UN torture expert urges UK government to review indefinite sentences – The Guardian

Posted August 31st, 2023 in imprisonment, news, self-harm, sentencing, suicide, torture by sally

‘A UN torture expert has called on the UK government to urgently review all sentences imposed on prisoners held indefinitely under the “widely discredited” imprisonment for public protection (IPP) scheme.’

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The Guardian, 30th August 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Private school fined £80,000 over classroom ceiling collapse – The Guardian

Posted August 31st, 2023 in fines, guilty pleas, health & safety, news, school children by sally

‘A private school has been fined £80,000 after a classroom ceiling collapsed, injuring 15 children and their teacher.’

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The Guardian, 29th August 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Pret A Manger fined £800,000 after employee’s ‘shocking’ ordeal trapped in walk-in freezer – The Independent

Posted August 31st, 2023 in fines, guilty pleas, health & safety, news by sally

‘Pret A Manger has been fined £800,000 after one of its workers was left fearing for her life while stuck in one of its freezers.’

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The Independent , 30th August 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Lucy Letby inquiry: how do statutory and non-statutory inquiries differ? – The Guardian

Posted August 31st, 2023 in birth, children, inquiries, murder, news, nurses by sally

‘As health secretary announces public inquiry will be statutory, we look at what this means in practice.’

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The Guardian, 30th August 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Britain must become a leader in AI regulation, say MPs – The Guardian

Posted August 31st, 2023 in artificial intelligence, bills, news, reports, select committees by sally

‘The UK should introduce new legislation to control artificial intelligence or risk falling behind the EU and the US in setting the pace for regulating the technology, MPs have said.’

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The Guardian, 31st August 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Police officers to face quicker sackings for gross misconduct in England and Wales – BBC News

‘Police officers guilty of gross misconduct in England and Wales will face automatic sackings, the government has announced.’

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BBC News, 31st August 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Families welcome plan to force offenders into dock after Lucy Letby case – BBC News

Posted August 31st, 2023 in contempt of court, families, judiciary, news, punishment, sentencing, victims by sally

‘Families of victims of serious offenders say plans to give judges more powers to make criminals attend sentencing hearings will ensure loved ones are “put first”.’

Full press release

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BBC News, 31st August 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Third Party Costs Orders and Experts: Order Restored – QMLR

Posted August 30th, 2023 in appeals, chambers articles, costs, dentists, expert witnesses, negligence, news by sally

‘Sweeting J in the High Court allowed a medico-legal expert’s appeal against a Third Party Costs Order (“TPCO”) made against him. The TPCO had awarded the Defendant NHS Trust the full sum of the costs incurred by it in the defence of the action brought by the Claimant.’

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QMLR, 18th July 2023

Source: 1corqmlr.com

Court of Appeal hands down judgment in the Trucks Collective Proceedings: Conflicts of Interest, Rival CPO Applications, and Jurisdiction to Appeal – Henderson Chambers

‘On 25 July 2023, the Court of Appeal handed down its judgment in UK Trucks Claim Limited v Stellantis NV (formerly Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV) & Others [2023] EWCA Civ 875. The appeal raised important issues in the continued development of the collective proceedings regime, including as to how conflicts of interest within a class might be addressed, the willingness of the Court of Appeal to interfere with the Competition Appeal Tribunal’s (“CAT”) assessment of two rival applications for a collective proceedings order (“CPO”), and the scope of the statutory jurisdiction to appeal. The judgment is accessible here.’

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Henderson Chambers, 28th July 2023

Source: www.hendersonchambers.co.uk

Supreme Court spells out the limitations of nuisance – 4KBW

‘Georgia Whiting and Chris Bryden of 4 King’s Bench Walk report on a Supreme Court ruling on a major oil spill.’

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4KBW, 13th July 2023

Source: www.4kbw.co.uk

In seminal case on litigation funding, Supreme Court overturns established practice to hold that Litigation Funding Agreements are Damages-Based Agreements – 4 New Square

Posted August 30th, 2023 in appeals, chambers articles, claims management, damages, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘The Supreme Court’s decision in Paccar Inc and Ors v Road Haulage Association Limited and UK Claims Limited [2023] UKSC 28, handed down on 26 July 2023, has overturned the Divisional Court’s decision, and gone against conventional wisdom in the industry, to hold that Litigation Funding Agreements (“LFAs”) are (or at least can be) Damages-Based Agreements (“DBAs”).’

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4 New Square, 26th July 2023

Source: www.4newsquare.com

Acupuncture and craniosacral therapy ads banned over long Covid treatment claims – The Independent

Posted August 30th, 2023 in advertising, coronavirus, medical treatment, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘The Advertising Standards Authority ruled that three ads misled consumers about the therapies’ efficacy in treating long Covid.’

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The Independent, 30th August 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Barrister reprimanded for “unreasonable” conduct of immigration case – Legal Futures

‘A barrister made subject to a wasted costs order because of his conduct of an immigration judicial review has been reprimanded and fined by the Bar Standards Board (BSB).’

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Legal Futures, 30th August 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

The Good Friday Agreement and the European Convention on Human Rights – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted August 30th, 2023 in brexit, government departments, human rights, news, Northern Ireland by sally

‘On 11 August, a piece from Professor Richard Ekins KC (Hon) set out a case for the UK denouncing the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and leaving the treaty system altogether. One of the main arguments in favour of this is that it would “restore Parliament’s freedom, on behalf of the British people, to decide what our laws should be”. This marks one of the more recent such calls, amid a growing chorus of Ministers in the UK Government and Conservative Party MPs to leave the ECHR. Also, it should be noted that we have been here before. The constitutional aspects of such a move aside, there are particular reasons why it would impact Northern Ireland. While Northern Ireland does not feature in Professor Ekins’ 11 August piece, he has previously written about the interaction between the ECHR and the Good Friday Agreement 1998 (GFA), which underpins the modern devolution settlement in Northern Ireland and which brought an end to a brutal and deadly conflict. This interaction is the subject of this post.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 29th August 2023

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Competition watchdog to investigate land banks, planning system and private rental sector – Local Government Lawyer

Posted August 30th, 2023 in competition, housing, inquiries, landlord & tenant, local government, news, planning by sally

‘The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published an update on its housebuilding and private rental market inquiry, formally launched in February.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 29th August 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Seventeen years: what does Andrew Malkinson’s wrongful conviction say about the appeals process? – UK Human Rights Blog

‘Earlier this month, the Court of Appeal overturned Andrew Malkinson’s conviction for rape and related assault offences, for which he had spent 17 years in prison. An appeal in 2006 upheld the verdict and applications to the Criminal Case Review Commission (CCRC) in 2012 and 2020 were denied. Finally, a third application last year convinced the CCRC to order fresh DNA analysis. It was this evidence as well as treatment of some previously undisclosed information to do with Malkinson’s witness identification which secured his release.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 29th August 2023

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Alex Belfield case: Stalking victim Philip Dehany to seek damages – BBC News

‘A man stalked by YouTuber Alex Belfield is seeking compensation, following what a judge described as “a vicious and continued campaign of abuse”.’

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BBC News, 30th August 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Waking watch costs and failing to do Fire Risk Assessments – Nearly Legal

Posted August 30th, 2023 in fire, health & safety, housing, landlord & tenant, news, service charges by sally

‘This is a very interesting appeal to the Upper Tribunal on the issue of a freeholder recovering waking watch costs through the leaseholder’s service charge. The freeholder was given permission to appeal an FTT decision that only the first 7 days worth of costs (of almost 4 months worth) was recoverable.’

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Nearly Legal, 29th August 2023

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Landowner who felled more than a hundred trees told to replant them – Local Government Lawyer

Posted August 30th, 2023 in environmental protection, local government, London, news, planning, trees by sally

‘The London Borough of Bromley has said it is considering all legal measures after ordering a landowner to replace 131 trees that were felled without permission.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 29th August 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Two women jailed for torturing and killing pet parrot in Carlisle – The Guardian

Posted August 30th, 2023 in animal cruelty, animals, birds, imprisonment, news, sentencing by sally

‘Two women who tortured and killed a friend’s pet parrot during a lengthy drinking session have been jailed by a judge who described their cruelty as “beyond comprehension”.’

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The Guardian, 29th August 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com