Alternative dispute resolution: annual pledge report 2006/07 – Ministry of Justice

Posted January 15th, 2008 in dispute resolution, reports by sally

“The Annual Pledge Report monitors the effectiveness of the government’s commitment to using alternative dispute resolution across government departments and agencies.

The 2006/07 report shows that alternative dispute resolution has been used in 331 cases across government, with 225 leading to settlement, and with estimated savings of £73.08 million.”

The Annual Pledge Report 2006/07 (PDF)

Ministry of Justice, 15th January 2008

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Home Secretary Moves to Ratify the Council Of Europe Convention Against Trafficking in 2008 – Home Office

Posted January 15th, 2008 in press releases, trafficking in human beings by sally

“Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, today announced her intention to ratify the Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking by the end of the year. Ratification of the Convention against Trafficking will be yet another milestone in the Government’s concerted strategy to protect the victims of trafficking and bring to justice those that exploit them.”

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Home Office press release, 14th January 2008

Source: www.homeoffice.gov.uk

Longer jail term for blackmailer – BBC News

Posted January 15th, 2008 in blackmail, news, sentencing by sally

“An animal rights extremist who waged a five-year blackmail campaign against companies and individuals has had her jail sentence increased.”

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BBC News, 14th January 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judge in murder case bail row – The Times

Posted January 15th, 2008 in bail, judges, murder, news by sally

“A judge who freed a policeman accused of murdering his wife, enabling him apparently to kill again, said yesterday that he could not remember why he had granted bail.”

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The Times, 15th January 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

‘Why is conviction rate so appallingly low?’ – The Guardian

Posted January 15th, 2008 in rape, special report by sally

“The Guardian asked experts and a rape victim if the law should be changed to help increase convictions.”

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The Guardian, 15th January 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Police and prosecutors ‘failing rape victims’ – The Guardian

Posted January 15th, 2008 in news, police, rape by sally

“Promiscuity among young people and the failure of police and prosecutors to put enough effort into investigating cases are two of the principal causes in the collapse in the number of rape convictions, the country’s top law officers say today.”

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The Guardian, 15th January 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

NHS faces landmark case on equal pay agreement – The Lawyer

Posted January 15th, 2008 in equal pay, news by sally

“The NHS is facing a landmark test case that could pave the way for more than 800,000 equal pay claims, which will run parallel to recent high-profile claims against local authorities.”

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The Lawyer, 14th January 2008

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Banks hope ‘dream team’ of top QCs will secure victory in overdraft fees test case – The Times

Posted January 15th, 2008 in banking, news by sally

“High street banks have assembled a dream team of top-ranked QCs to fight a test case this week that could determine the future of retail bank fees.”

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The Times, 14th January 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

ID cards for foreigners within three years – The Guardian

Posted January 15th, 2008 in identity cards, news by sally

“The introduction of compulsory identity cards for foreign nationals in Britain will take at least three years to complete, ministers are to confirm this month.”

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The Guardian, 15th January 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Pensioner jailed for £2.4m fraud operation – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 15th, 2008 in benefits, fraud, news by sally

“A pensioner was jailed for five years for masterminding one of Britain’s biggest benefit frauds.”

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Daily Telegraph, 15th January 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Inquiry launched into Hain donations – Financial Times

Posted January 15th, 2008 in news, parliament, political parties by sally

“Peter Hain remained in the line of fire on Monday as a parliamentary inquiry was launched into his donation errors and the Conservatives stepped up the pressure on the embattled work and pensions secretary.”

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Financial Times, 14th January 2008

Source: www.ft.com

TUPE can catch global transfers but could leave workers empty handed – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 15th, 2008 in employment, news, transfer of undertakings by sally

“A law to protect workers when a business changes hands can apply to jobs transferred outside Europe, according to a recent ruling. But British workers could be left jobless and without compensation in such cases, an employment specialist has warned.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 14th January 2008

Source: www.out-law.com

Police resume use of DNA method – BBC News

Posted January 15th, 2008 in DNA, news, police by sally

“Police forces in England and Wales are to resume using Low Copy Number (LCN) DNA testing techniques.”

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BBC News, 14th January 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Coroner refuses MoD papers plea – BBC News

Posted January 15th, 2008 in armed forces, disclosure, inquests, news by sally

“A coroner has refused to return secret documents mistakenly handed to him by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), a pre-inquest hearing was told.”

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BBC News, 14th January 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Media challenge national security claim for secrecy in murder trial – The Guardian

Posted January 15th, 2008 in murder, news, public interest immunity, reporting restrictions, witnesses by sally

“Media organisations including the Guardian yesterday challenged a demand unprecedented in modern times – that witnesses at a forthcoming murder trial should be heard in secret, for ‘national security’ reasons.”

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The Guardian, 15th January 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Jury picked for Suffolk murder trial – The Independent

Posted January 15th, 2008 in juries, murder, news by sally

“A jury of 10 men and two women was selected yesterday to hear the trial of a forklift truck driver accused of murdering five prostitutes during a killing spree carried out at a pace never seen before in Britain.”

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The Independent, 15th January 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

FBI wants instant access to British identity data – The Guardian

Posted January 15th, 2008 in data protection, news by sally

“Senior British police officials are talking to the FBI about an international database to hunt for major criminals and terrorists.”

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The Guardian, 15th January 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Regina v Terrell – Times Law Reports

Posted January 14th, 2008 in children, computer crime, law reports, pornography, sentencing by sally

Regina v Terrell

Court of Appeal, Criminal Division

“A judge should not have imposed a sentence of imprisonment for public protection on an offender who downloaded indecent photographs of children on to his computer where a small, uncertain and indirect contribution to harm might be made by a repeat of his offence.”

The Times, 14th January 2008

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.

Manslaughter sentences over stoning are quashed – The Times

Posted January 14th, 2008 in homicide, news, sentencing, young offenders by sally

“A widow whose husband died after being stoned by a gang of boys said yesterday: ‘Justice has not been done.’ Linda Norton, 56, was speaking after the manslaughter convictions of the five boys, for the death of her husband Ernest, 67, were quashed. Each received a 12-month supervision order for violent disorder yesterday.”

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The Times, 12th January 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Court annuls marriage between twins separated at birth – The Guardian

Posted January 14th, 2008 in marriage, news by sally

“Twins who were separated at birth and later married each other without realising they were brother and sister have had their marriage annulled by the high court’s family division, it emerged yesterday.”

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The Guardian, 12th January 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk