Electrical safety checks – soon with added regulation – Nearly Legal

Posted January 14th, 2020 in electricity, health & safety, landlord & tenant, news, regulations by sally

‘The draft of The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 has been laid in Parliament. The regs require a resolution of each house, so this will not be an immediate approval, but should be soon – it looks like the intention is for the Regs to be in force from 1 April 2020.’

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Nearly Legal, 13th January 2020

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Contempt and pre-action conduct – Law Society’s Gazette

‘In the landmark decision in Jet2 Holidays Limited v Hughes & Hughes [2019] EWCA Civ 1858, the Court of Appeal (Sir Terence Etherton MR, Hamblen and Flaux LJJ) confirmed that the High Court has jurisdiction to commit for contempt of court in respect of false witness statements made under a pre-action protocol (PAP) even though proceedings were never issued.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 13th January 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Theodore Konstadinides and Riccardo Sallustio: Clause 26 of the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill 2019-20: An Exercise of Constitutional Impropriety? – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘The European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill 2019-20 will pave the way for the UK to ratify the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement and thus depart from the European Union (EU) soon thereafter, having received its third reading in the House of Commons just last week. This contribution examines certain major consequences deriving from the Bill becoming law and, in particular, the controversial, but little discussed Clause 26 which (as Lord Pannick remarked in a recent article in the Times) requires particularly careful scrutiny.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 14th January 2020

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

UK immigration rules are unworkable, says Law Commission – The Guardian

Posted January 14th, 2020 in immigration, Law Commission, legislative drafting, news, regulations by sally

‘Immigration rules are “overly complex and unworkable” according to the Law Commission, which recommends simplifying them in order to save the government £70m over the next decade.’

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The Guardian, 14th January 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Peter Ball – the on-going legacy – Law & Religion UK

Posted January 14th, 2020 in child abuse, Church of England, clergy, inquiries, news, reports, sexual offences by sally

‘In 2015, Peter Ball, the former Bishop of Lewes and Gloucester, was jailed at the Old Bailey for sexual offences against 18 young men over three decades, the circumstances of which have been the subject of inquiries within the Church of England and externally. BBC2 has scheduled a documentary, Exposed: The Church’s Dark Secret, on the Peter Ball case for 13 and 14 January 2020. This post reviews the legal issues that have arisen in the case of Peter Ball, and comments on related ongoing enquiries and the legal implications for the Church.’

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Law & Religion UK, 13th January 2020

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Man arrested over killing of paedophile Richard Huckle – BBC News

‘A man has been arrested in connection with the death of one of Britain’s most prolific paedophiles.’

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BBC News, 13th January 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Half of London’s knife killers had previous convictions for possessing blades, new stats show – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 14th, 2020 in homicide, London, news, offensive weapons, recidivists, statistics by sally

‘Half of London’s knife killers had previous convictions for possessing blades, new figures have shown as the capital’s “half-hearted” approach has been blamed.’

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Daily Telegraph, 12th January 2020

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

UK Somalis ‘racially profiled’ over FGM – BBC News

Posted January 14th, 2020 in female genital mutilation, news, race discrimination by sally

‘Parents are wrongly being arrested and having their children taken into care due to the stigma around female genital mutilation (FGM), members of the UK Somali community have told the Victoria Derbyshire programme. They say figures suggesting tens of thousands of girls are at risk in the UK are inaccurate.’

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BBC News, 13th January 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Missing’ Oval Four member to have conviction reviewed after he came forward in wake of three other successful appeals – Daily Telegraph

‘The final member of the “Oval Four” – four black men who were wrongly convicted nearly 50 years ago on the evidence of a corrupt police officer – is set to have his name cleared.’

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Daily Telegraph, 13th January 2020

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Care firm’s leadership criticised by Care Quality Commission – BBC News

Posted January 14th, 2020 in care homes, hospitals, mental health, news by sally

‘Concerns have been raised by inspectors about the leadership at a firm at the centre of a BBC expose over allegations of abuse at a mental health hospital.’

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BBC News, 14th January 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Victims waiting up to three years for justice amid cuts – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 14th, 2020 in criminal justice, delay, news, sentencing by sally

‘Victims of crime are having to wait up to three years for offenders to be sentenced as the length of time it takes to bring a criminal to justice has soared by more than a third in the past decade.’

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Daily Telegraph, 12th January 2020

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Gambling watchdog bans credit cards for online betting sites – The Guardian

Posted January 14th, 2020 in consumer credit, consumer protection, electronic commerce, gambling, news by sally

‘Gambling businesses are to be banned from allowing consumers in Great Britain to use credit cards to bet from 14 April, the Gambling Commission has announced.’

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The Guardian, 14th January 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Manchester sex abuse: ‘Fundamental flaws’ left children unprotected – BBC News

Posted January 14th, 2020 in news, prosecutions, reports, sexual offences, social services by sally

‘Police and social workers investigating child sex exploitation in Manchester knew children were suffering “the most profound abuse… but did not protect them”, a report has found.’

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BBC News, 14th January 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Police errors may have let abusers of up to 52 children escape justice – The Guardian

Posted January 14th, 2020 in child abuse, news, police, prosecutions, sexual offences, social services by sally

‘Up to 52 children may have been victims of a sex abuse scandal in Greater Manchester, with most offenders getting away with their crimes because of errors by police and children’s services, the Guardian has learned.’

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The Guardian, 14th January 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted January 13th, 2020 in legislation by sally

The Courts and Tribunals (Judiciary and Functions of Staff) Act 2018 (Commencement) Regulations 2020

The Council Tax (Demand Notices) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2020

The Whole of Government Accounts (Designation of Bodies) Order 2020

The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (Designated Sites) (Amendment) Order 2020

The Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020

The Police (Performance) Regulations 2020

The Police (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2020

The Police Appeals Tribunals Rules 2020

Source: www.legislation.gpv.uk

Tenancy deposit – unserved prescribed information – Nearly Legal

Posted January 13th, 2020 in deposits, housing, landlord & tenant, news, notification by sally

‘Liaw v Sohal. Central London County Court, 10 January 2019. (unreported elsewhere, we’ve seen the approved judgment). A county court first instance deposit claim decision, but with elements of interest and broader relevance (as well as some lessons to landlords as to how not to conduct a case.).

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Nearly Legal, 11th January 2020

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Liquidator’s firm liable for opponent’s costs after funding litigation – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 13th, 2020 in company directors, costs, insolvency, limitations, liquidators, news, third parties by sally

‘The High Court has characterised a liquidator’s firm as a real party to the litigation which it funded as it stood to make financial gain from the action and was therefore found not to be a pure funder facilitating access to justice.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 10th January 2020

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Barristers to lose out from Iraq claims firm’s liquidation – Legal Futures

‘Barristers instructed by now-defunct Birmingham law firm Public Interest Lawyers (PIL) are set to lose out significantly from its liquidation, although its collapse may yet spark legal action, it has emerged.’

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Legal Futures, 13th January 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Home Office overhauls police complaints and discipline process – Home Office

‘Today (Friday 10 January) the Home Office is introducing legislation that will shake up how complaints made against the police are handled and improve the discipline system for officers.’

Full press release

Home Office, 10th January 2020

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Former lawyer sentenced for benefit fraud – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted January 13th, 2020 in benefits, disabled persons, fraud, news, sentencing by sally

‘A former lawyer who said he could not walk without help, but was spotted driving a miniature locomotive, has been sentenced for benefit fraud.’

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Crown Prosecution Service, 10th January 2020

Source: www.cps.gov.uk