Current Awareness

Coronavirus: Illegal house party host fined £10k apologises – BBC News

Posted September 14th, 2020 in coronavirus, enforcement, fines, freedom of movement, news, police, proportionality by sally

‘A student who was fined £10,000 for an illegal house party of more than 50 people has apologised.’

Full Story

BBC News, 13th September 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Drivers who kill others could receive life sentences under new laws – BBC News

Posted September 14th, 2020 in consultations, criminal justice, dangerous driving, homicide, imprisonment, Ministry of Justice, news, sentencing, young offenders by sally

‘Drivers who kill others after speeding, racing or using a phone could receive life sentences under new legislation.’

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BBC News, 14th September 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

New stop and search powers for convicted knife criminals – Home Office

Posted September 14th, 2020 in consultations, government departments, investigatory powers, offensive weapons, police, press releases, recidivists, statistics, stop and search, violent offenders by sally

‘Serious Violence Reduction Orders (SVROs) are designed to ensure repeat offenders are more likely to be caught and put in prison.’

Full press release

Home Office, 14th September 2010

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Stop and search: Ministers launch consultation on extending powers for known knife offenders – The Independent

Posted September 14th, 2020 in consultations, government departments, investigatory powers, news, offensive weapons, police, recidivists, stop and search, violent offenders by sally

‘Ministers have launched a consultation to give police greater powers to stop and search individuals with prior knife convictions.’

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The Independent, 14th September 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Olivia Burt’s family ‘disappointed’ with CPS decision – BBC News

Posted September 14th, 2020 in bereavement, corporate manslaughter, criminal justice, Crown Prosecution Service, families, health & safety, homicide, negligence, news by sally

‘The parents of a student who died when a barrier collapsed outside a nightclub say they are “deeply disappointed” no-one will face criminal prosecution.’

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BBC News, 14th September 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Moral rights: why should developers care? – Practical Law: Construction Blog

Posted September 11th, 2020 in artistic works, construction industry, contracts, intellectual property, news by sally

‘Question: What do the Oslo Picasso murals “The Seagull” and the “The Fishermen” and the Dutch De View Jaargetijden have in common? Answer: They both have been subject to recent high cost, high profile litigation that dragged on for years and which concerned moral rights.’

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Practical Law: Construction Blog, 9th September 2020

Source: constructionblog.practicallaw.com

Homelessness application: Interim relief, suitability and housing benefit – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 11th, 2020 in benefits, homelessness, housing, judicial review, local government, news by sally

‘Clare Cullen considers a recent High Court decision to adjourn a case considering the suitability of interim accommodation where further information was required.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 11th September 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

The NPPF and “out-of-date” – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 11th, 2020 in appeals, housing, interpretation, local government, news, planning by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has handed down a judgment on the meaning of “out-of-date” in paragraph 11(d) in the National Planning Policy Framework. Matthew Fraser sets out the key points.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 11th September 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Greater protections for victims of online abuse proposed by Law Commission – Law Commission

Posted September 11th, 2020 in communicating false information, consultations, electronic mail, harassment, internet, Law Commission, malicious communications, press releases, sexual offences, telecommunications, victims by sally

‘The Law Commission has today published proposals to better protect victims from harmful online behaviour including abusive messages or emails, cyberflashing, and pile-on harassment. Reforms to tackle the malicious sharing of information known to be false have also been proposed.’

Full press release

Law Commission, 11th September 2020

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Law Society takes legal action against the Legal Aid Agency – Family Law

Posted September 11th, 2020 in consultations, costs, judicial review, Law Society, legal aid, news by sally

‘The Law Society has lodged a judicial review against the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) after claiming that they failed to consult properly around a decision to move legal aid cost assessments in-house.’

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Family Law, 8th September 2020

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

BSB publishes report on the impact of Covid-19 on pupillage – Bar Standards Board

Posted September 11th, 2020 in barristers, coronavirus, news, pupillage by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today published a report on the impact that Covid-19 is having on pupillages. The report finds that, while chambers and other organisations have shown a commendable commitment to sustaining pupillages in difficult circumstances, there is likely to be some pressure on the supply of pupillages available from 2020 to 2022.’

Full Story

Bar Standards Board, 8th September 2020

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Scale of failure in prison system staggering, say MPs – The Guardian

Posted September 11th, 2020 in budgets, Ministry of Justice, news, prisons, standards, statistics by sally

‘The scale of failure in the prison system in England and Wales is “staggering”, with only 206 out of 10,000 promised new prison spaces delivered by the government, parliament’s spending watchdog has said.’

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The Guardian, 11th September 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Harry Dunn: Family to meet with top prosecutor amid talks over trial in absentia – The Independent

Posted September 11th, 2020 in accidents, attorney general, bereavement, Crown Prosecution Service, dangerous driving, diplomats, extradition, families, homicide, immunity, news, prosecutions by sally

‘The family of Harry Dunn has been invited to a meeting with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) amid government discussions about the possibility of a trial in the absence of the teenager’s alleged killer.’

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The Independent, 8th September 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Judge makes formal complaint over Covid custody waits – BBC News

Posted September 11th, 2020 in complaints, coronavirus, courts, criminal justice, custody, delay, drug offences, judges, Ministry of Justice, news, time limits, trials by sally

‘A judge has claimed he was put under “improper and undue influence” to keep a defendant in custody.’

Full Story

BBC News, 11th September 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Garrick Club faces legal battle over ‘gentleman-only policy’ – BBC News

Posted September 10th, 2020 in clubs, news, sex discrimination by sally

‘An entrepreneur is challenging a London private member’s club over its “gentlemen-only” membership policy.’

Full Story

BBC News, 9th September 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

High Court dismisses challenge to conditions at Brook House Immigration Removal Centre – an extended look – EIN Blog

Posted September 10th, 2020 in detention, human rights, immigration, news, religious discrimination by sally

‘In Soltany and Others v SSHD [2020] EWHC 2291 (Admin), the High Court dismissed a challenge to the conditions at Brook House Immigration Removal Centre (IRC), which at the material times in 2017 and 2018, was run by G4S.’

Full Story

EIN Blog, 10th September 2020

Source: www.ein.org.uk

‘County lines’ drug ringleader jailed for 21 years – BBC News

Posted September 10th, 2020 in conspiracy, drug trafficking, gangs, news, sentencing by sally

‘The leader of a sophisticated multi-million pound drug supply network has been sentenced to 21 years in prison.’

Full Story

BBC News, 9th September 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Disabled homeless man wins ‘no DSS’ case against estate agency – The Guardian

Posted September 10th, 2020 in benefits, disability discrimination, disabled persons, equality, estate agents, homelessness, housing, news by sally

‘A homeless father of four with disabilities who was refused the chance to rent a private flat because he fell foul of the estate agents’ “no DSS” rules was unlawfully discriminated against, a court has ruled.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 9th September 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com