‘Evil witch’ David Lake jailed for ‘sadistic’ sex attack – BBC News

Posted August 3rd, 2020 in assault, grievous bodily harm, imprisonment, news, sentencing, sexual offences by sally

‘A self-styled “evil black witch” has been jailed for life for a violent sex attack on a shopkeeper in his 70s.’

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BBC News, 31st July 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ban on prison visits in England and Wales breaches children’s rights, say lawyers – The Guardian

Posted August 3rd, 2020 in children, coronavirus, families, human rights, Ministry of Justice, news, prisons by sally

‘The children of prisoners in England and Wales are having their human rights breached by the ban on jail visits and a lack of video contact, lawyers have claimed, as they begin the first step of legal action against the Ministry of Justice.’

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The Guardian, 31st July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

MPs fear firms, chambers and law centres collapsing – Legal Futures

‘MPs have expressed concern that law firms, chambers and law centres may collapse because of the impact of Covid-19.’

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The Guardian, 3rd August 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Rape victims are being badly let down by prosecutors. They need justice – The Guardian

‘The utterly shameful level of convictions in England and Wales is down to the CPS dropping so-called “weak” cases.’

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The Guardian, 31st July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Shamima Begum: Bid to return in citizenship fight goes to Supreme Court – BBC News

‘The case of runaway Shamima Begum, who is fighting to return to the UK from Syria, will go to the Supreme Court.’

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BBC News, 31st July 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Chris Packham loses appeal against HS2 rail project – The Guardian

‘The broadcaster Chris Packham has lost his case against HS2 in the court of appeal.’

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The Guardian, 31st July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ex-MP Charlie Elphicke convicted of sexual assault – The Guardian

Posted July 31st, 2020 in harassment, news, political parties, sexual offences by sally

‘The Conservative ex-MP Charlie Elphicke is facing jail after being found guilty of three counts of sexual assault against two women in a verdict that prompted his wife – who represents his former constituency – to announce the end of their marriage.’

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The Guardian, 30th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Government rejects calls to make ‘spiralling’ pet theft a crime – BBC News

Posted July 31st, 2020 in animals, coronavirus, criminal justice, news, theft by sally

‘Calls to make pet theft a specific criminal offence have been rejected by ministers, who say it is covered by existing laws.’

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BBC News, 30th July 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Grime artist Solo 45 jailed for 24 years for multiple rapes – The Guardian

Posted July 31st, 2020 in imprisonment, news, rape, sentencing, sexual offences, victims by sally

‘The grime artist Solo 45, whose real name is Andy Anokye, has been jailed for 24 years for holding four women against their will and raping them repeatedly.’

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The Guardian, 30th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

British trafficking victim sues Priti Patel alleging abuse of personal data – The Guardian

‘A British victim of trafficking is bringing a case against the home secretary, Priti Patel, arguing that her department unlawfully accessed personal information including details of her intimate thoughts.’

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The Guardian, 30th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Rees v Windsor- Clive Rees v Windsor-Clive (as Trustees of the St Fagan’s No 1 and No 2 Trusts) [2020] EWCA Civ 816 – Tanfield Chambers

‘The question whether a right of entry clause permitted a landlord to undertake activities in order to comply with planning conditions was a matter of fact and degree.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 17th July 2020

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

The public/private divide in the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 – Monckton Chambers

‘In a judgment that will be of interest to a number of entities, particularly in the transport and utilities sectors, the Upper Tribunal in IC v Poplar Housing Association [2020] UKUT 182 (AAC) has provided a boost to this analysis, upholding a narrow definition of “public authority” under Regulation 2(2)(c) of the Environmental Information Regulations (“EIR”) that will exclude many organisations from the scope of the regime.’

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Monckton Chambers, 24th July 2020

Source: www.monckton.com

Lawyers must be able to report “mini-bullying moments” – Legal Futures

‘Lawyers must be able to report “mini-bullying moments” without fear that things will “go nuclear”, the global director of inclusion at Clifford Chance has said.’

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Legal Futures, 31st July 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Enforcing the Novel Food regime – Part 1: Overview and Rationale – 3PB

‘This short series of bitesize articles will take a deeper look into the enforcement of the Novel Food regime and seek to identify and breakdown the powers made available to those agencies (typically local authorities), who are tasked with securing compliance.’

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3PB, 21st July 2020

Source: www.3pb.co.uk

Council loses High Court battle over level of support for disabled young woman – Local Government Lawyer

‘The London Borough of Southwark has lost a High Court case over a disabled young woman’s care plan after a judge found aspects of the council’s case to be materially flawed or erroneous.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 30th July 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Religious fostering service given permission on one ground to appeal rejection of judicial review challenge over Ofsted report – Local Government Lawyer

‘A High Court judge has given a Christian fostering service permission to appeal on one ground following his dismissal earlier this month of its judicial review challenge to a report by Ofsted.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 29th July 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Number of complaints received by law firms on the rise – Legal Futures

‘There has been a 9% increase in the number of complaints to law firms last year, but they continue to resolve eight out of 10 themselves, according to official statistics.’

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Legal Futures, 31st July 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Re T (A Child: Refusal of Adoption Order) [2020] (EWCA Civ 797) – Transparency Project

Posted July 31st, 2020 in adoption, appeals, care orders, children, families, grandparents, guardianship, news by sally

‘In the recent case of Re T (A Child: Refusal of Adoption Order) [2020] (EWCA Civ 797), the Court of Appeal allowed an appeal by grandparents against a decision of the trial judge not to grant them an adoption order in respect of their grandchild, who had lived with them since birth. The Court of Appeal made an adoption order in their favour without remitting for retrial, dispensing with the mother’s consent. Although special guardianship is the legal framework more typically used to secure a long term placement of a child with extended family, the unusual facts of the case merited the making of an adoption order rather than leaving the existing special guardianship order in place. This post discusses the “unusual” circumstances that led to the Court of Appeal’s decision.’

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Transparency Project, 31st July 202

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Manchester Arena Inquiry challenge dismissed – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The High Court has today handed down judgment in R (EA and Anor) v Chairman of the Manchester Arena Inquiry [2020] EWHC 2053 (Admin) refusing permission for judicial review to a group of survivors who unsuccessfully sought core participant status in the forthcoming inquiry into the Manchester Arena bombing attacks. A full legal analysis of the decision will follow. This article provides a summary of the judgment and its context.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 30th July 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted July 31st, 2020 in law reports by sally

The Local Government (Structural Changes) (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020

The Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2020

The Road Vehicles (Certificates of Temporary Exemption) Regulations 2020

The Power to Award Degrees etc. (TEC Partnership) Order 2020

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk