Prisoners receive £10m in payouts – The Independent
“Prisoners have won more than £10 million in compensation over the last five years, figures show.”
The Independent, 26th June 2011
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Tuition fees increases to be challenged in court – The Guardian
“Two sixth formers have been granted permission to challenge the lawfulness of the government’s decision to let universities triple tuition fees.”
The Guardian, 24th June 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Intelligence officers could face court for “aiding and abetting torture” despite new guidelines – Daily Telegraph
“Intelligence officers could be prosecuted for aiding and abetting torture overseas because new guidelines are not clear enough, the Equality and Human Rights Commission has claimed.”
Daily Telegraph, 24th June 2011
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Levi Bellfield gets life without parole – The Guardian
“Levi Bellfield refused to leave his prison cell to hear Mr Justice Wilkie sentence him to life without parole and condemn him as a ‘cruel and pitiless killer’.”
The Guardian, 24th June 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Lord Macdonald says fair criminal trials ‘imperative’ – BBC News
“Defendants must be able to put their case – ‘however appalling’ – fairly before a court, ex-director of Public Prosecutions Lord Macdonald has said.”
BBC News, 26th June 2011
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
DPP: We will look at victim support – The Independent
“The director of public prosecutions said he would examine how victims are treated in court after admitting the Milly Dowler murder case raised ‘fundamental questions’.”
The Independent, 25th June 2011
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Related link: Vilified QC in Bellfield case ‘just doing his job’
Legal aid reform could end right to a free solicitor – The Guardian
“A ‘cornerstone’ of the legal system, the universal right to a solicitor upon arrest, could be jettisoned in favour of means-testing under controversial plans drawn up by the Ministry of Justice.”
The Guardian, 25th June 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Law firms are opening up to non-graduates – The Guardian
“A new mood of egalitarianism is sweeping the profession just as higher tuition fees are likely to reduce social mobility.”
The Guardian, 24th June 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Watchdog highlights ‘imbalance of power’ between consumers and lawyers – Law Society’s Gazette
“Consumers have benefited from the first four years of the Legal Services Act, but there remains an ‘imbalance of power’ which acts to their detriment in dealing with lawyers.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 24th June 2011
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
New police database will give national records access for first time – OUT-LAW.com
“Police will share local records about people through a new national database, the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) has said. A new database for England and Wales will be linked to an existing one covering Scotland, an NPIA spokesman said.”
OUT-LAW.com, 24th June 2011
Source: www.out-law.com
BAILII: Recent Decisions
Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)
McKenzie v R. [2011] EWCA Crim 1550 (23 June 2011)
Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
County Leasing Ltd v Quotepool Ltd [2011] EWCA Civ 705 (23 June 2011)
High Court (Chancery Division)
Paddico (267) Ltd v Kirklees Metropolitan Council & Ors [2011] EWHC 1606 (Ch) (23 June 2011)
High Court (Admiralty Division)
Source: www.bailii.org
Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk
The Environmental Protection (Controls on Ozone-Depleting Substances) Regulations 2011
The Assured Tenancies (Amendment of Rental Threshold) (Wales) Order 2011
The Energy Information Regulations 2011
The Armed Forces (Terms of Service) (Amendment) Regulations 2011
The Distress for Rent (Amendment) Rules 2011
The Wireless Telegraphy (Register) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2011
The Wireless Telegraphy (Mobile Spectrum Trading) Regulations 2011
The Food Additives (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2011
Source: www.legislation.gov.uk
IR (Sri Lanka) v Secretary of State for the Home Department; GT (Libya) v Same; AN (Pakistan) v Same; AK (Pakistan) v Same – WLR Daily
“In national security deportation and exclusion cases before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission foreign nationals were entitled to the standard of procedural fairness contained in the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (Procedure) Rules 2003, neither more nor less.”
WLR Daily, 21st June 2011
Source: www.iclr.co.uk
Coventry City Council v O and others – WLR Daily
Coventry City Council v O and others [2011] EWCA Civ 729; [2011] WLR (D) 205
“Where foster parents issued a notice of intention to adopt a child they were fostering, the local authority retained the power to remove the child from the foster parents’ home to the home either of other foster parents or of prospective adopters, under section 38 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002.”
WLR Daily, 22nd June 2011
Source: www.iclr.co.uk
Epileptic driver jailed for Thurrock M25 death crash – BBC News
“An Essex man with epilepsy has been jailed for three-and-a-half years for causing the death of a young woman by dangerous driving.”
BBC News, 23rd June 2011
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Milly Dowler family’s court ordeal ‘appalling’ says victims czar Louise Casey – Daily Telegraph
“The treatment of Milly Dowler’s family in court has been branded ‘appalling’ by the Government’s victims’commissioner, Louise Casey.”
Daily Telegraph, 24th June 2011
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Ronald Toms faces jail for 1987 Ammanford sex attack – BBC News
“A man who sexually assaulted an 84-year-old widow in a ‘terrifying’ attack in her own home 24 years ago has been told he will be jailed.”
BBC News, 23rd June 2011
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
MPs defy government and agree to ban on use of circus animals – The Guardian
“MPs have agreed to a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses amid claims from the Conservative MP who led the campaign that Downing Street tried to bribe him with the prospect of a government job to get him to change his position.”
The Guardian, 23rd June 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Sir Fred Goodwin colleague appeals decision – The Independent
“Lawyers representing the work colleague with whom former Royal Bank of Scotland chief Sir Fred Goodwin had an affair has filed an appeal against a High Court judge’s decision that although the media must not identify her by name they could give her job description.”
The Independent, 23rd June 2011
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Sally Challen guilty of murdering husband Richard with hammer – BBC News
“A woman has been jailed for life after being convicted of murdering her estranged husband by bludgeoning him to death with a hammer.”
BBC News, 23rd June 2011
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
