Chambers Material
We are now monitoring a selection of chambers websites with a view to including articles and conference papers where appropriate. For a list of chambers currently being monitored see the Sources page.
What price access to justice? – Garden Court Chambers Blog
“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.”
Garden Court Chambers Blog, 18th August 2011
Source: www.gclaw.wordpress.com
In re W (A Child) (Abduction: Contempt) – WLR Daily
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
Man guilty of Heathrow suitcase murder of Fatima Kama – BBC News
“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.”
BBC News, 22nd August 2011
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
High Court bans gym firms’ use of unfair contracts and practices – OUT-LAW.com
“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).”
OUT-LAW.com, 22nd August 2011
Source: www.out-law.com
Riots: Metropolitan police planned to hold all suspects in custody – The Guardian
“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.”
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
“By his own admission, the Mastermind appearance was not Simon Curtis’s finest hour.”
Daily Telegraph, 23rd August 2011
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Father and sons boiler room scam sent to prison – BBC News
“Three men have been jailed at Southwark Crown Court for a total of 19 years in jail for a £27.5m boiler room fraud.”
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
“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).”
Legal Week, 22nd August 2011
Source: www.legalweek.com
Woman jailed for life for murdering OAP with wine bottle – The Independent
“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.”
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
“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.”
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
“The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has reversed its plans to intervene in two European Court of Human Rights cases about religious discrimination.”
UK Human Rights Blog, 22nd August 2011
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
Ofcom decision appeals process will be streamlined, Government says – OUT-LAW.com
“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.”
OUT-LAW.com, 22nd August 2011
Source: www.out-law.com
Minicab driver Masood Ahmed guilty of ‘sickening’ rape – BBC News
“A minicab driver has been jailed for 11 years for raping and threatening to kill an 18-year-old woman in Surrey.”
BBC News, 22nd August 2011
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
BAILII: Recent Decisions
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)
Source: www.bailii.org
Judges weaken rules on paedophiles – Daily Telegraph
“Paedophiles have won unsupervised access to their own children because it would breach their human rights to keep them apart, judges have ruled.”
Daily Telegraph, 20th August 2011
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk
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
Source: www.legislation.gov.uk
Prison compensation culture ‘rampant’ over £60m in payouts – Daily Telegraph
“Tens of millions of pounds in compensation have been paid to criminals, prison staff and visitors to British jails, new official figures have disclosed.”
Daily Telegraph, 20th August 2011
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Hundreds of police officers caught illegally accessing criminal records computer – Daily Telegraph
“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.”
Daily Telegraph, 20th August 2011
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
