High Court judge says children who crossed Channel in boat can be returned to France pending determination of their asylum claims – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 7th, 2025 in asylum, children, families, foreign jurisdictions, jurisdiction, news by sally

‘A judge has ruled that the operation of immigration and asylum law no longer prevents the High Court from implementing a decision to return a child to another State before their asylum claim here has been determined by the Home Secretary, provided that the “general principle of non-refoulement” is upheld.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 6th March 2025

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court of Appeal rejects appeal over permanent exclusion, warns undue focus on public sector equality duty may risk ‘over-legalising’ decision-making process – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 7th, 2025 in equality, news, proportionality, reasons, school exclusions, special educational needs by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal brought on behalf of a 15-year-old boy, rejecting the submission that the decision to permanently exclude him from school was unlawful because the headteacher “failed to comply with the public sector equality duty (PSED)”.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 6th March 2025

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Legal Services Board plots ethics overhaul amid evidence standards are slipping – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 7th, 2025 in legal education, legal services, Legal Services Board, news, non-disclosure agreements, professional conduct, public interest, standards by sally

‘Legal education, training and regulation must be strengthened to stem a decline in ethical standards, the Legal Services Board has proposed. The oversight regulator wants to initiate a “significant shift” in how lawyers’ ethics are taught, overseen and supported in workplaces. This fresh approach is on the back of a growing body of “substantial evidence” that lawyers are unaware of their ethical requirements or even actively ignoring them.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 6th March 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Claim against family law firm over alleged negligence reinstated by High Court – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 7th, 2025 in conflict of interest, divorce, law firms, negligence, news by sally

‘A Chancery Lane firm that brought a claim for unpaid invoices totalling £91,000 could now face a potential negligence action after its former client’s counterclaim was reinstated by the High Court.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 6th March 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

SRA under fire for ignoring ‘legal intimidation’ tactics – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 7th, 2025 in defamation, law firms, news, prosecutions, public interest, Russia, Solicitors Regulation Authority, whistleblowers by sally

‘An MP yesterday criticised the Solicitors Regulation Authority for failing to sanction lawyers who were facilitating “legal intimidation” on behalf of a Russian warlord. Lloyd Hatton, a member of the all-party anti-corruption parliamentary group, said regulators were allowing lawyers to be used as “hired guns” by rich and powerful clients.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 7th March 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Tough controls considered to regulate private prosecutors – Ministry of Justice

Posted March 7th, 2025 in Ministry of Justice, miscarriage of justice, news, postal service, private prosecutions by sally

‘Private prosecutions allow people to pursue justice where state prosecutors cannot, or choose not, to prosecute. However, the improper actions of some organisations have resulted in serious and often life-changing miscarriages of justice. Examples include the Post Office Horizon scandal, which saw failings in the prosecutorial practices leading to hundreds of innocent postmasters being wrongfully convicted.’

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Ministry of Justice, 6th March 2025

Source: www.gov.uk

Commonhold reform: ‘a step forward but caution required in wave of property law reforms’ – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 7th, 2025 in bills, government departments, housing, landlord & tenant, Law Commission, leases, news by sally

‘The UK government has outlined plans to ban the sale of new leasehold flats in England and Wales in a move designed to embed a new commonhold model into the property market.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 6th March 2025

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Research Briefing: Crime and Policing Bill 2024-25 – House of Commons Library

Posted March 7th, 2025 in bills, criminal justice, government departments, investigatory powers, news, parliament, police by sally

‘The Crime and Policing Bill 2024-25 was published on 27 February 2025. The bill is listed for second reading on 10 March 2025.’

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House of Commons Library, 6th March 2025

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

Mahmood to review Sentencing Council’s powers amid ‘two-tier’ justice row – The Guardian

Posted March 7th, 2025 in consultations, criminal justice, equality, lord chancellor, news, race discrimination, sentencing by sally

‘Shabana Mahmood has ordered a review of the powers of the independent body that draws up judges’ sentencing guidelines in England and Wales following claims that new rules discriminate against white men.’

