Business faces Corporate Manslaughter Act – BBC News

Posted April 1st, 2008 in corporate manslaughter, health & safety, news by sally

“A new era of health and safety regulation for businesses, which could face considerable penalties if they are found guilty of the offence, is being ushered in on 6 April when the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act comes into force.”

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BBC News, 31st March 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Hoax 999 caller jailed for 40-year campaign – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 1st, 2008 in news, nuisance by sally

“An unemployed man described as Britain’s worst serial hoaxer has been jailed following a 40-year campaign of prank 999 calls estimated to have cost the taxpayer more than £1 million.”

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Daily Telegraph, 1st April 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

The Lord Chief Justice’s Review of the Administration of Justice in the Courts – Judiciary of England and Wales

Posted April 1st, 2008 in courts, reports by sally

The Lord Chief Justice’s Review of the Administration of Justice in the Courts (PDF)

Judiciary of England and Wales, 31st March 2008

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Lauren Holden, who invented an evil stalker named Casanova, is spared jail – The Times

Posted April 1st, 2008 in harassment, news, police by sally

“A fantasist who wasted 235 hours of police time when she invented a sinister stalker named Casanova has been given a suspended prison sentence.”

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The Times, 1st April 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

DPP Sir Ken Macdonald: Detaining terror suspects for over four weeks is not needed – The Times

Posted April 1st, 2008 in detention, news, terrorism by sally

“Powers to allow terrorist suspects to be detained without charge for 42 days are not needed and are unlikely to find favour with the judges who would have to approve them, the Director of Public Prosecutions said yesterday.”

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The Times, 1st April 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

PM seeks retreat on bill to outlaw press spying – The Guardian

Posted April 1st, 2008 in data protection, media, news by sally

“Gordon Brown has demanded the scrapping of longstanding plans for a clampdown on newspapers that illegally buy personal data, such as health, bank and telephone records, the Guardian has learned. This has provoked criticism that he has bowed to pressure from the media.”

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The Guardian, 1st April 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Who will become head of the first United Kingdom supreme court? – The Times

Posted April 1st, 2008 in courts, judiciary, news by sally

“A far-reaching reshuffle of top judicial posts is about to be triggered with the announcement of the next senior law lord, or top judge in the highest court of the land. The post is key because that person will become head of the first United Kingdom supreme court when it opens its doors for business in October next year.”

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The Times, 1st April 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Terrified, humiliated – and innocent: the evidence against 42-day detention – The Independent

Posted April 1st, 2008 in detention, special report, terrorism by sally

“A young Muslim woman has spoken about the appalling conditions she had to endure when she was held for 12 days without charge by police using existing powers to detain suspects in terrorist cases.”

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The Independent, 1st April 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Judge says courts ‘overstretched’ – BBC News

Posted April 1st, 2008 in courts, news by sally

“The most senior judge in England and Wales has said a ‘stream’ of legislation had contributed to courts being ‘seriously overstretched’.”

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BBC News, 31st March 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judges admit they get round law designed to protect women in rape trials – The Guardian

Posted April 1st, 2008 in cross-examination, judiciary, news, rape by sally

“Judges have undermined a law intended to stop defence lawyers cross-examining women in rape cases about their sexual history, by continuing to insist on their discretion to allow it, a new book discloses.”

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The Guardian, 1st April 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Letting a child witness have his day in court – The Times

Posted April 1st, 2008 in children, news, witnesses by sally

“Some prosecutors feel that children and vulnerable adults cannot cope with courtroom pressures. All that is about to change.”

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The Times, 1st April 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Sentencing Commission Working Group Consultation: A structured sentencing framework and Sentencing Commission – Judiciary of England and Wales

Posted March 31st, 2008 in consultations, sentencing by sally

“The independent Sentencing Commission Working Group is seeking views on how a structured sentencing framework could be adapted for England and Wales, drawing reference to the US experience. The aim is to develop a set of proposals to improve the operation of the CJS in relation to sentencing.”

Consultation paper: A structured sentencing framework and Sentencing Commission (PDF)

Judiciary of England and Wales, 31st March 2008

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Murder accused guilty of deceit – BBC News

Posted March 31st, 2008 in murder, news, theft by sally

“A financial trader accused of murdering a wealthy reclusive author at his north London home has been found guilty of dishonesty charges.”

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BBC News, 31st March 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Year’s jail for ‘wicked’ false rape accusation – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 31st, 2008 in news, perverting the course of justice, rape, sentencing by sally

“A woman who falsely accused a soldier of rape has been described as ‘wicked’ by the judge who sentenced her to a year in jail.”

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Daily Telegraph, 31st March 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – OPSI

Posted March 31st, 2008 in legislation by sally

The National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2008

The Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions (Approved Devices) (Wales) Order 2008

The Civil Enforcement Officers (Wearing of Uniforms) (Wales) Regulations 2008

The Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions (Guidelines on Levels of Charges) (Wales) Order 2008

The Removal and Disposal of Vehicles (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2008

The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (Commencement) (Wales) Order 2008

The Welsh Levy Board Order 2008

The Immigration (Disposal of Property) Regulations 2008

The Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Act 2007 (Commencement No. 4) Order 2008

The Childcare Act 2006 (Commencement No. 4) Order 2008

The Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 (Audit of Public Bodies) Order 2008

Source: www.opsi.gov.uk

Credit crunch fallout could drag on for years, lawyers warn – The Times

Posted March 31st, 2008 in banking, financial regulation, news by sally

“Lawyers across the City have been sifting through traders’ e-mails and listening to recordings of their phone conversations in an attempt to piece together thousands of financial transactions.”

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The Times, 31st March 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Diana coroner: No evidence of Royal plot – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 31st, 2008 in inquests, news, royal family by sally

“The coroner leading the inquest into the death of Princess Diana has said there is no evidence that Prince Philip, the Secret Intelligence Service or any other government agency had anything to do with the 1997 car crash that killed the Princess and her lover Dodi Fayed.”

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Daily Telegraph, 31st March 2008
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Pupillages nosedive by 20 per cent since 2000 – The Lawyer

Posted March 31st, 2008 in news, pupillage by sally

“The number of Bar Vocational Course (BVC) graduates invited to take pupillage has dropped by 20 per cent since the turn of the century, with less than a third of graduates securing pupillages last year.”

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The Lawyer, 31st March 2008

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Legal threat over detentions bill – BBC News

Posted March 31st, 2008 in detention, news, terrorism by sally

“Plans to extend the limit on detaining terror suspects without charge to 42 days could face an Equality and Human Rights Commission court challenge.”

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BBC News, 31st March 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

New sexual harassment law to protect staff from customers – The Guardian

Posted March 31st, 2008 in employment, harassment, news by sally

“Employers will be duty-bound from next week to protect their staff from sexual harassment by customers, suppliers and others they encounter in the course of their work. Workers are already protected from harassment by colleagues, but under new rules which come into force on April 6, they will be able to seek damages from employers who fail to take reasonable steps to protect them from harassment by a third party, if bosses knew that at least two incidents had already taken place.”

Full story

The Guardian, 31st March 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk