Britain accused on cluster bombs – BBC News

Posted September 18th, 2007 in news, weapons by sally

“The UK government has been accused of trying to reclassify two kinds of cluster bombs so they can still be used after a proposed global ban begins.”

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BBC News, 18th September 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ministers urged to scrap DNA records of innocent people – The Independent

Posted September 18th, 2007 in DNA, news, police by sally

“The law must be changed to stop the police keeping DNA samples from innocent people, an influential committee said today.”

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The Independent, 18th September 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Online criminals target Facebook and virtual worlds – The Times

Posted September 18th, 2007 in computer crime, internet, news by sally

“Organised criminals are increasingly targeting online communities such as social networking sites and multi-player computer games, a security report has warned.”

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The Times, 17th September 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk  

Why inheritance tax is an unjust burden – The Times

Posted September 18th, 2007 in inheritance tax, special report by sally

“The legality of inheritance tax is under challenge. Last week Joyce Burden, 89, and her sister, Sybil, 81, lodged a last-ditch appeal in Strasbourg over the rule that each will have to pay inheritance tax on the home they jointly own near Marlborough, Wiltshire, because they cannot have the same exemptions given to married or gay couples in civil partnerships.”

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The Times, 18th September 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk  

Commission’s bold decision will make IT giants tremble – The Times

Posted September 18th, 2007 in competition, EC law, news by sally

“Thirteen judges signalled bad luck for so-called superdominant companies yesterday and confirmed Europe as the world’s most hostile arena for private sector titans.”

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The Times, 18th September 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

DNA test that could quickly solve thousands of sick workers’ claims – The Times

Posted September 17th, 2007 in DNA, industrial injuries, news by sally

“A new technique for testing DNA could transform civil litigation cases by supporting or refuting people’s claims that their health has been damaged by exposure to toxic chemicals.”

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The Times, 17th September 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Costs soar as convicts held in police custody – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 17th, 2007 in news, prisons by sally

“The Government has been forced to house more than 45,000 prisoners in police cells under emergency measures to ease the jail overcrowding crisis.”

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Daily Telegraph, 16th September 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

John Reid calls for human rights law reform – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 17th, 2007 in criminal justice, human rights, news, terrorism by sally

“A review of human rights laws in Britain and Europe has been demanded by John Reid amid fresh fears that they are hindering the fight against crime and terrorism.”

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Daily Telegraph, 17th September 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Hi-tech crime ‘is big business’ – BBC News

Posted September 17th, 2007 in computer crime, internet, news by sally

“Internet crime has become a major commercial activity, reveals a report by computer security company Symantec.”

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BBC News, 17th September 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk  

Child laws are fuelling rise in smacking, warns NSPCC – The Observer

Posted September 17th, 2007 in child abuse, corporal punishment, news by sally

“A leading children’s charity has warned ministers that they must reverse the law that allows parents to smack their children, amid evidence that it is fuelling ‘invisible abuse’.”

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The Observer, 16th September 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

£100,000 for abused siblings council failed to take into care – The Guardian

Posted September 17th, 2007 in child abuse, compensation, duty of care, local government, news by sally

“A 39-year-old woman and her two younger siblings have won a total of £100,000 in an out-of-court settlement with Hackney council in east London because it failed to remove them as children from their abusive home.”

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The Guardian, 17th September 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Couple make new attempt to win back ‘miracle’ boy – The Guardian

Posted September 17th, 2007 in adoption, custody, news by sally

“One of the longest child custody cases in British legal history is to return to the high court as an infertile African couple make a new attempt to recover the child they claim as their ‘miracle’ baby.”

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The Guardian, 15th September 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Addict’s family blame police as heroin death inquest draws blank – The Guardian

Posted September 17th, 2007 in drug abuse, inquests, news, police by sally

“The family of heroin addict Rachel Whitear said yesterday they would never be able to prove the truth about their daughter’s death because of the ‘incompetence’ and ‘negligence’ of the initial investigation.”

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The Guardian, 15th September 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Reclassification of cannabis ‘fuels youth crime wave’ – The Independent

Posted September 17th, 2007 in drug abuse, news, young offenders by sally

“Cannabis use among Britain’s young offenders is ‘out of control’, up by 75 per cent in some areas and fuelling a crime epidemic, with youngsters stealing to fund their addictions, according to two studies.”

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The Independent, 17th September 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Langham given ten-month jail term for child porn offence – The Independent

Posted September 17th, 2007 in children, news, pornography, sentencing by sally

“The actor Chris Langham broke down in tears yesterday as he was sentenced to 10 months in prison for downloading child pornography.”

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The Independent, 15th September 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Judges face work assessment by their peers – The Times

Posted September 17th, 2007 in judiciary, news by sally

“Judges face having their performance in court assessed under plans to ensure that their skills in handling cases are up to scratch and that they treat people fairly and courteously.”

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The Times, 17th September 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

BAILII Recent Decisions

Posted September 14th, 2007 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Gull v Gull [2007] EWCA Civ 900 (31 August 2007)

Man Nutzfahrzeuge Ag & Anor v Freightliner Ltd [2007] EWCA Civ 910 (12 September 2007)

Bee v Jenson [2007] EWCA Civ 923 (13 September 2007)

High Court (Administrative Court)

Breckon v DPP [2007] EWHC 2013 (Admin) (22 August 2007)

Powell & Ors, R (on the application of) v  Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government & Anor [2007] EWHC 2051 (Admin) (22 August 2007)

Gale & Ors, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government & Ors [2007] EWHC 2053 (Admin) (23 August 2007)

Federation of Tour Operators & Ors, R (on the application of) v HM Revenue & Customs & Ors [2007] EWHC 2062 (Admin) (04 September 2007)

Brooke & Anor, R (on the application of) v The Parole Board & Anor [2007] EWHC 2036 (Admin) (07 September 2007)

Opportunity knocks – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 14th, 2007 in judicial appointments commission, judiciary, special report by sally

“The goal of the Judicial Appointments Commission – led by Baroness Usha Prashar – was to create a fairer recruitment process for the judiciary. But has much changed?”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 13th September 2007

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Criminal behaviour – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 14th, 2007 in ASBOs, special report by sally

“It is eight years since anti-social behaviour orders were introduced. Polly Botsford looks at what, if any, impact they have made.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 13th September 2007

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Independent review of police presented – Home Office

Posted September 14th, 2007 in police, reports by sally

“Sir Ronnie Flanagan has written an interim report on the review he is conducting into policing; in it he calls for police to be given more freedom from red tape and paperwork.”

Full report

Home Office, 12th September 2007

Source: www.homeoffice.gov.uk