Cigarettes may have to be sold in plain packets following public consultation – The Guardian

Posted April 13th, 2012 in news, smoking by sally

“Cigarette packets could be stripped of all branding following a consultation beginning on Monday, the health secretary, Andrew Lansley, has revealed.”

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The Guardian, 13th April 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

TfL bans Christian groups’ ‘gay cure’ advert from London buses – The Independent

Posted April 13th, 2012 in advertising, Christianity, freedom of expression, homosexuality, news by sally

” An attempt by evangelical Christians to promote ‘gay cure’ therapies on the sides of London buses was banned last night, sparking an angry row over free speech.”

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The Independent, 13th April 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

IPCC: John Yates showed ‘poor judgment’ in assisting Neil Wallis’s daughter – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 13th, 2012 in complaints, media, news, police, professional conduct by sally

“Former Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner John Yates helped secure a job for News International executive Neil Wallis’s daughter telling his staff he had been a ‘great friend’ of the force, a report has revealed.”

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Daily Telegraph, 13th April 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Tycoon Kate Bleasdale brings £12m sex bias case against her firm – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 13th, 2012 in news, sex discrimination, unfair dismissal by sally

“A former nurse who built a business empire has begun a £12million legal action against a medical company she created, claiming that she was wrongfully sacked and that her former chairman touched her breast.”

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Daily Telegraph, 13th April 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

The rising cost of free speech: Reynolds, contempt and Twitter – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted April 12th, 2012 in contempt of court, defamation, freedom of expression, internet, news by sally

“Free speech is under attack. Or so it seems. The last few weeks have been abuzz with stories to do with free speech: a Supreme Court ruling on the Reynolds defence to libel; contempt of court proceedings against an MP for comments made in a book and the latest in a growing line of criminal trials for Twitter offences. The diversity of media at the heart of these stories – print news, traditional books and online ‘micro-blogging’ – indicates the difficulty of the task for the legal system.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 12th April 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Journalists ‘should have to argue public interest for unlawful methods in court’ – The Guardian

Posted April 12th, 2012 in media, news, public interest by sally

“Journalists should appear before a court of law to make a public interest defence for stories obtained by unlawful newsgathering techniques, the information commissioner has said.”

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The Guardian, 12th April 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Security bodies, private emails: parallels between the UK and US – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted April 12th, 2012 in electronic mail, freedom of information, intelligence services, news by sally

“Today was one of striking parallels between the USA and the UK in terms of litigation concerned with access to information.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 12th April 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Government to give consumers control over smart meter data amidst privacy concerns – OUT-LAW.com

Posted April 12th, 2012 in consumer protection, data protection, energy, news, privacy by sally

“Third-party companies will not be able to access data recorded in consumers’ smart meters unless consumers choose to let them see it, the Government has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 12th April 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted April 12th, 2012 in legislation by sally

The Beef and Pig Carcase Classification (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2012

The National Curriculum (Assessment Arrangements on Entry to the Foundation Phase) (Wales) (Revocation) Order 2012

The Fire and Rescue Services (National Framework) (Wales) Order 2012

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Family Justice Modernisation Programme – Update – Family Law Bar Association

Posted April 12th, 2012 in case management, family courts, news by sally

“Mr Justice Ryder has published his fourth update on the progress of the Family Justice Modernisation Programme.”

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Family Law Bar Association, 11th April 2012

Source: www.flba.co.uk

Legal education review calls for response to ‘radical’ proposals – Legal Week

Posted April 12th, 2012 in consultations, legal education, news by sally

“The Legal Education and Training Review (LETR) has issued a call for feedback on radical proposals for reform, including the replacement of the training contract with a more flexible period of ‘supervised practice’.”

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Legal Week, 12th April 2012

Source: www.legalweek.com

Mother jailed over ‘daughter abducted’ claim – The Independent

Posted April 12th, 2012 in kidnapping, news, perverting the course of justice, sentencing by sally

“A mother of four has been jailed for six months for falsely reporting her daughter had been abducted from her backyard.”

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The Independent, 11th April 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Jail for Muamba Twitter abuse – was 56 days imprisonment justified? – Legal Week

Posted April 11th, 2012 in internet, media, news, racism, sentencing by sally

“Liam Stacey – a 21-year-old student – was recently sentenced by a District Judge (Magistrates’ Court) to 56 days imprisonment for his tweets in relation to Bolton Wanderers footballer Fabrice Muamba (pictured). The Guardian reported that Stacey entered a guilty plea to a charge of racially aggravated disorderly behaviour with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress contrary to Crime and Disorder Act 1998 s.31 (as read with Public Order Act 1986 s.4A)”

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Legal Week, 11th April 2012

Source: www.legalweek.com

Blogger’s publication of Motorman records may have breached data protection laws, says watchdog – OUT-LAW.com

Posted April 11th, 2012 in data protection, interception, media, news, privacy by sally

“A political blogger may have breached UK data protection laws after posting a list of journalists and the requests they allegedly made to a private detective to ‘blag’ information for stories.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 11th April 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Lost and Found: the Tenancy Deposit Scheme – Zenith Chambers

Posted April 11th, 2012 in deposits, housing, landlord & tenant, news by sally

“The Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) legislation, set out in sections 212 to 215 of the Housing Act 2004, came into force in 2007 in respect of tenancy deposits paid by assured shorthold tenants. Essentially, it imposes two requirements on landlords:
(1) protection of the deposit paid in respect of such tenancies by paying it into an authorised scheme within 14 days of receipt of the deposit; and
(2) provision to the tenant of prescribed information, again within 14 days of the receipt of the deposit.”

Full story (PDF)

Zenith Chambers, 5th April 2012

Source: www.zenithchambers.co.uk

Seven jailed for burglary in which man was crushed to death – The Guardian

Posted April 11th, 2012 in burglary, homicide, news, sentencing by sally

“Seven men have been jailed for their part in a burglary during which a businessman was crushed to death.”

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The Guardian, 11th April 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Making the most of stress claims – Zenith Chambers

Posted April 11th, 2012 in employment, health & safety, negligence, news, personal injuries by sally

“At a time when 1 in 4 workers are now affected by work-related stress, it is unsurprising that lawyers too are seeing more occupational stress claims than ever before. Kate provides some timely guidance on how to sort the wheat from the chaff and considers whether McLennan v Hartford [2012] EWHC 346 amounts to a change in the landscape or more of the same.”

Full story (PDF)

Zenith Chambers, 3rd April 2012

Source: www.zenithchambers.co.uk

Jailhouse rock: man has diamond ring in court to propose to his attacker – The Guardian

Posted April 11th, 2012 in grievous bodily harm, marriage, news, sentencing by sally

“A man who forgave his partner for nearly killing him when she plunged a kitchen knife into his back brought an engagement ring to court in the hope a judge would let her walk free.”

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The Guardian, 11th April 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Water part of contamination land definition is changed – OUT-LAW.com

Posted April 11th, 2012 in environmental protection, news, planning, pollution, water by sally

“The statutory contaminated land regime has changed, with the principal change being to the definition of contaminated land. The changes took effect on 6 April.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 11th April 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

London riots: Gordon Thompson jailed for Reeves store arson – BBC News

Posted April 11th, 2012 in arson, guilty pleas, news, sentencing, violent disorder by sally

“A looter has been jailed for 11-and-a-half years for starting a fire which destroyed a family-run furniture shop in south London in the summer riots.”

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BBC News, 11th April 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk