Obscene stories or free speech? – BBC News
“Civil servant Darryn Walker has been cleared of breaching the Obscene Publications Act with a story he wrote about Girls Aloud.”
BBC News, 29th June 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Blogger who wrote about killing Girls Aloud cleared – The Independent
“A blogger who was charged with obscenity after he wrote an erotic story detailing the kidnap, sexual torture and murder of the pop group Girls Aloud was cleared at court yesterday after prosecutors offered no evidence against him.”
The Independent, 30th June 2009
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Survey on the future provision of Library services
CHEMS Consulting is carrying out a feasibility study on behalf of the Inner and Middle Temple to investigate the potential benefits of merging their two libraries.
One element in the feasibility study is to assess what the demand for library services is on the part of the Bar, students and other members of the Inns, and how it is currently being met. Both Inns also want to consider what services a merged library should offer its users if a merger were to proceed.
In order to get the opinion of members, tenants and other Library users the consultants have developed a survey questionnaire. Click here to complete the survey.
Recent Statutory Instruments – OPSI
The Counter-Terrorism Act 2008 (Foreign Travel Notification Requirements) Regulations 2009
The Hallmarking Act 1973 (Application to Palladium) Order 2009
The Financial Assistance for Environmental Purposes (England and Wales) Order 2009
The Designated Teacher (Looked After Pupils etc)(England) Regulations 2009
The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2009
Source: www.opsi.gov.uk
Speech by Sir Anthony May, President of the Queen’s Bench Division – Judiciary of England and Wales
Speech by Sir Anthony May, President of the Queen’s Bench Division
Full text of speech (PDF)
Costs Conference, 19th June 2009
Judiciary of England and Wales, 25th June 2009
Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk
BAILII: Recent Decisions
Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
Progress Property Company Ltd v Moorgarth Group Ltd [2009] EWCA Civ 629 (26 June 2009)
Beer & Anor v Bexbes LLP [2009] EWCA Civ 628 (26 June 2009)
EN (Serbia) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2009] EWCA Civ 630 (26 June 2009)
Armsden v Kent Police [2009] EWCA Civ 631 (26 June 2009)
Harms Offshore Aht “Taurus” GmbH & Co Kg v Bloom & Ors [2009] EWCA Civ 632 (26 June 2009)
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce v Beck [2009] EWCA Civ 619 (26 June 2009)
High Court (Chancery Division)
Vestergaard Frandsen A/S & Ors v Bestnet Europe Ltd & Ors [2009] EWHC 1456 (Ch) (26 June 2009)
Digicel (St. Lucia) Ltd & Ors v Cable & Wireless Plc & Ors [2009] EWHC 1437 (Ch) (17 June 2009)
High Court (Family Division)
Leicestershire County Council v K C & Ors [2009] EWHC 1383 (Fam) (29 January 2009)
High Court (Admiralty Division)
Source: www.bailii.org
MoD could face high court over alleged abuse of Afghan captives – The Guardian
“Fresh allegations that Afghans captured by British soldiers have been mistreated by security forces are so serious they should be the subject of a full high court hearing, government lawyers have admitted.”
The Guardian, 29th June 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Metropolitan Police at G20 were poorly trained, say MPs – The Times
“Inexperienced and inadequately trained police officers were pitched into the middle of the ‘highly combustible’ G20 protests in London, according to a highly critical report published today.”
The Times, 29th June 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Pardon decision imminent on jailed Liverpool fan Shields – The Guardian
“A decision whether to pardon the jailed Liverpool football fan Michael Shields is days away, the Ministry of Justice has confirmed. The decision could set a precedent for cases of Britons convicted abroad on contested evidence.”
Full story
The Guardian, 26th June 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Epidemic of self-harm sweeps women’s jails – The Independent
“The number of women deliberately harming themselves in prison has almost doubled in five years – despite repeated government promises to improve conditions in women’s jails.”
The Independent, 27th June 2009
Source: www.independent.co.uk
New body to oversee expenses ‘could have chilling effect on MPs’ freedom of speech’ – The Guardian
“Gordon Brown’s plans to set up an independent body to take charge of parliamentary expenses could have a ‘chilling effect’ on MPs’ freedom of speech, the most senior official in the House of Commons warned today.”
The Guardian, 26th June 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
BAILII: Recent Decisions
Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)
Branchflower, R v [2009] EWCA Crim 1239 (20 May 2009)
Clarke, R v [2009] EWCA Crim 1228 (21 May 2009)
Seager, R v [2009] EWCA Crim 1303 (26 June 2009)
High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)
Swift Technical Group Holdings Ltd & Ors v Mulcahy [2009] EWHC 1485 (QB) (08 June 2009)
Lockheed Martin Group v Willis Group Ltd [2009] EWHC 1436 (QB) (09 June 2009)
B v Reading Borough Council & Ors [2009] EWHC 998 (QB) (24 June 2009)
Rig Holdings LP v Aeroflex Test Solutions Ltd [2009] EWHC 1440 (QB) (25 June 2009)
Peters & Anor v Andrew [2009] EWHC 1511 (QB) (26 June 2009)
Source: www.bailii.org
Dozens of sharia courts are giving illegal advice, claims Civitas report – The Guardian
“Dozens of sharia courts in the UK are regularly giving illegal advice on issues including marriage and divorce, a report published today claims.”
The Guardian, 29th June 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Private prisons ‘performing worse than state-run jails’ – The Independent
“Britain’s private prisons are performing worse than those run by the state, according to data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.”
The Independent, 29th June 2009
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Show Britain is on the right side by barring torture, say security experts – The Guardian
“Defence, security and intelligence grandees will next week launch a critique of the government’s strategy for dealing with terror, including a demand that ministers should show that Britain has ‘unambiguously’ renounced the use of torture.”
The Guardian, 27th June 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Babysitter beat toddler to death – BBC News
“A 15-year-old boy has been convicted of murdering a two-year-old girl who was left in his care for 90 minutes.”
BBC News, 26th June 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Suicide is legal, helping someone to die is not. Must the law be changed? – The Independent
“Debbie Purdy and Michael Wenham, both living with terminal illnesses, put their opposing views ahead of this week’s Lords debate.”
The Independent, 28th June 2009
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Sex attacker’s sentence reviewed – BBC News
“The sentence of a serial sex attacker who preyed on women in south-west London for more than two decades is to be reviewed by the Attorney General.”
BBC News, 28th June 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Prosecutors press for action against BNP leaflets – The Guardian
“Senior prosecutors are calling for the laws on race hate crimes to be strengthened to counter the threat posed by the British National party.”
The Guardian, 28th June 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
BAILII: Recent Decisions
Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)
James, R v [2009] EWCA Crim 1261 (25 June 2009)
High Court (Chancery Division)
Walbrook Trustees (Jersey) Ltd & Ors v Fattal & Ors [2009] EWHC 1446 (Ch) (25 June 2009)
High Court (Admiralty Division)
Source: www.bailii.org