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The Guardian, 6th March 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘They suffer in silence’: case of serial rapist Zhenhao Zou highlights barriers to justice for east Asian women in UK – The Guardian

Posted March 7th, 2025 in China, criminal justice, drug offences, equality, news, racism, rape, sexual offences, victims by sally

‘When asked if she was surprised that most of the victims of Zhenhao Zou, who could be one of Britain’s worst serial rapists, remained unknown to authorities, Viny Poon, who has spent the past decade supporting east Asian women in the UK, simply said: “No.” Zou, a 28-year-old PhD student, was convicted on Wednesday of drugging and raping 10 women in London and China. After recovering videos of Zou attacking a further 50 women, police have said this could be one of the worst cases of sexual violence in modern Britain. All of Zou’s victims are thought to be of Chinese heritage.’

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The Guardian, 6th March 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Man behind false Bitcoin founder claim improperly used AI in appeal bid – judge – The Independent

Posted March 7th, 2025 in appeals, artificial intelligence, costs, cryptocurrencies, news by sally

‘Computer scientist Dr Craig Wright has been ordered to pay £225,000 in legal costs by a judge after he was found to have “improperly used AI” in a failed bid to appeal against a High Court ruling that he is not the founder of Bitcoin.’

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The Independent, 6th March 2025

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Crossbow killer convicted of raping his ex-partner during attack near London in which 3 women died – The Independent

Posted March 7th, 2025 in false imprisonment, murder, news, offensive weapons, rape, sentencing, sexual offences by sally

‘A 26-year-old man who had pleaded guilty to the murder of three women at their family home just north of London was found guilty Thursday of raping one of them, his ex-partner, during the attack.’

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The Independent, 6th March 2025

Source: www.independent.co.uk

London ebike fire: landlords of ‘grossly overcrowded’ flat fined almost £100,000 – The Guardian

Posted March 7th, 2025 in accidents, confiscation, fire, health & safety, houses in multiple occupation, housing, landlord & tenant, news, sentencing by sally

‘The landlords of a “grossly overcrowded” east London flat where a man died after an ebike battery started a fire have been fined almost £100,000 after pleading guilty to nine housing law breaches.’

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The Guardian, 6th March 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Migrants and refugee families in the UK denied childcare funding, report finds – The Guardian

Posted March 7th, 2025 in asylum, benefits, children, education, families, government departments, immigration, news by sally

‘Tens of thousands of children in migrant and refugee families in the UK are being denied access to government-funded childcare because of benefit restrictions linked to their parents’ immigration status, a report says.’

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The Guardian, 7th March 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Rotherham rapists jailed for grooming girls who were ‘vulnerable in the extreme’ – The Independent

Posted March 6th, 2025 in child abuse, children, imprisonment, news, rape, sentencing, sexual offences prevention orders by sally

‘Two men have been found guilty of multiple sexual offences after a court heard how two vulnerable teenagers were regularly raped over months in Rotherham.’

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The Independent, 5th March 2025

Source: www.independent.co.uk

High Court reinstates negligence claim against top family law firm – Legal Futures

Posted March 6th, 2025 in compensation, costs, damages, divorce, families, fees, law firms, legal advice, limitations, negligence, news, solicitors, time limits by sally

‘A former client of a leading family law firm should be allowed to sue over its alleged failure to advise about its own negligence, the High Court has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 6th March 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Drug-rape student ‘among most prolific predators’ – BBC News

Posted March 6th, 2025 in China, drug offences, news, rape, sexual offences, victims, voyeurism by sally

‘A PhD student who has been convicted of drugging and raping 10 women “may turn out to be one of the most prolific sexual predators that we’ve ever seen in this country”, according to the lead detective on the case.’

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BBC News, 5th March 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Electrician wins £700,000 estate fight after sister seen on video helping their dying mother sign will – The Independent

Posted March 6th, 2025 in families, news, video recordings, wills by sally

‘An electrician has won a £700,000 will fight after a video emerged of his younger sister holding and “propelling” their dying mother’s hand as she signed over her fortune on her deathbed.’

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The Independent, 5th March 2025

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Employment Rights Bill amendments signify additional considerations for employers – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 6th, 2025 in bills, consultations, contract of employment, employment, employment tribunals, government departments, news, trade unions by sally

‘The UK government has introduced a large number of amendments to the already lengthy Employment Rights Bill (ERB).’

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OUT-LAW.com, 5th March 2025

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Gardener wins case against Paddy Power over £1m prize – BBC News

Posted March 6th, 2025 in computer programs, contracts, gambling, news by sally

‘A gardener who was told by Paddy Power her £1m jackpot from an online game was a computer error has vowed to “enjoy retirement” after a High Court judge ruled she was entitled to the entire sum.’

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BBC News, 5th March 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk