Bits of interest – Nearly Legal
‘A couple of brief notes on things of interest.’
Nearly Legal, 16th February 2025
Source: nearlylegal.co.uk
Judicial Anonymity? Not this time. – UK Human Rights Blog
‘In Tickle & Anor v The BBC & Ors [2025] EWCA Civ 4, the Court of Appeal considered the High Court’s decision to anonymise the names of several judges who had made decisions in historic care proceedings and private family law proceedings (“the historic proceedings”).’
UK Human Rights Blog, 17th February 2025
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
Subsidy control law and new statutory guidance – Local Government Lawyer
‘What do the changes to the statutory guidance on subsidy control mean for public authorities? Alexander Rose and Jonathan Branton explain.’
Local Government Lawyer, 14th February 2025
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Court rejects divorcing husband’s conflict claim against solicitors – Legal Futures
‘The Family Court has rejected a divorcing husband’s claim that his wife’s solicitors are conflicted out of acting for her because of past work they did for the couple.’
Legal Futures, 17th February 2025
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
SLS Hale Lecture: The Future of Law Reform – Law Commission
‘The Chair of the Law Commission, Sir Peter Fraser, delivered the SLS Hale Lecture 2024, which was organised by the Society of Legal Scholars and hosted by Swansea University’s School of Law.
The lecture was entitled ”The Future of Law Reform”.’
Law Commission, 13th February 2025
Source: lawcom.gov.uk
Stamp Duty Land Tax and Divorce – Financial Remedies Journal
‘This is sometimes the forgotten tax on divorce. Maybe this is fair enough as there is a pretty clear exemption in tax law that states that stamp duty land tax (SDLT) will not apply to transfers pursuant to divorce. However, the last few years have seen the introduction of two SDLT surcharges and when these two combine it creates a top rate of SDLT of 19% – a sizeable liability which should not be forgotten when factoring in housing costs.’
Financial Remedies Journal, 10th February 2025
Source: financialremediesjournal.com
Life ban for ex-football manager who hit linesman – BBC News
‘A former football manager has been fined and given a lifetime ban for punching a linesman during a match.’
BBC news, 14th February 2025
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Family tributes as rail firm fined £4m for deaths – BBC News
‘The families of two workers who were struck and killed by a train following safety failures have spoken of the “irreplaceable void” in their lives as Network Rail is fined nearly £4m.’
BBC News, 14th February 2025
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Special Forces blocked 2,000 credible asylum claims from Afghan commandos, MoD confirms – BBC News
‘UK Special Forces command rejected resettlement applications from more than 2,000 Afghan commandos who had shown credible evidence of service in units that fought alongside the SAS and SBS, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed for the first time.’
BBC News, 17th February 2025
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Prison accused of lack of candour in probe into three self-inflicted deaths in 19 days – including ex Dreamboys boss – The Independent
‘A coroner has accused prison bosses of “failing to act with candour” as she investigated three self-inflicted deaths in just 19 days at a scandal-hit prison, including that of the former head of the Dreamboys stripper group.’
The Independent, 14th February 2025
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Southport killer Axel Rudakubana’s sentence not unduly lenient, attorney general says – The Independent
‘Southport killer Axel Rudakubana’s sentence was not unduly lenient and will not be referred to the Court of Appeal, the attorney general has said.’
The Independent, 14th February 2025
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Prosecution for Possession of a Bladed Article Stayed as Abuse of Process – Drystone Chambers
‘The defendant, an 18-year-old with no previous convictions or contact with the police, was charged after being stopped and searched at Notting Hill Carnival in August 2023, where he was found in possession of a lock knife. The defendant, who was preparing to begin university in September 2023, was remorseful and had admitted to carrying the knife following discussions about receiving a caution as a form of out of court disposal.’
Drystone Chambers, 13th February 2025
Source: www.drystone.com
Court of Appeal adopts intervener’s submissions in Higgs v Farmor’s School and upholds guidance provided by the EAT in landmark case of manifestation of religion and belief – Cloisters Chambers
‘The Court of Appeal has today upheld the guidance provided by the EAT, that was proposed by Sarah Fraser Butlin KC for the Archbishops’ Council, in a major decision concerning the question of how courts and tribunals should approach religious or philosophical belief discrimination cases concerning the manifestation of belief – when people are treated less favourably because they have done or said something expressing their protected beliefs. The guidance will be of real practical assistance to employers and employees.’
Cloisters Chambers, 12th February 2025
Source: www.cloisters.com
Non disclosure and adverse inferences – Becket Chambers
‘A common complaint of parties to financial remedy proceedings is they are often dissatisfied with the level of disclosure provided by their former spouse. In practical terms, what can a Court realistically do? Much depends on the nature of any non-disclosure. Sadly, it is fairly common for spouses to try to hide assets or evade disclosing them. Whilst it happens all too frequently, it does not mean we should turn a blind eye to it and just accept it is happening. This article provides some practical tips to maximise the power of the adverse inference.’
Becket Chambers, 10th February 2025
Source: becket-chambers.co.uk
Man cons council out of £710k in ‘Greggs’ swindle – BBC News
‘Aftab Baig, 47, made fraudulent small business grant claims from Leeds City Council against 32 properties which were branches of the firm during the coronavirus pandemic in May 2020. Baig, who had no links to Greggs and was not employed by the company, was eventually caught out and all but £90,000 was later returned to the council. At Leeds Crown Court on Wednesday, Baig, of Paisley Road West, Glasgow, was found guilty of three counts of fraud and is due to be sentenced at the same court on 31 March.’
BBC News, 14th February 2025
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
CAP update shows complexity of UK ‘less healthy’ food and drink advertising ban – OUT-LAW.com
‘The Committee of Advertising Practice’s (CAP) update regarding media restrictions on advertisements for “less healthy” food and drinks products reveals the complexity of the issues to be considered by stakeholders, an expert has said.’
OUT-LAW.com, 13th February 2025
Source: www.pinsentmasons.com
UK slot machine operator fined over cancer patient’s activity – The Guardian
‘A high street slot machine operator has been fined almost £100,000 by the gambling regulator after the Guardian revealed how staff allegedly exploited a vulnerable cancer patient.’
The Guardian, 13th February 2025
Source: www.theguardian.com
Man shot by police was lawfully killed, jury finds – BBC News
‘A man who was fatally shot by armed officers after entering a police station car park holding a knife and a bag with a cat inside was lawfully killed, an inquest has found.’
BBC News, 13th February 2025
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Qatari royal loses lawsuit after bitter fight over 17th century Idol’s Eye diamond – The Independent
‘A high court ruling has been made in a bitter dispute between branches of the Qatari royal family over a 17th century diamond worth millions of pounds.’
The Independent, 13th February 2025
Source: www.independent.co.uk
