Wendell Baker: ‘Double jeopardy’ pensioner rapist cleared for release – BBC News
‘A man convicted of beating and raping a pensioner has been cleared for release from prison by the Parole Board.’
BBC News, 19th May 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Disclosure pilot “to be extended for another year” – Litigation Futures
‘The disclosure pilot in the Business and Property Courts is likely to be extended until the end of 2021, it has emerged.’
Litigation Futures, 19th May 2020
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
How Being Legally Recognised As A Trans Woman Changed My Life – Each Other
‘Dee is one of approximately just 6,000 transgender people to have obtained a GRC under the Gender Recognition Act since it came into force in 2005. This statistic speaks volumes when compared with the actual number of trans people living in the UK which, according to the Government Equalities Office, is estimated at between 200,000 and 500,000.’
Each Other, 20th May 2020
Source: eachother.org.uk
MPs and peers call for legal requirement to delete UK contact-tracing data – The Guardian
‘The government must legally swear to delete all the data it captures using the NHS Covid-19 contact-tracing app, a committee of MPs and peers has urged.’
The Guardian, 15th May 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
Rotherham child sex abuse inquiry ‘to continue for years’ – BBC News
‘A major inquiry into historic child sex abuse in Rotherham is set to continue for up to seven years with around 600 victims still to be spoken to.’
BBC News, 20th May 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Police watchdog to announce decision on Johnson-Arcuri inquiry – The Guardian
‘Boris Johnson will find out on Thursday if he faces a criminal investigation into his relationship with an American businesswoman while he was mayor of London.’
The Guardian, 20th May 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
BAILII: Recent Decisions
Supreme Court
Fowler v Revenue and Customs [2020] UKSC 22 (20 May 2020)
Cardtronics UK Ltd and others v Sykes and others (Valuation Officers) [2020] UKSC 21 (20 May 2020)
Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)
Westwood, R v [2020] EWCA Crim 598 (06 May 2020)
High Court (Administrative Court)
High Court (Chancery Division)
Organic Milk Suppliers Co-Operative Ltd, Re [2020] EWHC 1270 (Ch) (20 May 2020)
CPOD SA v De Holanda Jr & Ors [2020] EWHC 1247 (Ch) (20 May 2020)
Merck KGaA v Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp & Ors [2020] EWHC 1273 (Ch) (20 May 2020)
High Court (Commercial Court)
The Serious Fraud Office & Anor v Litigation Capital Ltd [2020] EWHC 1280 (Comm) (20 May 2020)
High Court (Family Division)
PA Media Group v London Borough of Haringey & Ors [2020] EWHC 1282 (Fam) (20 May 2020)
High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)
BrewDog Plc & Anor v Frank Public Relations Ltd [2020] EWHC 1276 (QB) (20 May 2020)
Source: www.bailii.org
Planning and Re-starting the Housing Market – 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square
‘Late on 12 May 2020, the Housing Secretary published a plan to re-start the housing market: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/housing-secretary-sets-out-plan-to-restart-housing-market. The measures are intended to support the economy and make progress in an industry where much been paused during the lockdown.’
4-5 Gray's Inn Square, 13th May 2020
Source: www.4-5.co.uk
Freedom of contract: Does it still exist? – Littleton Chambers
‘A provocative title, to be sure.
But on 7 May 2020, HM Government published through the Cabinet Office a document entitled “Guidance on responsible contractual behaviour in the performance and enforcement of contracts impacted by the Covid-19 emergency” (the “Note”).’
Littleton Chambers, 11th May 2020
Source: littletonchambers.com
Lawyers deny British army to blame for veterans’ illegal immigrant status – The Guardian
‘Government lawyers have rejected a claim brought by eight Commonwealth army veterans, dismissing their allegations that, on discharge, officials failed to assist them with complex, unaffordable immigration rules, leaving them classified as illegal immigrants.’
The Guardian, 20th May 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
Guildford pub bombings inquest can access closed files – BBC News
‘The resumed inquest into the Guildford pub bombs in 1974 will have access to more than 700 classified files, a pre-inquest review (PIR) has been told.’
BBC News, 20th May 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Matalan founder suing PwC for ‘ineffective tax avoidance advice’ – The Guardian
‘The multimillionaire founder of Matalan is suing his accountants for allegedly giving him ineffective tax avoidance advice – weeks after his retail empire received tens of millions of pounds of taxpayer support during the Covid-19 pandemic.’
The Guardian, 20th May 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
Suspect under investigation has reasonable expectation of privacy, CoA rules – Law Society’s Gazette
‘Individuals under investigation by law enforcement bodies have a reasonable expectation of privacy up to the point they are charged, the Court of Appeal has confirmed. Dismissing an appeal by a news agency barred from revealing the identity of a US businessman identified in documents concerning a bribery probe, the court ruled that the fact that an individual is the subject of a criminal investigation is genuinely of a different character from allegations about the conduct being investigated.’
Law Society's Gazette, 19th May 2020
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Civil Justice Council Rapid Consultation: The impact of COVID-19 measures on the civil justice system – Transparency Project
‘Following the rapid consultation on the use of remote hearings in the family justice system, undertaken by the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory at the request of the President of the Family Division, the Civil Justice Council have now embarked on a similar consultation in relation to the civil courts.’
Transparency Project, 19th May 2020
Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk
BAILII: Recent Decisions
High Court (Administrative Court)
High Court (Chancery Division)
Sara & Hossein Asset Holdings Ltd v Blacks Outdoor Retail Ltd [2020] EWHC 1263 (Ch) (19 May 2020)
Stubbins Marketing Ltd v Stubbins Food Partnerships Ltd & Ors [2020] EWHC 1266 (Ch) (19 May 2020)
High Court (Commercial Court)
Nitron Group BV v Nitron Group BV & Ors [2020] EWHC 1244 (Comm) (19 May 2020)
GFH Capital Ltd v Haigh & Ors [2020] EWHC 1269 (Comm) (19 May 2020)
High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)
Riley & Anor v Heybroek [2020] EWHC 1259 (QB) (19 May 2020)
Bannister (Estate of) v Freemans Public Ltd Company [2020] EWHC 1256 (QB) (19 May 2020)
Zenith Insurance Plc v LPS Solicitors Ltd [2020] EWHC 1260 (QB) (19 May 2020)
Source: www.bailii.org
“Project Restart” or a false start: can professional sports clubs compel their players to return to the pitch and waive health and safety liability? – Littleton Chambers
‘As elite-level leagues, sporting associations and other stakeholders debate whether competitions can be restarted in an era of physical distancing, it has been reported that some professional football and rugby clubs are proposing to require players to sign disclaimers in relation to the health risks posed by Covid-19 before they resume training.’
Littleton Chambers, 14th May 2020
Source: littletonchambers.com
Anxiety among aspiring solicitors has “skyrocketed” – Legal Futures
‘Anxiety among aspiring solicitors has “skyrocketed” as a result of the Covid-19 crisis, a survey has found, with 75% of trainees and paralegals expecting it to lead to “significant job losses at my level of seniority”.’
Legal Futures, 20th May 2020
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Anthony Grainger shooting: Body cameras to be worn by all armed officers – BBC News
‘Body cameras must now be worn by all specialist firearms officers after a man was shot dead by police.’
BBC News, 19th May 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
