What price access to justice? – Garden Court Chambers Blog

Posted August 23rd, 2011 in civil justice, legal aid, news by sally

“Access to justice is under grave attack by the Coalition Government. The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill 2011 (the ‘Legal Aid Bill’) is currently before Parliament and if it is enacted then it will result in severe and swingeing cuts to public funding for advice and representation in a wide spectrum of civil cases.”

Full story

Garden Court Chambers Blog, 18th August 2011

Source: www.gclaw.wordpress.com

In re W (A Child) (Abduction: Contempt) – WLR Daily

Posted August 23rd, 2011 in appeals, child abduction, contempt of court, detention, law reports by sally

In re W (A Child) (Abduction: Contempt) [2011] WLR (D) 277

“Where a father repeatedly flouted court orders that he disclose the whereabouts of his child, who had been abducted and was believed to be abroad, it was open to the court to impose repeated terms of imprisonment for contempt the cumulative duration of which ostensibly exceeded the two-year term identified in section 14(1) of the Contempt of Court Act 1981.”

WLR Daily, 17th August 2011

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Bar regulator approved to introduce new annual registration scheme for barristers – Bar Standards Board

Posted August 23rd, 2011 in barristers, news by sally

“The Bar Standards Board (BSB), which regulates barristers in England and Wales, will adopt a more structured approach to barristers’ registration, which will be known as authorisation to practise.”

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 18th August 2011

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Man guilty of Heathrow suitcase murder of Fatima Kama – BBC News

Posted August 23rd, 2011 in extradition, murder, news by sally

“A man who stabbed a woman to death and then travelled on a train with the body in a suitcase has been convicted of murder.”

Full story

BBC News, 22nd August 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

High Court bans gym firms’ use of unfair contracts and practices – OUT-LAW.com

Posted August 23rd, 2011 in consumer protection, news, unfair contract terms by sally

“The High Court has banned a company from using contract terms and business practices it has deemed unfair, according to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 22nd August 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Riots: Metropolitan police planned to hold all suspects in custody – The Guardian

Posted August 23rd, 2011 in bail, detention, judicial review, news, police, violent disorder by sally

“Senior Metropolitan police officers devised a policy of holding all people arrested on riot-related offences in custody and recommending that the courts also refuse bail after they were charged, according to a leaked ‘prisoner processing strategy’ that lawyers argue could pave the way for a mass legal challenge.”

Full story

The Guardian, 22nd August 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Related link: Operation Withern’s prisoner processing strategy

Mastermind contestant can be called ‘astoundingly thick’ rules Ofcom – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 23rd, 2011 in complaints, media, news, ombudsmen by sally

“By his own admission, the Mastermind appearance was not Simon Curtis’s finest hour.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 23rd August 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Father and sons boiler room scam sent to prison – BBC News

Posted August 23rd, 2011 in financial regulation, fraud, news, sentencing by sally

“Three men have been jailed at Southwark Crown Court for a total of 19 years in jail for a £27.5m boiler room fraud.”

Full story

BBC News, 22nd August 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Recent riots and disorder – should offenders feel ‘the full force of the law’? – Legal Week

Posted August 23rd, 2011 in appeals, bail, magistrates, news, sentencing, violent disorder by sally

“Much controversy has been raised by the sentencing meted out to some of those charged with offences committed during the recent disorder. Many cases have already been sentenced either in the Magistrates’ Court. A lesser number of cases have been dealt with by the Crown Court. (Given the short time between committal to Crown Court and sentence, the latter would be guilty pleas).”

Full story

Legal Week, 22nd August 2011

Source: www.legalweek.com

Woman jailed for life for murdering OAP with wine bottle – The Independent

Posted August 23rd, 2011 in murder, news, sentencing by sally

“A woman was jailed for life with a minimum term of 30 years today for killing a 91-year-old man with a bottle of wine.”

Full story

The Independent, 22nd August 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Legal aid: plan for 10% cut raises fears of more law centre closures – The Guardian

Posted August 23rd, 2011 in charities, law centres, legal aid, news by sally

“A fresh wave of law centre closures and redundancies is feared as the government introduces plans this week for an additional 10% cut in legal aid fees.”

Full story

The Guardian, 22nd August 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Equality and Human Rights Commission reverses position on religious cases intervention – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted August 23rd, 2011 in equality, human rights, news, religious discrimination by sally

“The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has reversed its plans to intervene in two European Court of Human Rights cases about religious discrimination.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 22nd August 2011

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Ofcom decision appeals process will be streamlined, Government says – OUT-LAW.com

Posted August 22nd, 2011 in appeals, news, telecommunications by sally

“Appeals by telecoms firms against decisions taken by the UK’s telecoms regulator will be better focused and be less time consuming, according to Government proposals to change the appeals process.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 22nd August 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Minicab driver Masood Ahmed guilty of ‘sickening’ rape – BBC News

Posted August 22nd, 2011 in assault, news, rape, sentencing by sally

“A minicab driver has been jailed for 11 years for raping and threatening to kill an 18-year-old woman in Surrey.”

Full story

BBC News, 22nd August 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted August 22nd, 2011 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Ramzan v Brookwide Ltd (Ancillary Matters) [2011] EWCA Civ 1033 (19 August 2011)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Harborne Road Nominees Ltd v Karvaski & Anor [2011] EWHC 2214 (Ch) (19 August 2011)

Sarwar v The Royal Bank of Scotland Plc (Rev 1) [2011] EWHC 2233 (Ch) (27 July 2011)

Mann Aviation Group (Engineering) Ltd v Longmint Aviation Ltd & Anor [2011] EWHC 2238 (Ch) (19 August 2011)

Source: www.bailii.org

Judges weaken rules on paedophiles – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 22nd, 2011 in child abuse, human rights, news, parental rights, sexual offences by sally

“Paedophiles have won unsupervised access to their own children because it would breach their human rights to keep them apart, judges have ruled.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 20th August 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted August 22nd, 2011 in legislation by sally

The Access to the Countryside (Dedication of Land) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2011

The Access to the Countryside (Exclusions and Restrictions) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2011

The Legal Services Act 2007 (Designation as a Licensing Authority) Order 2011

The Access to the Countryside (Appeals against Works Notices) (England) Regulations 2011

The Education (Wales) Measure 2009 (Commencement No.2) Order 2011

The National Curriculum (End of Foundation Phase Assessment Arrangements and Revocation of the First Key Stage Assessment Arrangements) (Wales) Order 2011

The National Curriculum (Assessment Arrangements on Entry to the Foundation Phase) (Wales) Order 2011

The National Health Service (Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges) (Wales) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2011

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Prison compensation culture ‘rampant’ over £60m in payouts – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 22nd, 2011 in compensation, news, personal injuries, prison officers, prisons by sally

“Tens of millions of pounds in compensation have been paid to criminals, prison staff and visitors to British jails, new official figures have disclosed.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 20th August 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Hundreds of police officers caught illegally accessing criminal records computer – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 22nd, 2011 in criminal records, data protection, disciplinary procedures, news, police by sally

“More than 200 police officers and support staff in Britain’s biggest force have been caught accessing the highly sensitive Police National Computer for their own ends.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 20th August 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Portsmouth man sentenced for ‘microwaving’ pet cat – BBC News

Posted August 22nd, 2011 in animal cruelty, news, sentencing by sally

“A Hampshire man has received a 16-week jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, after he microwaved his pet cat.”

Full story

BBC News, 19th August 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk