Current Awareness

‘A recent judgment by the Court of Appeal of England and Wales makes clear the correct approach to issues regarding the tax deductibility of payments made in settlement of regulatory breaches, experts have said.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 28th January 2025

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Katie Lines: Law and Guidance in a Public Health Emergency – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted January 29th, 2025 in constitutional law, coronavirus, government departments, health, news, rule of law by sally

‘The use of law and guidance in a public health emergency was one of the issues explored by the Independent Commission on UK Public Health Emergency Powers. The Commission, chaired by the Rt. Hon. Sir Jack Beatson FBA and supported by the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law, conducted an intensive review of the constitutional and rule of law dimensions of the UK’s Covid-19 response and emergency powers framework. Neither the UK nor Scottish Covid-19 Inquiries are focussing on these aspects of the pandemic response, and so the Commission was launched to fill this gap. Its report was published last spring and makes 44 recommendations for changes in law, policy, practice and procedure.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 29th January 2025

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Are AML breaches misconduct? High Court hears SRA appeal – Legal Futures

Posted January 29th, 2025 in appeals, codes of practice, disciplinary procedures, law firms, money laundering, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘A significant appeal that should decide whether a breach of the Money Laundering Regulations is also a breach of the SRA code of conduct starts in the High Court today.’

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Legal Futures, 29th January 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Stricter age-verification checks for all knife retailers – Home Office

Posted January 29th, 2025 in bills, children, government departments, identification, news, offensive weapons, young persons by sally

‘Stricter age verification checks and a ban on doorstep drops will be introduced to greater protect young people from knife crime.’

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Home Office, 28th January 2025

Source: www.gov.uk

In depth: Gauke’s sentencing review – what he should recommend – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 29th, 2025 in courts, criminal justice, delay, government departments, news, prisons, sentencing by sally

‘David Gauke’s sentencing review must complement Sir Brian Leveson’s review of the courts if the government is going to come up with a holistic prescription for criminal justice.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 28th January 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Of Dogs and Divorce – Financial Remedies review

Posted January 29th, 2025 in animals, divorce, dogs, families, news by sally

‘Of dogs and divorce: why treating pets as chattels is an anachronism.’

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Financial Remedies review, 28th January 2025

Source: financialremediesjournal.com

Judicial review begins over special needs bailout – BBC News

Posted January 29th, 2025 in budgets, education, government departments, judicial review, local government, news, special educational needs by sally

‘A judicial review in the High Court case has begun over a government bailout of £54m for special needs education funding in Bristol.’

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BBC News, 28th January 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Jailed ‘catfish’ paedophile has sentence increased – BBC News

Posted January 29th, 2025 in appeals, child abuse, children, imprisonment, indecent photographs of children, internet, news, sentencing, sexual offences by sally

‘A catfishing paedophile jailed for targeting more than 30 children online has had his sentence increased.’

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BBC News, 29th January 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Wimbledon school crash driver arrested in reopened investigation – The Guardian

Posted January 29th, 2025 in accidents, causing death of children or vulnerable adults, children, criminal justice, dangerous driving, news, police, school children by sally

‘The driver of a Land Rover that crashed into a school in Wimbledon, killing two children, has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, the Metropolitan police have said.’

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The Guardian, 28th January 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Sixteen jailed UK climate activists to appeal against ‘unduly harsh’ sentences – The Guardian

Posted January 29th, 2025 in appeals, climate change, demonstrations, environmental protection, human rights, imprisonment, news, sentencing by sally

‘Sixteen environmental activists jailed in the past year will appear at the high court on Wednesday to ask England’s most senior judge to quash their “unduly harsh” sentences.’

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The Guardian, 29th January 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Misogyny and violence against women identified as gateways to extremism, leaked Home Office report says – The Independent

Posted January 29th, 2025 in crime prevention, freedom of expression, government departments, hate crime, internet, news, racism, women by sally

‘Misogyny and violence against women have been identified as gateways to extremist beliefs in a leaked Home Office report that urges the government to approach extremism based on concerning behaviours instead of ideology.’

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The Independent, 28th January 2025

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Dad guilty of 14-year-old daughter’s murder – BBC News

Posted January 28th, 2025 in children, domestic violence, murder, news by sally

‘A man who claimed his daughter died in a “freak accident” during a play-fight with a knife has been found guilty of her murder.’

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BBC News, 27th January 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Sam Guy: The Government’s Plan to Reform Infrastructure Judicial Review – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted January 28th, 2025 in civil procedure rules, judicial review, news, planning by sally

‘On 23 January, Sir Keir Starmer announced plans to “stop blockers getting in the way” of infrastructure development, by introducing restrictions on judicial review of infrastructure projects. Notwithstanding this government’s consistent commitment to reforming the planning system, so as to galvanise infrastructure and housing delivery, and its forthcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill, the announcement of these particular proposals may have come as something of a surprise to public lawyers. The proposals are, though, largely reflective of an Independent review into legal challenges against Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects led by Lord Banner KC (“the Banner Review”), which was commissioned by the previous Conservative government, and they follow on from the Ministry of Justice’s call for evidence on implementing some of Lord Banner’s proposals, which ran from 28 October 2024 to 30 December 2024.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 28th January 2025

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

SRA can keep disciplinary decisions online for longer – Legal Futures

Posted January 28th, 2025 in disciplinary procedures, fines, internet, law firms, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority, time limits by sally

‘The Legal Services Board (LSB) has approved plans by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to change its publication policy and keep details of misconduct on its website for longer.’

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Legal Futures, 28th January 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Journalists win appeal over naming of judges who decided historic care proceedings relating to Sara Sharif – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 28th, 2025 in anonymity, appeals, care orders, children, family courts, human rights, judges, murder, news, reporting restrictions by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal brought by two journalists against a judge’s decision to order the anonymisation of the names of the circuit judges that had decided historic care proceedings relating to Sara Sharif, who was murdered by her father and step-mother in 2023.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 17th January 2025

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

New practice guidance on intermediaries in family courts – Transparency Project

Posted January 28th, 2025 in case management, cross-examination, family courts, news, practice directions, witnesses by sally

‘New practice guidance ‘The use of Intermediaries, Lay Advocates and Cognitive Assessments in the Family Court’, was issued by the President of the Family Division on 23 January.’

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Transparency Project, 27th January 2025

Source: transparencyproject.org.uk