Cherie Booth tells politicians to stop ‘hysterically’ hyping crime – The Independent

Posted September 5th, 2008 in crime, news, prisons by sally

“The ‘hysterical rhetoric of politicians attempting to ride the tiger of public opinion’ is fuelling the fear of crime, according to a commission headed by Cherie Booth. The Commission on English Prisons Today, led by the wife of the former prime minister, protested over the record prison population reached under the government led until last year by Tony Blair.”

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The Independent, 5th September 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Unpaid servant lived in cupboard – BBC News

Posted September 4th, 2008 in news, possession of false identity documents, sentencing, trafficking in human beings by sally

“A woman who smuggled an unpaid servant into the UK and forced her to sleep in a cupboard has been jailed for two and a half years at Harrow Crown Court.”

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BBC News, 4th September 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Phone phishers hop on filesharing legal threats bandwagon – The Register

Posted September 4th, 2008 in copyright, news, telecommunications by sally

“Fraudsters have begun cold-calling householders to accuse them of copyright infringement online and threaten them with court action, an ISP has reported.”

Full story

The Register, 4th September 2008

Source: www.theregister.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted September 4th, 2008 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

RL & Anor, R. v [2008] EWCA Crim 1970 (28 August 2008)

High Court (Administrative Court)

Mohamed, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs [2008] EWHC 2100 (Admin) (29 August 2008)

High Court (Patents Court)

Zipher Ltd v Markem Systems Ltd & Anor [2008] EWHC 2078 (Pat) (01 September 2008)

Source: www.bailii.org

Paul Shrubsall, the arch-fixer of barristers’ clerks, finally takes a bow – The Times

Posted September 4th, 2008 in barristers' clerks, special report by sally

“As the arch-fixer/manager/negotiator for one of the most successful commercial sets of chambers in the business, it is no surprise that Paul Shrubsall organised his own exit strategy.”

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The Times, 3rd September 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Rhys case legal aid row resolved – BBC News

Posted September 4th, 2008 in legal aid, legal representation, murder, news by sally

“The legal aid dispute which threatened to delay the start of the trial of a 17-year-old accused of murdering Rhys Jones in Liverpool has been settled.”

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BBC News, 4th September 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Iraq dossier memos ‘must be released’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 4th, 2008 in disclosure, freedom of information, Iran, news, war by sally

“Memos and emails showing how the Government’s Iraq war dossier was ‘sexed up’ must be released, the information commissioner has ordered.”

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Daily Telegraph, 4th September 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

R (Binyan Mohamed) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (2) – WLR Daily

Posted September 4th, 2008 in disclosure, law reports, public interest immunity, terrorism, torture by sally

R (Binyan Mohamed) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (2) [2008] EWHC 2100 (Admin); [2008] WLR (D) 300

“In performing the necessary balancing exercise in relation to public interest immunity and the exercise of the court’s discretion to order disclosure, it was incumbent on the court to have regard to the absence of a relevant consideration in the PII certificate and schedule, namely, in the light of the allegations made by the claimant, the abhorrence and condemnation accorded to torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, an issue which the court considered was not addressed either expressly or implicitly.”

WLR Daily, 2nd September 2008

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

R v RL and JF – WLR Daily

Posted September 4th, 2008 in clubs, environmental health, law reports, strict liability, water by sally

R v RL and JF [2008] EWCA Crim 1970; [2008] WLR (D) 299

“A prosecution for the strict liability offence of causing polluting matter to enter controlled waters could be brought against either a club, as an unincorporated association, in its own name or against individual members.”

WLR Daily, 2nd September 2008

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Anthony Julius caught in conflict of interest row – The Times

Posted September 4th, 2008 in conflict of interest, news, solicitors by sally

“Mishcon de Reya, the law firm, and its star solicitor Anthony Julius have become embroiled in a High Court dispute involving an allegation of professional impropriety, it emerged today.”

