Current Awareness: Temporary suspension
Because of unavailability of staff in the current severe weather conditions, we are regrettably, and with apologies, suspending postings for today (2nd February). We will review the situation tomorrow.
OFT investigates sale-and-rent-back firms – The Guardian
“The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is investigating 16 sale-and-rent-back firms amid concerns their advertisements could be misleading homeowners desperate to avoid being repossessed.”
The Guardian, 30th January 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Man who killed neighbour with samurai sword jailed for 11 years – The Guardian
“A man was jailed for 11 years today for killing his neighbour with a samurai sword after a row over a child’s football.”
The Guardian, 30th January 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Fourteen-year-old boy sentenced for gun possession – The Guardian
“A schoolboy who stored a gun, silencers and ammunition at home was sentenced to an 18-month detention and training order today.”
The Guardian, 30th January 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Man fined £185 for being drunk in charge of horse – Daily Telegraph
“A man was fined £185 for being drunk in charge of a horse after riding the animal bareback through the streets.”
Daily Telegraph, 30th January 2009
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Mail pays Church aide libel costs – BBC News
“The Daily Mail’s publishers have been ordered to pay court costs of a former Catholic Church spokesman who won a libel action against the newspaper.”
BBC News, 30th January 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Nail-bomber given life sentence – BBC News
“A Muslim convert has been jailed for life and must serve a minimum of 18 years after launching a failed suicide bomb attack on a restaurant in Devon.”
BBC News, 30th January 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
BAILII: Recent Decisions
Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
Dobson & Ors v Thames Water Utilities Ltd & Anor [2009] EWCA Civ 28 (29 January 2009)
Salvage Wharf Ltd & Anor v G & S Brough Ltd [2009] EWCA Civ 21 (29 January 2009)
High Court (Administrative Court)
Smith, R (on the application of) v HMP Belmarsh & Anor [2009] EWHC 109 (Admin) (29 January 2009)
High Court (Commercial Court)
NML Capital Ltd v The Republic of Argentina [2009] EWHC 110 (Comm) (29 January 2009)
High Court (Chancery Division)
Heath v Southern Pacific Mortgage Ltd [2009] EWHC 103 (Ch) (29 January 2009)
High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)
Source: www.bailli.org.uk
Regina (Black) v Secretary of State for Justice – Times Law Reports
Regina (Black) v Secretary of State for Justice
House of Lords
“The provision requiring lawfulness of detention to be determined by a court was not infringed when the Secretary of State for Justice rather than the Parole Board determined whether certain long-term prisoners should be released on licence.”
The Times, 30th January 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
Independent review recommends halving 30-year rule – Ministry of Justice
“The review team set up to examine how public records are made available has recommended that the government halves the number of years the public must wait to see government information.”
Ministry of Justice, 29th January 2009
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
Babysitter jailed for raping girl – BBC News
“A Teesside man has been jailed for six years after admitting repeatedly raping a five-year-old girl he babysat for.”
BBC News, 29th January 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Deal reached on Gurkhas’ right to settle in UK – The Guardian
“Thousands more Gurkha veterans and their families will have the right to settle in the United Kingdom in an agreement expected to be announced next week, government officials have confirmed.”
The Guardian, 30th January 2009
Parents of Rhys Jones ‘disgusted’ by sentences – The Independent
“The parents of Rhys Jones, the 11-year-old boy shot dead in Liverpool in August 2007 as he walked home from football practice, spoke of their ‘disgust’ last night after a judge ruled that three gang members convicted over the killing will serve only five years in prison between them.”
The Independent, 30th January 2009
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘Barmy’ legal aid for failed asylum seeker – The Independent
“A decision to give legal aid to a failed asylum seeker and fraudster has been described as ‘barmy’.”
The Independent, 30th January 2009
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Senior Met officer to review Lords corruption claims – The Guardian
“John Yates, the Scotland Yard assistant commissioner who headed the ‘cash for honours’ inquiry, is to review whether four Labour peers should face a police inquiry, it was announced yesterday.”
The Guardian, 30th January 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Legal threat to councils over rape victims – The Guardian
“More than 100 councils will today be threatened with legal action over their failure to provide rape crisis centres and domestic violence support services, with a strongly worded warning issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.”
The Guardian, 30th January 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Bruising battle looms over release of records – The Times
“The proposal to halve from 30 to 15 years the period before government records are publicly released is both welcome and overdue. But this is only part of the answer to the question of what, and when, the public should know about how decisions are taken on their behalf, as is recognised in yesterday’s independent review by a panel including Paul Dacre, Editor of the Daily Mail, who was chairman; Professor Sir David Cannadine, the historian; and Sir Joe Pilling, a retired Permanent Secretary.”
The Times, 30th January 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
BAILII: Recent Decisions
Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
ETS v BT [2009] EWCA Civ 20 (28 January 2009)
High Court (Technology and Construction Court)
Dalkia Energy and Technical Services Ltd v Bell Group UK Ltd [2009] EWHC 73 (TCC) (21 January 2009)
Bovis Lend Lease Ltd v The Trustees of the London Clinic [2009] EWHC 64 (TCC) (28 January 2009)
Source: www.bailii.org
‘Written tests are no guide to your ability to be a judge’ – The Times
“A judge has taken the unprecedented step of launching legal action because he failed to be shortlisted for a judicial post after sitting a new written test. David Page, 58, who has sat as a £102,000-a-year full-time immigration judge since 2002, was insulted and shocked to find that he was ruled out after two 40-minute written papers.”
The Times, 29th January 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
