Windrush scandal: Concern over wait for compensation – BBC News
‘Campaigners say they are concerned about the low number of compensation payments to victims of the Windrush scandal.’
BBC News, 4th May 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Immigration and civil litigation hit hardest by Covid-19 – Legal Futures
‘Immigration and civil litigation were the two areas of legal practice hit hardest by the pandemic last year, with private client and family law “insulated” from the impact, new research has found.’
Legal Futures, 5th May 2021
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Pret A Manger cleared of allergy offence after student’s collapse – BBC News
‘Pret A Manger has been found not guilty of a food safety offence after a student suffered a severe allergic reaction.’
BBC News, 4th May 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
More trafficking victims facing forcible removal from UK under rule change – The Guardian
‘More victims of trafficking will be locked up in detention and forcibly removed from the UK after MPs approved a change in Home Office rules relating to this vulnerable group, campaigners have warned.’
The Guardian, 5th May 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Ep 143: Henry VIII Powers undermining parliamentary supremacy – Law Pod UK
‘In this episode, Rosalind English discusses with Sarabjit Singh and Isabel McArdle of 1 Crown Office Row a number of laws containing “Henry VIII” powers which allow ministers to avoid full parliamentary debate.’
Law Pod UK, 4th May 2021
Source: audioboom.com
Entrepreneur with “strong views on breastfeeding” unfairly dismissed lawyer – Legal Futures
‘A Russian entrepreneur based in the UK with “strong views on the importance of breastfeeding” unfairly dismissed a lawyer after she took maternity leave, an employment tribunal has ruled.’
Legal Futures, 5th May 2021
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Child marriage ‘thriving in UK’ due to legal loophole, warn rights groups – The Guardian
‘A legal loophole that allows 16- and 17-year-olds in England and Wales to marry with parental consent is being exploited and used to coerce young people into child marriage, campaigners have warned.’
The Guardian, 4th May 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Killer jailed after concealing victim’s body in suitcases – BBC News
‘A woman who murdered and concealed the remains of her former friend in two suitcases has been jailed.’
BBC News,4th May 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Police watchdog threatened with legal action over inquiry into man’s death – The Guardian
‘The police watchdog has been threatened with legal action for refusing to investigate whether the conduct of officers who restrained a man for a significant period of time committed a criminal offence or that their behaviour amounts to misconduct.’
The Guardian, 4th May 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
New Acts – legislation.gov.uk
2021 c. 24 – Fire Safety Act 2021
2021 c. 21 – Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021
2021 c. 20 – Education (Guidance about Costs of School Uniforms) Act 2021
2021 c. 19 – Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Act 2021
2021 c. 18 – Prisons (Substance Testing) Act 2021
2021 c. 16 – Education and Training (Welfare of Children) Act 2021
2021 c. 15 – British Library Board (Power to Borrow) Act 2021
2021 c. 13 – Non-Domestic Rating (Public Lavatories) Act 2021
2021 c. 12 – Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Act 2021
Source: www.legislation.gov.uk
BAILII: Recent Decisions
Supreme Court
Zabolotnyi v The Mateszalka District Court, Hungary [2021] UKSC 14 (30 April 2021)
Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
Stokoe Partnership Solicitors v Grayson & Ors [2021] EWCA Civ 626 (30 April 2021)
F & G, Re (Discharge of Special Guardianship Order) [2021] EWCA Civ 622 (30 April 2021)
Sastry & Anor v General Medical Council [2021] EWCA Civ 623 (30 April 2021)
Khan v Revenue & Customs (Rev 1) [2021] EWCA Civ 624 (30 April 2021)
S (A Child) [2021] EWCA Civ 605 (30 April 2021)
All Answers Ltd v W & Anor [2021] EWCA Civ 606 (30 April 2021)
High Court (Administrative Court)
Corbett, R (On the Application Of) v The Cornwall Council [2021] EWHC 1114 (Admin) (30 April 2021)
High Court (Chancery Division)
Tonstate Group Ltd & Ors v Wojakovski & Ors [2021] EWHC 1122 (Ch) (30 April 2021)
Philip Warren & Son Ltd v Lidl Great Britain Ltd & Ors [2021] EWHC 1097 (Ch) (30 April 2021)
Eade v Hogg & Ors [2021] EWHC 1057 (Ch) (30 April 2021)
High Court (Patents Court)
Koninklijke Philips N.V. v Xiaomi Inc [2021] EWHC 1124 (Pat) (26 April 2021)
High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)
AO v The Home Office [2021] EWHC 1043 (QB) (30 April 2021)
Credit Capital Corporation Ltd v Watson & Anor [2021] EWHC 1136 (QB) (30 April 2021)
High Court (Technology and Construction Court)
Prater Ltd v John Sisk & Son (Holdings) Ltd [2021] EWHC 1113 (TCC) (30 April 2021)
Delta Fabrication & Glazing Ltd v Watkin Jones & Son Ltd [2021] EWHC 1034 (TCC) (30 April 2021)
Beattie Passive Norse Ltd & Anor v Canham Consulting Ltd [2021] EWHC 1116 (TCC) (30 April 2021)
Source: www.bailii.org
Swastikas, employment and “religious” symbols: Horvarth – UK Law & Religion
‘Istvan Horvarth started working at the Lidl store in Telford Hadley, Shropshire, in 2013. A colleague complained that Horvarth showed him his “swastika” tattoo and in April 2019 Horvarth was sacked. In Mr I Horvarth v Lidl Great Britain Ltd [2021] ET/ 1307164/2019, he claimed unfair dismissal and discrimination based on race and/or religion or belief. He also claimed that he had been subjected to a number of incidents of harassment related to his race from approximately 2016 onwards, immediately following the Brexit referendum [3]. Following two case management hearings before Employment Judge Flood, he withdrew his claims of discrimination based on religion and/or belief and they were dismissed in a judgment dated 22 May 2020 [2].’
