Civil cases surge 25% to post-Woolf high – Legal Week

Posted November 21st, 2007 in courts, news, statistics by sally

“The number of civil cases launched in the High Court has jumped by 25% in a year – reaching its highest level since the advent of the Woolf Reforms in 1999.”

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Legal Week, 20th November 2007

Source: www.legalweek.com

Britain’s illegal drugs trade worth £8bn a year – The Independent

Posted November 21st, 2007 in drug trafficking, news by sally

“Britain’s illegal drugs trade is worth up to £8bn a year, a Home Office report has revealed.”

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The Independent, 21st November 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Senior UK constable resigns amid inquiry – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 21st, 2007 in news by sally

“One of Britain’s most senior police officers was ‘pensioned off’ early over claims that a personal friendship had ‘got out of hand’, it has been disclosed.”

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Daily Telegraph, 21st November 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

£25,000 for soldier told to “act like a psycho” – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 21st, 2007 in armed forces, compensation, news, personal injuries by sally

“A soldier has been awarded £25,000 from the Ministry of Defence after suffering an injury when he was told to ‘act like a psycho’ during a training exercise.”

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Daily Telegraph, 21st November 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Police chiefs want cannabis re-classified – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 21st, 2007 in drug offences, news by sally

“Police chiefs have come out in support of reclassifying cannabis as a Class B drug just three years after they supported the controversial Government decision to downgrade it legally to a less serious Class C substance.”

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Daily Telegraph, 21st November 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Man broke girlfriend’s leg in damages fraud – The Times

Posted November 21st, 2007 in grievous bodily harm, news, personal injuries by sally

“A man deliberately broke his girlfriend’s leg as part of a £100,000 compensation swindle and was caught only because he filmed the incident on his mobile phone.”

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The Times, 21st November 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Fifth bomber in failed July 21 plot sentenced to 33 years – The Guardian

Posted November 21st, 2007 in conspiracy, news, sentencing, terrorism by sally

“The ‘reluctant’ fifth bomber in the failed July 21 suicide attacks on London was jailed yesterday for 33 years.”

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The Guardian, 21st November 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Widow, 88, faces arrest warrant over death of Polish hero – The Guardian

Posted November 21st, 2007 in extradition, news, perverting the course of justice, Poland by sally

“An 88-year-old Polish widow living in Britain is facing extradition to her home country and 10 years in jail for her alleged part in the killing of a Polish national hero who led the country’s anti-Nazi resistance in the second world war.”

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The Guardian, 21st November 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – OPSI

Posted November 20th, 2007 in legislation by sally

The Fire and Rescue Services (Emergencies) (Wales) Order 2007

The Caravan Sites Act 1968 (Amendment) (Wales) Order 2007

The Rating Lists (Valuation Date) (Wales) Order 2007

The Maintained Schools (Partnership Agreements) (Wales) Regulations 2007

The Substance Misuse (Formulation and Implementation of Strategy) (Wales) Regulations 2007

The Animal Welfare Act 2006 (Commencement No. 2 and Saving and Transitional Provisions) (Wales) Order 2207

The Radioactive Contaminated Land (Modification of Enactments) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2007

The Radioactive Contaminated Land (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2007

The European Communities (Definition of Treaties) (Partnership and Cooperation Agreement) (Republic of Tajikistan) Order 2007

The Harbour School Order 2007

The Radioactive Contaminated Land Regulations (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Regulations 2007

The East Kent Railway Order 2007

The Education (Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales) (No 3) Order 2007

The Education (Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales) (No 2) Order 2007

Source: www.opsi.gov.uk

Regina (D) v Bromley London Borough Council and Another – Times Law Reports

Posted November 20th, 2007 in judicial review, law reports, school exclusions by sally

Regina (D) v Bromley London Borough Council and Another

Court of Appeal

“It was contrary to natural justice for an education appeals panel to fail to provide an excluded pupil with the opportunity to comment on exceptional circumstances or other reasons which led the panel to refuse to direct his reinstatement at the school from which he had been permanently excluded.”

