UK crime agency to pursue up to 100 lawyers accused of helping traffickers – The Guardian

‘The National Crime Agency is preparing to pursue up to 100 lawyers it believes are helping traffickers abuse modern slavery laws to secure asylum for people entering the UK.’

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The Guardian, 18th May 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Whistleblower reports reveal continuing sexual abuse of women in UK military – The Guardian

‘A junior servicewoman said she was a victim of rape and forced to leave the armed forces while her abuser was protected, according to whistleblower testimony collected and published by a parliamentary committee on Thursday.’

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The Guardian, 18th May 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Police assessment places violence against women and girls on same footing as terrorism – The Guardian

Posted May 19th, 2023 in domestic violence, harassment, news, police, rape, sexual offences, violence, women by sally

‘Police chiefs have issued the first official assessment of violence against women and girls in the UK, placing such offences on the same footing as terrorism and serious organised crime. The 230-page intelligence document outlining the crimes that pose the greatest threats to women and girls has been shared with all forces by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).’

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The Guardian, 18th May 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Cambridgeshire police may not be protecting vulnerable people – report – BBC News

Posted May 19th, 2023 in forced labour, news, police, trafficking in human beings by sally

‘Cambridgeshire Constabulary might be missing chances to safeguard vulnerable people, inspectors have said.’

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BBC News, 19th May 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Khayri Mclean: Huddersfield teens jailed for life over schoolboy stabbing – BBC News

Posted May 19th, 2023 in children, imprisonment, murder, news, sentencing, young offenders, young persons by sally

‘Two teenage cousins who stabbed a 15-year-old boy to death as he walked home from school in West Yorkshire have been jailed for life.’

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BBC News, 18th May 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Profession paying “lip service” to diversity, LSB told – Legal Futures

Posted May 18th, 2023 in diversity, legal profession, Legal Services Board, news, reports by sally

‘The legal profession pays only “lip service” to diversity and “there is a lack of action or appetite to pursue meaningful change”, a report for the Legal Services Board (LSB) has suggested.’

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Legal Futures, 17th May 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New Judgment: Commissioners for His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs v SSE Generation Ltd [2023] UKSC 17 – UKSC Blog

‘SSE Generation Ltd, the respondent, claimed capital allowances on expenditure incurred when constructing a hydro-electric power station at Glendoe, Fort Augustus in Scotland. Such allowances may be deducted from income for the purpose of calculating a company’s trading profits subject to corporation tax. Commissioners for His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (“HMRC”) disputed certain allowances claimed by SSE for tax years 31 March 2006 to 31 March 2012 on the basis that in their view certain relevant assets did not give rise to allowable expenditure under the Capital Allowances Act 2001 (the “Act”).’

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UKSC Blog, 17th May 2023

Source: ukscblog.com

No cab-rank rule breach – yet – for barrister signatories of eco-resolution – Legal Futures

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) will not take action against barristers who have committed not to prosecute climate protestors or work for fossil fuel companies – at least until they actually refuse instructions.’

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Legal Futures, 18th May 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Employee data protection matters – Mills & Reeve

Posted May 18th, 2023 in data protection, disciplinary procedures, employment, health, news by sally

‘Claire Williams discusses the importance of data governance and legal compliance in the healthcare industry, particularly in relation to employee data.’

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Mills & Reeve, 12th May 2023

Source: www.mills-reeve.com

Ofgem orders three energy firms to pay £8m compensation over late bills – The Guardian

Posted May 18th, 2023 in compensation, consumer protection, delay, energy, fines, news by sally

‘Three energy suppliers have been made to pay compensation totalling £8m for failing to supply a final bill on time to more than 100,000 households that had switched provider.’

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The Guardian, 17th May 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Renters (Reform) Bill – the good, the potentially good and the ugly. Part 1 – Nearly Legal

Posted May 18th, 2023 in bills, housing, landlord & tenant, news, repossession by sally

‘It is finally here, a mere five years from first being promised. The Renters (Reform) Bill has started its parliamentary journey today (17 May). As it stands, it is the largest reform to tenancies in England since 1988 (Wales having done its own, even more significant, thing).’

