) (24 April 2012)

High Court (Commercial Court)

Kingspan Environmental Ltd & Ors v Borealis A/s & Anor [2012] EWHC 1147 (Comm) (01 May 2012)

Source: www.bailii.org

Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 – legislation.gov.uk

Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 published

Full text of Act

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 – legislation.gov.uk

Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 published

Full text of Act

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Water Industry (Financial Assistance) Act 2012 – legislation.gov.uk

Posted May 3rd, 2012 in legislation, water companies by sally

Water Industry (Financial Assistance) Act 2012 published

Full text of Act

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Sunday Trading (London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games) Act 2012 – legislation.gov.uk

Posted May 3rd, 2012 in legislation, sport, Sunday trading by sally

Sunday Trading (London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games) Act 2012 published

Full text of Act

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Appeal court backs law firm in ‘you’re fired’ retainer row – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 3rd, 2012 in appeals, contracts, costs, fees, news, solicitors by sally

“Solicitors are entitled to suspend work for clients who have not paid their bill in accordance with the contractual term of business agreed, the Court of Appeal has ruled in a key case on retainers.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 2nd May 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Pressing the case – Sir Stephen Sedley’s proposals for statutory media regulation – Legal Week

Posted May 3rd, 2012 in judges, media, news by sally

“The Leveson Inquiry has invited evidence and submissions from the public as well as from the core participants. Although not reported widely in the media, last October the recently retired Lord Justice of Appeal, Sir Stephen Sedley, made his own submission to the Leveson Inquiry. In this submission, Sir Stephen proposes his own model of statutory regulation of the media.”

Full story

Legal Week, 2nd May 2012

Source: www.legalweek.com