BAILII: Recent Decisions
Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)
Rance v R. [2012] EWCA Crim 2023 (09 October 2012)
Calvert v R. [2012] EWCA Crim 2034 (09 October 2012)
Khaleel v R. [2012] EWCA Crim 2035 (09 October 2012)
Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)
Beasley v Alexander [2012] EWHC 2715 (QB) (09 October 2012)
High Court (Chancery Division)
Harsten Developments Ltd v Eaken & Ors [2012] EWHC 2704 (Ch) (09 October 2012)
High Court (Administrative Court)
Source: www.bailii.org
Facebook and Twitter sentences: Are judges out of touch with social media? – BBC News
“A 12-week prison sentence given to a man who posted offensive comments on Facebook about missing April Jones and Madeleine McCann has been criticised by legal commentators as disproportionate. But are judges and magistrates out of touch when it comes to social media?”
BBC News, 10th October 2012
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Policeman who hit cyclist at 45mph given suspended jail sentence – The Guardian
“A speeding police officer who caused ‘catastrophic’ injuries to a singer-songwriter while responding to an emergency call in his van has been given a suspended eight-month jail sentence.”
The Guardian, 9th October 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Five criminals to make life sentence appeal – BBC News
“Five of the UK’s most dangerous criminals are to appeal against their life sentences for murder and rape.”
BBC News, 10th October 2012
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Human rights violations in EU courts double in five years – The Guardian
“Greece, Bulgaria, Poland and Romania are the worst European Union countries at delivering justice through criminal trials, according to an independent survey of the union’s courts.”
The Guardian, 10th October 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Related link: Human rights violations in Europe, broken down by country, article violated and judgment
Birmingham riots: Men jailed for attack on police – BBC News
“Two men have been jailed after police came under fire during riots in Birmingham in August 2011.”
BBC News, 9th October 2012
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Facebook and Twitter could be asked to increase moderation of networks – The Guardian
“The director of public prosecutions is exploring whether Facebook and Twitter should take more responsibility for policing their networks for abuse and harassment in an attempt to reduce the number of cases coming to court.”
The Guardian, 9th October 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Britain could become Belarus if it abandons human rights legislation, warns Attorney General – Daily Telegraph
“Britain would be left comparable to ‘Belarus’ if it abandoned the European Court on Human Rights, Dominic Grieve has warned.”
Daily Telegraph, 9th October 2012
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Chris Grayling’s self-defence plans greeted with dismay by lawyers – The Guardian
“The new justice secretary’s announcement that he will let householders deploy ‘disproportionate’ force defending homes and families has been greeted by criminal lawyers with dismay.”
The Guardian, 9th October 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Related link: Self-defence – the law now and how it might change
Serious sexual offenders to get ‘two strikes and you’re out’ life sentences – The Guardian
“A hardline ‘two strikes and you’re out’ automatic life sentence for serious sexual or violent offences will be brought into force shortly, the self-proclaimed ‘tough’ justice secretary, Chris Grayling, has told the Conservative party conference.”
The Guardian, 9th October 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Abu Qatada extradition fight moves to immigration commission – The Guardian
“The Palestinian-born cleric Abu Qatada will resist a fresh attempt to deport him at a hearing of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) in central London on Wednesday.”
The Guardian, 10th October 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Boy who stabbed student in row over conkers has sentence increased – The Guardian
“A teenager who stabbed a student to death in a row over conkers has had his sentence increased by the court of appeal.”
The Guardian, 9th October 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Jury rules that falling masonry death at restaurant was accidental – The Independent
“The death of a man killed by a piece of falling masonry as he sat at a restaurant was an accident, an inquest jury has ruled.”
The Independent, 9th October 2012
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Justin Lee Collins found guilty of harassing former partner – The Guardian
“The television presenter and comedian Justin Lee Collins has been found guilty of harassing his former partner, Anna Larke, by a jury at St Albans crown court.”
The Guardian, 9th October 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Man gets community sentence for Facebook post about dead soldiers – The Guardian
“A man who posted a Facebook message following the deaths of six British soldiers which said: ‘All soldiers should die and go to hell’ has been sentenced to a community order and told to pay costs of £300 by magistrates.”
The Guardian, 9th October 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Twelve weeks in prison for sick jokes on Facebook? Really? – UK Human Rights Blog
“A 20-year-old has been sent to prison for twelve weeks for posting offensive and derogatory comments about missing five-year-old April Jones on his Facebook page. His attempts at humour were undoubtedly stupid, offensive and exhibited incredibly poor taste and timing. But is a long spell in prison really the way we should be dealing with offensive idiots? Is a law which was passed before social media existed now placing a significant chill on our freedom of expression rights?”
UK Human Rights Blog, 9th October 2012
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
April Jones Facebook comments: should Matthew Woods be in prison? – The Guardian
“Director of public prosecutions to draft guidelines about prosecution for offensive, indecent, or obscene comments online.”
The Guardian, 9th October 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