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The Times, 3rd September 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Black Solicitors Network set for City debut as diversity push gathers pace – Legal Week

Posted September 4th, 2008 in news by sally

“The Black Solicitors Network (BSN) is to launch a new City arm, as leading law firms continue their drive to attract a more diverse selection of new recruits.”

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Legal Week, 4th September 2008

Source: www.legalweek.com

Harman: poll shows public support for ban on buying sex – The Guardian

Posted September 4th, 2008 in news, prostitution by sally

“Harriet Harman will today step up her drive to make buying sex illegal when she releases new figures showing that more than half of men and women support the move if it will reduce people-trafficking for sexual exploitation.”

Full story

The Guardian, 4th Spetember 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

High court challenge to stop toxic French ship arriving in Britain – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 4th, 2008 in asbestos, environmental protection, health & safety, news by sally

“A High Court challenge has been launched to stop a French aircraft carrier being broken up in Britain after it was deemed too toxic to be taken apart in India.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 3rd Septemeber 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Self-financing legal cases are too high a price for society – The Times

Posted September 4th, 2008 in courts, fees, special report by sally

“Justice, the much-quoted saying goes, is open to all – like the Ritz Hotel. Access to the courts can often depend on the depth of a person’s pocket, with some of the best lawyers coming at a prohibitively high price. But lawyers’ fees aside, should the courts be a free public service, like the health service? Or should litigants who use them pay the cost?”

Full story

The Times, 4th September 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Mastermind behind ‘Fagin-style’ watch gang jailed for 12 years – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 4th, 2008 in conspiracy, news, sentencing, theft by sally

“The mastermind behind a ‘Fagin-style’ gang who stole £1million of watches from London jewellers has been jailed for 12 years.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 4th September 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Courts face closure as judges are told of £90m shortfall in collection of fees – The Times

Posted September 4th, 2008 in courts, fees, news by sally

“The criminal courts are facing their biggest cash crisis in decades after a warning to judges and magistrates of a £90 million shortfall in the budget for the justice system. Judges and magistrates in England and Wales have been told of the emergency, which is likely to result in trial delays, cancelled court sittings and redundancies.”

Full story

The Times, 4th September 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted September 3rd, 2008 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Richards, R v [2008] EWCA Crim 1841 (23 July 2008)

Cooper, R v [2008] EWCA Crim 1856 (31 July 2008)

Norman, R v [2008] EWCA Crim 1810 (31 July 2008)

B & Ors, R v [2008] EWCA Crim 1997 (15 August 2008)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Dragonfly Consultancy Ltd v HM Revenue & Customs [2008] EWHC 2113 (Ch) (03 September 2008)

High Court (Commercial Court)

Aspinall’s Club Ltd v Al-Zayat [2008] EWHC 2101 (Comm) (03 September 2008)

High Court (Administrative Court)

Gungor, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2008] EWHC 2098 (Admin) (15 August 2008)

Source: www.bailii.org

Recent Statutory Instruments – OPSI

Posted September 3rd, 2008 in legislation by sally

The Finance Act 1998, Schedule 2 (Assessments in Respect of Drawback) (Appointed Day) Order 2008

The Care Quality Commission (Membership) Regulations 2008

The National Health Service Pension Scheme and Injury Benefits (Amendment) Regulations 2008

The Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (Fees) (England) Regulations 2008

The Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2008

The Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (Amendment) Regulations 2008

The Trade Marks (Amendment) Rules 2008

The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (Commencement No.4 and Consequential, Transitional and Savings Provisions) (Wales) (Amendment No.2) Order 2008

Source: www.opsi.gov.uk

‘Fat Man’ wins legal battle over £2m gambling debt – The Times

Posted September 3rd, 2008 in debts, gambling, news by sally

“A billionaire gambler today won a legal bid to avoid paying a £2 million debt to a London casino.”

Full story

The Times, 3rd September 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Couple in court over Olympics tax – BBC News

Posted September 3rd, 2008 in council tax, news by sally

“An elderly couple from north London are being taken to court for refusing to pay the levy on their council tax bill which will fund the 2012 Olympics.”

Full story

BBC News, 3rd September 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk