Colin Nesbitt: Bradford cancer charity founder guilty of theft – BBC News
‘The founder of a children’s cancer charity has been convicted of stealing over £87,000 from the organisation.’
BBC News, 23rd March 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Shrewsbury 24: court of appeal overturns 1970s picketing convictions – The Guardian
‘Court of appeal judges have overturned the criminal convictions of a group of trade unionists, including the actor Ricky Tomlinson, after a campaign lasting more than four decades.’
The Guardian, 23rd March 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Judge allows use of documents shared by mistake – Law Society’s Gazette
‘A High Court judge has granted defendants permission to use documents inadvertently shared by the claimants’ solicitors before trial.’
Law Society's Gazette, 22nd March 2021
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Craig Prescott: Modernising the Monarchy: Moving Beyond the 1917 Letters Patent and the “George V Convention” – UK Constitutional Law Association
‘In March 2021, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, gave one of the most extraordinary interviews ever held with a member of the Royal Family. It may have a profound and long-lasting effect on the monarchy, an institution that remains central to the UK’s constitutional arrangements. Already, there are calls for reform. This blog focuses on the section of the interview that discussed the lack of princely status for Archie, the Sussexes’ eldest child.’
UK Constitutional Law Association, 23rd March 2021
Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org
Algorithms and Education: A New Frontier of Discrimination? – Oxford Human Rights Hub
‘In this brief post, I want to demonstrate how ostensibly neutral and efficient algorithms can cause discrimination in education. Last year, the national advanced level qualifications (“A-levels”) exams in the UK that lead to places in university, further study, training, or work had to be cancelled because of school closures owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. In mitigation, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (“Ofqual”) asked teachers to supply an estimated grade for each student and a ranking that compared with every other student at the school within the same estimated grade. This data went into an algorithm that also factored the school’s performance in the subject over the previous three years. The animating purpose behind the algorithm was to avoid ‘grade inflation’ and ensuring consistency with previous year’s results. When the grades were announced, the outcome was devastating for many. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, nearly 40% of results were lower than teachers’ assessments. The effects of “downgraded” results were disproportionately felt in comparatively poorly resourced state schools.’
Oxford Human Rights Hub, 15th March 2021
Source: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk
Councils to be given greater flexibility in reforms to use of Right to Buy receipts – Local Government Lawyer
‘Councils in England are to be given more freedom on how they spend the money received from homes sold through Right to Buy, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has said.’
Local Government Lawyer, 22nd March 2021
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Turani & Anor v Secretary of State for the Home Department- Equality Law Blog
‘The Court considered an appeal from a High Court decision which had rejected indirect race discrimination and PSED challenges to the application of the Defendant’s ex gratia scheme to support and assist third-country national refugees outside the UK who have fled the conflict in Syria. The case is important, if somewhat disheartening to equality lawyers, for its conclusions on the (limited) extra-territorial effect of the Equality Act 2010. It is worth emphasising that the Court of Appeal’s approval of the High Court’s conclusions on justification were subject to the proviso that the limited evidence on which the High Court was prepared to find in the Defendant’s favour was the result of the way in which the claim had developed post-issue; as Underhill LJ, concurring with Simler LJ leading judgment, stated at §110: “the story is indeed a good illustration of the perils of “rolling judicial review”.’
Equality Law Blog, 22nd March 2021
Source: equalitylawblog.com
The Domestic Abuse Bill and its Lack of Support for Migrant Women – EIN Blog
‘Domestic abuse is a pivotal issue within today’s society, and is often not realised to be exacerbated by poor policy and support. After years of development the Domestic Abuse Bill returned to the House of Lords in the UK on the 8th March 2021 to complete its report stage, one of the final stages before being enshrined in law.’
EIN Blog, 22nd March 2021
Source: www.ein.org.uk
R (Blundell & Ors) v SSWP; R (Day) v SSWP – Equality Law Blog
‘The Claimants unsuccessfully challenged the Defendant’s policy of making deductions at a fixed rate from universal credit (UC) to pay off criminal fines. So far as relevant here, the claim alleged breach of the PSED (s149 Equality Act 2010) and unlawful indirect disability discrimination. The latter claim failed on the evidence, Kerr J pointing out that it would more suitably have been brought in the county court. The Judge did accept that the Defendant had breached the PSED but ruled against the claimants on the basis that compliance with the PSED would very likely have made no difference and that, therefore, s31A of the Senior Courts Act 1981 defeated the claim.’
Equality Law Blog, 22nd March 2021
Source: equalitylawblog.com
Prosecution sees pub and landlord fined for “sewer abuse” – Local Government Lawyer
‘A pub and its landlord have been fined more than £16,000 for allowing cooking fat and oil to enter a town’s sewer network, in a landmark case brought by Thames Water.’
Local Government Lawyer, 22nd March 2021
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Covid: £5,000 fine for people going on holiday abroad – BBC News
‘A £5,000 fine for anyone in England trying to travel abroad without good reason is due to come into force next week as part of new coronavirus laws.’
BBC News, 23rd March 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Ministry of Justice to consult on judicial review reforms including power to suspend quashing orders, removal of ‘Cart judgments’, and procedural changes – Local Government Lawyer
‘The Ministry of Justice has launched a consultation on giving the courts the power to suspend quashing orders, removing so-called “Cart judgments”, and introducing a series of changes to civil procedure rules, following recommendations by the Independent Review of Administrative Law (IRAL) led by Lord Faulks QC.’
Local Government Lawyer, 19th March 2021
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
UK watchdog investigates Penguin owner’s Simon & Schuster takeover – The Guardian
‘The UK competition watchdog has launched an investigation into Penguin Random House’s (PRH) $2bn (£1.45bn) takeover of rival book publisher Simon & Schuster. The Competition and Markets Authority said on Monday it was considering whether the deal, which cements PRH’s position as the world’s biggest book publisher, would result in a “substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services”.’
The Guardian, 22nd March 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Late s.202 reviews and what gets appealed – Nearly Legal
‘Ngnoguem v Milton Keynes Council (2020] EWCA Civ 396, We’ve seen this prefigured in Stanley v Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council (2020) EWCA Civ 1458 (our note), but the relevant parts of that judgment on late reviews were strictly obiter, as the court had found that there was an agreement to extend time. Now the Court of Appeal has confirmed the position.’
Nearly Legal, 21st March 2021
Source: nearlylegal.co.uk
Arrears, conduct and Tribunal discretion on RRO awards – Nearly Legal
‘Awad v Hooley (2021) UKUT 55 (LC). This was an appeal to the Upper Tribunal of the FTT decision on a rent repayment order application that we first saw here.’
Nearly Legal, 21st March 2021
Source: nearlylegal.co.uk
Man who repeatedly harassed and threatened woman on London street jailed for six weeks – The Independent
‘A man who repeatedly harassed a woman in the street and threatened to rape her has been jailed for six weeks.’
The Independent, 21st March 2021
Source: www.independent.co.uk
New Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk
Court allows defendants to use statements disclosed by mistake – Litigation Futures
‘The High Court has granted permission to defendants to use the contents of four otherwise privileged witness statements which were disclosed by the claimants’ solicitors by mistake.’
Litigation Futures, 22nd March 2021
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
Unlimited fines for those who breach fire safety regulations – Home Office
‘Building owners could face unlimited fines following new measures being brought in to strengthen fire safety, the Home Office has announced today.’
Home Office, 17th March 2021
Source: www.gov.uk