UK Law & Religion, 30th April 2021
Source: lawandreligionuk.com
Cauda Equina: Tells & Tales About the “Horse’s Tail” – Ropewalk Clinical Negligence Blog
‘Cauda equina syndrome is a rare and severe type of spinal stenosis. A narrowing of the spinal canal causes the nerves in the lower back to become severely compressed. Typically, but not exclusively, it results from a prolapsed disc bulge. The condition requires urgent hospital admission and timely surgery (usually decompression of the disc). The longer it goes untreated, the greater the chance it will result in permanent paralysis and incontinence. On that account, it leads to claims for clinical negligence, notably in respect of delayed diagnosis, whether against hospital or GP. On that account too, such claims have latterly given rise to a number of decisions by the higher courts. The purpose of this blog is to review three of them.’
Ropewalk Clinical Negligence Blog, 29th April 2021
Source: www.ropewalk.co.uk
Rodney Brazier: Mr Johnson and His Flat – UK Constitutional Law Association
‘Let me begin with what should be platitudinous. The presumption of innocence is a cherished legal principle in the United Kingdom. No one is guilty of a crime unless a court so decides after a fair hearing, and anyone accused of wrongdoing short of a crime is entitled to the protection of an analogous principle. Politicians must account to Parliament, and are answerable to the voters. Politicians must obey the law and comply with relevant codes of conduct.’
UK Constitutional Law Association, 4th May 2021
Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org
Immigration removal and an Article 2 inquest – UK Human Rights Blog
‘R (Lawal) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (2021), Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber), Unreported, JR/626/2020 (V).
The death of an immigration detainee, as with all prisoners, is rightly subject to legal scrutiny. This is because detainees are completely under the state’s control. Article 2 ECHR requires that the state carry out an effective investigation into all deaths in detention where there is a reasonable suspicion that the death was unnatural. A coroner is required to hold an inquest into all deaths in custody, and specifically a jury inquest where there is reason to suspect the death is violent or unnatural. In this case, a two-judge panel of the Upper Tribunal (President of the Upper Tribunal, Mr Justice Lane, and Upper Tribunal Judge Canavan) found that the respondent Home Secretary had breached her Article 2 procedural obligations in respect of deaths in immigration detention. In particular, she had failed to ensure that crucial witness evidence was secured for use at an inquest and had failed to halt the deportation of a relevant witness.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 29th April 2021
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
Council fails in appeal over direction by judge that parents and child should undergo residential assessment – Local Government Lawyer
‘A Family Court judge has rejected an appeal brought by a local authority against a case management decision by a district judge pursuant to s 38(6) of the Children Act (1989) directing that the parents and the subject child (“L”) should undergo a residential assessment.’
Local Government Lawyer, 3rd May 2021
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Judge blasts “lamentable” applications and non-compliant skeletons – Litigation Futures
‘A deputy High Court judge has hit out at the “lamentable” way applications before him were prepared, including non-compliant and late skeleton arguments from counsel.’
Litigation Futures, 4th May 2021
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
S&G lawyer wins unfair dismissal claim – but no damages – Legal Futures
‘A senior costs specialist at Slater & Gordon (S&G) has won a claim for unfair dismissal on one ground but an employment tribunal decided it would not be just to award him damages.’
Legal futures, 4th May 2021
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Proposals to allow electronic documents would revolutionise trade – Law Commission
‘The Law Commission has announced a consultation on proposals to allow for the legal recognition of electronic versions of documents such as bills of lading and bills of exchange. If implemented, the reforms could revolutionise global trade and bring the processes into the 21st Century. We are also considering reform of the legal treatment of cryptoassets and digital assets and today published a call for evidence as part of that process (see below).’
Law Commission, 30th April 2021
Source: https://www.lawcom.gov.uk/proposals-to-allow-electronic-documents-would-revolutionise-trade/
