BAILII: Recent Decisions
High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)
Hunt v Times Newspapers Ltd [2012] EWHC 110 (QB) (30 January 2012)
Wiemer v Zone & Ors [2012] EWHC 107 (QB) (30 January 2012)
High Court (Chancery Division)
Wokuri v Kassam [2012] EWHC 105 (Ch) (30 January 2012)
Wharton v Bancroft & Ors [2012] EWHC 91 (Ch) (30 January 2012)
Source: www.bailii.org
Regina v H (J); Same v Ferris; Same v W (A); Same v Walker; Same v Dan; Same v S (C); Same v Robertson; Same v P (M) – WLR Daily
“In principle, in historic or cold cases, a defendant had to be sentenced in accordance with the sentencing regime applicable at the date of sentence. Nevertheless, as the offence which he had committed years earlier contravened the criminal law in force at the date when it was committed a defendant was liable to be convicted of that offence and no other and therefore the sentence was limited to the maximum sentence then available for the offence of which he had been convicted.”
WLR Daily, 24th November 2011
Source: www.iclr.co.uk
Crime map website to reveal hotspots – BBC News
“The number and type of crimes which take place at hotspots like nightclubs, subways and parks are to be revealed on a crime-mapping website from Tuesday.”
BBC News, 31st January 2012
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Ken Clarke: £50m for victims’ services – Ministry of Justice
“An overhaul of victims’ services could see up to £50m generated from offenders to help create a speedier, more supportive system for victims of serious crime.”
Ministry of Justice, 30th January 2012
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
AIB fraud trial of Mayfair property tycoon collapses – The Guardian
“The trial of Achilleas Kallakis, the onetime Mayfair property tycoon accused of using forged paperwork to trick banks, including HBOS and Allied Irish Bank, into lending £750m, has collapsed after four months. A retrial has been ordered.”
The Guardian, 30th January 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
More secret trials? No thanks – UK Human Rights Blog
“A child learns early that if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it. Thankfully that principle does not apply to Government consultations and this is aptly demonstrated by the responses to the consultation into whether ‘closed material’ (secret evidence) procedures should be extended to civil trials.”
UK Human Rights Blog, 31st January 2012
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
PCC chief tells Leveson newspapers should be fined for breaching code – The Guardian
“Newspapers should be fined if they are found to be in ‘systemic’ breach of the standards set out in the industry’s code of practice, the director of the Press Complaints Commission has conceded at the Leveson inquiry.”
The Guardian, 30th January 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Police raid on whistleblower’s home was ‘total abuse of power’ – The Independent
“The Information Commissioner asked police to raid the home of a whistleblower days before he was due to give damaging evidence about alleged failings by the watchdog to Lord Justice Leveson’s public inquiry into media standards.”
The Independent, 31st January 2012
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Deaths in police custody figures ‘understated’ – BBC News
“Official figures understate the number of people who die in custody after being restrained by police, a BBC investigation has found.”
BBC News, 31st January 2012
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Libyan dissidents sue MI6 officer over abduction and torture claims – The Guardian
“Two prominent Libyan dissidents are suing a former senior MI6 officer in a move which could expose the role of ministers in the men’s abduction to Tripoli, where they say they were tortured by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s secret police.”
The Guardian, 31st January 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Stephen Lawrence killers to launch appeal – BBC News
“David Norris and Gary Dobson are to appeal against their convictions for the racist murder of teenager Stephen Lawrence in south-east London in 1993.”
BBC News, 30th January 2012
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Guidelines for drugs offences: an overview – Halsbury’s Law Exchange
“Last week, the Sentencing Council issued new definitive guidelines on drug offences that signify a more pragmatic and reasonable approach towards drug sentencing.”
Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 30th January 2012
Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk
London riot sentences ‘absolutely right’ – The Guardian
“One of the country’s leading prosecutors has defended the stiff sentences handed out to hundreds of rioters in London last summer and derided the excuses given by some of them in court.”
The Guardian, 30th January 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Motorists to be hit with £100 speeding fines to support victims – Daily Telegraph
“Motorists face a huge hike in speeding fines to as much as £100 to help fill a funding gap for victims of crime, Kenneth Clarke has disclosed.”
Daily Telegraph, 30th January 2012
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Dangerous, vindictive and unnecessary – The Guardian
“Ken Clarke can already refuse victims compensation for violent crimes if they are of bad character. Now he wants to ban anyone with an unspent conviction from applying.”
The Guardian, 30th January 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Compensation scheme to be overhauled – The Independent
“Victims who suffer sprained ankles, broken toes or bruised ribs would no longer be entitled to compensation under Government plans, Kenneth Clarke said today.”
The Independent, 30th January 2012
Source: www.independent.co.uk