The Times, 20th November 2007

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. 

In re LM (Reporting restrictions: Coroner’s inquest) – Times Law Reports

Posted November 20th, 2007 in inquests, law reports, reporting restrictions by sally

In re LM (Reporting restrictions: Coroner’s inquest)

Family Division

“Coroner’s inquests were court proceedings subject to the same principles and limitations governing other courts.”

The Times, 20th November 2007

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.

New Testament Church of God v Stewart – Times Law Reports

Posted November 20th, 2007 in clergy, employment, law reports by sally

New Testament Church of God v Stewart

Court of Appeal

“An employment tribunal was not required to approach its consideration of the nature of the relationship between a minister and his church with the presumption that there was no intention to create legal relations.”

The Times, 20th November 2007

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.

Grace and favour showdown looms as Speaker fights for pension perk – The Times

Posted November 20th, 2007 in news, parliament, pensions by sally

“Michael Martin, the Speaker of the House of Commons, is fighting an attempt by Gordon Brown to scrap the ‘grace and favour’ pension that comes with his job, The Times has learnt.”

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The Times, 20th November 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Mascot is too white, male and blond…so Met introduces the PC PCs – The Times

Posted November 20th, 2007 in minorities, news, police by sally

“Scotland Yard is spending £15,000 on ethnically diverse police mascots after complaints that PCSO Steve, its current rubber representative, is too white, too male, and too blond.”

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The Times, 20th November 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Inquiry clears heart hospital over deaths – The Guardian

Posted November 20th, 2007 in hospitals, news by sally

“Heart transplants have been allowed to resume at one of the UK’s specialist hospitals following an investigation into a rise in the number of patient deaths, the Healthcare Commission said today.”

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The Guardian, 20th November 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

More companies head to court as economy worsens – The Times

Posted November 20th, 2007 in Commercial Court, news by sally

“The Woolf reforms are facing their first ‘economic stress test’ as commercial court cases rise for the first time in six years.”

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The Times, 19th November 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Counter-terrorism officials rethink stance on Muslims – The Guardian

Posted November 20th, 2007 in Islam, news, terrorism by sally

“Counter-terrorism officials are rethinking their approach to tackling the radicalisation of Muslim youth, abandoning what they admit has been offensive and inappropriate language. They say the term ‘war on terror’ will no longer be heard from ministers. Instead, they will use less emotive language, emphasising the criminal nature of the plots and conspiracies. The government in future, they add, will talk of a ‘struggle’ against extremist ideology, rather than a ‘battle’.”

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The Guardian, 20th Novemeber 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Shooting victim jailed for lying – BBC News

Posted November 20th, 2007 in news, perverting the course of justice, sentencing by sally

“A shooting victim who was too scared to help police catch his attacker has been jailed for three months.”

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BBC News, 19th November 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Britain’s longest-serving prisoner dies – The Guardian

Posted November 20th, 2007 in news, prisons by sally

“Britain’s longest-serving prisoner, John Straffen, who was sentenced to hang more than half a century ago, has died in prison. Straffen, aged 77, was convicted of murdering a schoolgirl in 1952 and admitted killing two others, but his death sentence was commuted because he was ‘feeble-minded’. The Ministry of Justice said last night that Straffen had died in Frankland prison, County Durham, yesterday after an illness. He was believed to be on a list of around 20 prisoners, which includes the Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe, who were never to be released.”

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The Guardian, 20th November 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Police action over TV film ‘undermined free speech’ – The Times

Posted November 20th, 2007 in freedom of expression, Islam, media, news, police by sally

“MPs have accused West Midlands Police of seeking to undermine freedom of speech by making a ‘perverse’ complaint about a Channel 4 programme that exposed extremism in a British mosque.”

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The Times, 20th November 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk