Woman refused 5pm finish wins £185,000 payout – BBC News
‘Alice Thompson wanted to work shorter hours to pick her daughter up from nursery, but ended up resigning.’
BBC News, 7th September 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Former CPS solicitor rebuked for offensive Facebook posts – Legal Futures
‘ A solicitor who shared a petition from far-right group Britain First on her Facebook page while working for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has been rebuked by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).’
Legal Futures, 7th September 2021
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Man jailed for driving a car half a mile on railway track in Birmingham – The Guardian
‘A man has been jailed for 15 months after driving a car half a mile down a railway track, causing passenger delays of up to eight hours.’
The Guardian, 7th September 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk
BAILII: New Decisions
High Court (Chancery Division)
Maranello Rosso Ltd v Lohomij BV & Ors (Rev1) [2021] EWHC 2452 (Ch) (06 September 2021)
Mars Capital Finance Ltd v Hussain & Ors [2021] EWHC 2416 (Ch) (06 September 2021)
High Court (Technology and Construction Court)
Source: www.bailii.org
Ministry of Justice to press ahead with fixed costs expansion – Legal Futures
‘The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) yesterday confirmed that it will implement Sir Rupert Jackson’s blueprint for fixed recoverable costs (FRC) across the fast-track and in most money cases worth up to £100,000.’
Legal Futures, 7th September 2021
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Public inquiry begins into plans for new coalmine in Cumbria – The Guardian
‘There is dwindling support for proposals to build the UK’s first deep coalmine in 30 years in Cumbria, say campaigners, as a public inquiry into the mining plans gets under way.’
The Guardian, 7th September 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
UK Supreme Court clarifies scope of ‘lawful act economic duress’ – OUT-LAW.com
‘A recent decision by the UK’s highest court has clarified the circumstances in which a party to a commercial contract is entitled to rescind that contract on the grounds of ‘economic duress’ under English law.’
OUT-LAW.com, 6th September 2021
Source: www.pinsentmasons.com
High Court dismisses £2.7m law firm negligence claim – Legal Futures
‘The High Court has granted summary judgment in favour of a law firm and its senior partner and dismissed a £2.7m negligence claim.’
Legal Futures, 7th September 2021
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Stevenage Christopher Hewett murder: Teen sentenced for manslaughter – BBC News
‘A teenager convicted of manslaughter after a father-of-two was stabbed to death has been sentenced to five years in a young offenders institution.’
BBC News, 6th September 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Hospital admits liability for baby’s death after ignoring mother’s concerns – The Guardian
‘A hospital has admitted liability for the death of a baby who was delivered stillborn three days after his mother’s complaints of fluid loss and severe pain were dismissed as wetting the bed.’
The Guardian, 6th September 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
BAILII: Recent Decisions
High Court (Administrative Court)
HHRC Ltd v Hackney Borough Council [2021] EWHC 2440 (Admin) (03 September 2021)
High Court (Commercial Court)
Local Boy’z Ltd v Malu NV [2021] EWHC 2439 (Comm) (03 September 2021)
Source: www.bailii.org
Saturday musings: the Charity Commission and “political” campaigning – Law & Religion UK
‘The Runnymede Trust is a charitable think-tank focused on race equality and race relations in the UK. The Charity Commission opened a compliance case in April 2021 after complaints about the Trust’s response to the report by the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities (“the CRED report”) and the trustees’ decision to work with the Good Law Project to challenge certain public appointments. The Commission also noted the appearance of a senior executive of Runnymede at an event organised by a political party, alongside several elected representatives and affiliated speakers. The issue, in short, was whether the Trust was engaging in party-political activity, contrary to charity law – and the Commission has concluded that the Trust has not broken the law. So far, not much obviously to do with “religion” – but read on.’
Law & Religion UK, 4th September 2021
Source: lawandreligionuk.com
Late service charge demands and the importance of contemplating forfeiture for recovering legal costs – Nearly Legal
‘This was a second appeal to the Court of Appeal from the Upper Tribunal on two issues arising from long running litigation between the freeholder, West India Quay and the head lessee, East Tower Apartments (ETAL) on the arrangements for and charging for utilities for the residential parts of the building (a 33 storey tower, including a hotel). The initial proceedings brought by ETAL had gone through the FTT and the Upper Tribunal and had resulted in a significant reduction in charges. For our purposes, the relevant part of these decisions where that ‘Switch 2) – the utility provider – had levied “standing charges” (actually costs for reading meters and preparing bills) from 2008 onwards. The freeholder had included these charges in the utility charge to the lessee. The FTT had found that they were not recoverable, as there had never been “a contractually valid demand for them as service charges, and it was not open to the Landlord to “re-allocate” them as general service charge.”’
Nearly Legal, 5th September 2021
Source: nearlylegal.co.uk
Misconduct in public office – ECtHR reviews foreseeability of common law offence – UK Human Rights Blog
‘On 6 July 2021 the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) published its judgment in the case of Norman v UK (Application no. 41387/17). The case concerned Mr Robert Norman, an officer at Belmarsh prison, who in 2015 was convicted of misconduct in public office for passing a variety of information to a tabloid journalist in exchange for money. The ECtHR found that, in Mr Norman’s case, the offence itself did not constitute a breach of Article 7 ECHR (no punishment without law): Mr Norman’s conduct was sufficiently serious for it to have been foreseeable that it would constitute a criminal offence. The ECtHR also found that the newspaper’s disclosure of Mr Norman’s activities to the police, and his subsequent prosecution and conviction, did not breach his rights under Article 10 ECtHR (freedom of expression).’
UK Human Rights Blog, 6th September 2021
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
Research Briefing: Disabled adaptations in leasehold flats and common parts – House of Commons Library
‘This paper covers how leaseholders in flats can gain consent to home adaptations. It covers the issue of adaptations in the common parts of residential buildings.’
House of Commons Library, 5th September 2021
Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk
Short Marriages … “A marriage is a marriage”? – Family Law
‘The recent case of E v L has once again brought to the fore short marriages and their treatment within financial remedy cases.’
Family Law, 3rd September 2021
Source: www.familylaw.co.uk
NHS child gender identity clinic whistleblower wins tribunal – BBC News
‘A woman who raised concerns about the safety of children at an NHS gender clinic has been awarded £20,000 in an employment tribunal case.’
BBC News, 5th September 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
British mother sexually abused her children and urinated in their drinks, court hears – The Independent
‘A British mum who sexually abused her children and even urinated in their drinks was caught by the FBI, a court heard.’
The Independent, 6th September 2021
Source: www.independent.co.uk