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Nearly Legal, 17th May 2023

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Regulating Big Tech in the UK – Competition Bulletin

‘Following hot(ish) on the heels of the EU’s Digital Markets Act, the UK’s Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (“the Bill”) was published on 25 April 2023. It seeks to do three things: (1) to establish a new ex-ante regulatory regime for digital markets, conferring powers on the CMA, via its Digital Markets Unit, to impose conduct requirements and make “pro-competitive interventions” (“PCIs”) in relation to designated firms, and to impose hefty penalties for failure to comply; (2) to reform the existing competition law system, notably relating to merger controls, market inquiries and enforcement; and (3) to enhance consumer rights and enforcement. This post focusses on the first of these.’

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Competition Bulletin, 17th May 2023

Source: competitionbulletin.com

Man jailed for Suffolk murder of wife and 12-year-old daughter – The Guardian

Posted May 18th, 2023 in domestic violence, murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘A man who murdered his wife and their 12-year-old daughter has been jailed for life and told he will probably die in prison.’

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The Guardian, 17th May 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Bell v HM Coroner for South Yorkshire (Eastern District) – Inquests and Inquiries Law Blog

Posted May 17th, 2023 in chambers articles, coroners, inquests, mental health, news, suicide by sally

‘In this post, Alex Carington considers a recent unsuccessful application under s. 13 of the Coroner’s Act 1988 in light of new evidence to quash an inquest in 1992 into the death of a woman who stepped into the path of an oncoming train where an open verdict was reached.’

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Inquests and Inquiries Law Blog, 16th May 2023

Source: inquestsandinquirieslawblog.com

Greggs challenges ban on 5am chicken goujons – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 17th, 2023 in appeals, food, licensing, news by sally

‘A court appeal by Greggs will see the bakery chain challenge a London council’s decision to refuse it a licence to sell hot food 24 hours a day.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 16th May 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

UK ringleaders jailed over scam providing fake passports for criminals – The Guardian

‘The ringleaders of a gang that specialised in supplying fake passports to high-level criminals allowing them to evade arrest and identification have been jailed.’

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The Guardian, 16th May 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Volatile’ cryptocurrency trading should be regulated as gambling, says treasury committee – The Independent

Posted May 17th, 2023 in cryptocurrencies, gambling, news, regulations, select committees by sally

‘Consumer cryptocurrency trading should be regulated as gambling, the treasury committee has urged.’

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The Independent, 17th May 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Changes to the Law of Treasure – The Institute of Art & Law

Posted May 17th, 2023 in news, treasure by sally

‘One might say that if the law of Treasure has slumbered throughout most of its long history it has now had a rude awakening. Its obscure origins in Anglo-Norman common law had nothing to do with preserving items of cultural interest and probably everything to do with a source of revenue for the Crown, albeit in the past it must have been a very modest and haphazard privilege. In the nineteenth century one can at least trace a growing awareness that it could play a significant role in preserving objects of interest from the past. Nevertheless, as late as 1981 the Court of Appeal was still wrestling with the issue of how high a content of gold or silver was required to bring coins within the scope of the old law of Treasure Trove. The 1996 Act was the first attempt to offer a detailed statutory definition and, just as importantly, for the first time set out a statutory Code of Practice to guide the practical application of the new law.’

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The Institute of Art & Law, 14th April 2023

Source: ial.uk.com

High Court clarifies effect of change of law during ongoing group litigation orders – OUT-LAW.com

Posted May 17th, 2023 in class actions, HM Revenue & Customs, news, taxation, time limits by sally

‘A new ruling by the High Court in London has made clear that, in some circumstances, decisions in a test case might not apply to all claimants in a group litigation order (GLO).’

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OUT-LAW.com, 16th May 2023

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

The Times pays damages to lawyer over misleading article – The Guardian

Posted May 17th, 2023 in barristers, damages, defamation, homosexuality, marriage, media, news by sally

‘A leading lawyer has received “substantial” damages and an apology from the Times over a misleading report that claimed she had been censured by her professional regulator.’

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The Guardian, 16th May 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com