‘Access all areas’ for media so justice is seen to be done – The Times

Posted December 17th, 2008 in family courts, media, news by sally

“The secrecy of the family courts – in which nearly 95,000 cases are heard in private each year – is to end under reforms announced yesterday that will allow the media access to all levels of the system. The move could mean that social workers and expert witnesses who fail children, and now enjoy the protection of anonymity, will in future be named publicly when criticised by judges.”

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The Times, 17th December 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Rhys Jones died because of your brutality and cowardice, judge tells killer – The Times

Posted December 17th, 2008 in murder, news, sentencing, young offenders by sally

“The teenage killer of Rhys Jones was jailed for a minimum of 22 years yesterday by a judge who expressed his disgust at the murderer’s ‘brutality’ and ‘cowardice’.”

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The Times, 17th December 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Juror escapes prosecution for posting court trial details on Facebook – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 16th, 2008 in contempt of court, juries, news by sally

“A juror who faced jail after posting details of a trial on Facebook is to escape court action.”

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Daily Telegraph, 16th December 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Teacher jailed for manslaughter – BBC News

Posted December 16th, 2008 in homicide, news, sentencing by sally

“A primary school teacher who struck his son-in-law with a cricket bat as he tried to defend his daughter has been jailed for manslaughter.”

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BBC News, 16th December 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Iraqi doctor found guilty of Glasgow airport bomb plot – The Times

Posted December 16th, 2008 in conspiracy, murder, news, terrorism by sally

“An NHS doctor who waged a terrorist car-bomb campaign intended to kill and maim hundreds of people in London and Glasgow has been found guilty of conspiracy to murder.”

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The Times, 16th December 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Sean Mercer guilty of murdering Rhys Jones – The Times

Posted December 16th, 2008 in murder, news, young offenders by sally

“A teenage gangster has been found guilty of murdering Rhys Jones, an 11-year-old schoolboy who was shot dead as he walked home from football practice last year.”

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The Times, 16th December 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Bar Council chair hits out at Govt’s in-house push – The Lawyer

Posted December 16th, 2008 in advocacy, barristers, Crown Prosecution Service, news by sally

“Incoming Bar Council chair Desmond Browne QC has said that the Government’s plan to increase in-house advocacy will have a ­detrimental effect on the self-employed bar.”

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The Lawyer, 15th December 2008

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Veil of secrecy on family courts to be lifted, Jack Straw to announce – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 16th, 2008 in family courts, news by sally

“The veil of secrecy surrounding care proceedings and the family courts will finally be lifted, Justice Secretary Jack Straw is expected to announce.”

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Daily Telegraph, 16th December 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

‘Barrister’ who bought wig and robes on eBay is jailed – The Times

Posted December 16th, 2008 in impersonating a barrister, news, sentencing by sally

“A man who posed as a barrister at a series of court hearings after buying his robes and wig on eBay was jailed for two years yesterday.”

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The Times, 16th December 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Guy Ritchie gets £50m from Madonna in divorce settlement – The Times

Posted December 16th, 2008 in divorce, news by sally

“Guy Ritchie will receive almost £50 million in cash and property in what may be the largest divorce settlement paid to a man, a spokeswoman for his former wife, Madonna, said last night. The film director and the pop singer were granted a divorce settlement in the High Court last month.”

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The Times, 16th December 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Town halls banned from using spy laws for petty offences – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 16th, 2008 in investigatory powers, local government, news by sally

“Town halls are to be banned from using anti-terror laws to spy on the public for petty offences, the Home Secretary is due to announce.”

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Daily Telegraph, 16th December 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Controversial restraint technique linked to death of child in custody banned – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 16th, 2008 in news, restraint, young offenders by sally

“A controversial restraint technique linked to the death of a child in custody has been banned as the Government announced a major overhaul of control methods in youth detention.”

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Daily Telegraph, 15th December 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Scarlett Johansson threatens to sue Cosmopolitan in dispute over quotes – The Guardian

Posted December 16th, 2008 in defamation, media, news by sally

“Hollywood actor Scarlett Johansson has accused Cosmopolitan magazine’s UK edition of running fabricated quotes in a cover story interview and is threatening to sue the title.”

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The Guardian, 16th December 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ofgem turns up pressure on energy companies over unfair pricing – The Guardian

Posted December 16th, 2008 in consumer protection, energy, news by sally

“Energy industry regulator, Ofgem, this morning stepped up the pressure on Britain’s big six energy suppliers over unfair pricing. The regulator acknowledged the companies were on the way to stripping out up to £500m in unfair premiums for customers such as those using pre-payment meters, including many disadvantaged households, but said it wanted faster action. Today it announced that it is launching a consultation process to look at changes to the energy companies’s licences to ban unfair pricing and protect consumers.”

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The Guardian, 16th December 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Binge-drinking killer sentenced – BBC News

Posted December 16th, 2008 in complaints, homicide, news, police, sentencing, young offenders by sally

“A teenager has been sentenced to eight years in a young offenders’ institution for killing a man who tried to give medical help to his drunken friend.”

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BBC News, 15th December 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Council to sue £21m over Bath Spa – BBC News

Posted December 16th, 2008 in building law, contracts, delay, news by sally

“Bath and North East Somerset Council is to sue a building firm for £21m after a luxury spa opened five years late.”

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BBC News, 15th December 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Killing of Good Samaritan ‘could have been avoided’ after police blunder – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 16th, 2008 in complaints, homicide, news, police, young offenders by sally

“A teenager who kicked a Good Samaritan to death had carried out a similar brutal street attack two months earlier but police failed to deal with the initial crime properly, a court has heard.”

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Daily Telegraph, 15th December 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Man who tried to smother mother jailed – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 16th, 2008 in attempted murder, attempts, murder, news, sentencing by sally

“A man who tried to smother his elderly mother to claim an inheritance was jailed for five years.”

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Daily Telegraph, 15th December 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Couple jailed after baby’s death – BBC News

Posted December 16th, 2008 in child cruelty, news by sally

“A couple have been jailed for three years for child cruelty following the death of their six-month-old baby.”

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BBC News, 15th December 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Pair jailed over sex trafficking – BBC News

Posted December 16th, 2008 in news, trafficking in human beings by sally

“Two people have been jailed for their part in the trafficking and exploitation of women for sex in Kent.”

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BBC News, 15th December 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk