BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted April 7th, 2026 in law reports by michael

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

DFB, R. v [2026] EWCA Crim 399 (30 March 2026)

IGG, R. v [2026] EWCA Crim 419 (12 March 2026)

High Court (Administrative Court)

BUU1, R (On the Application Of) v Secretary of State for Defence [2026] EWHC 816 (Admin) (02 April 2026)

Empire Communications Ltd & Anor v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government & Anor [2026] EWHC 817 (Admin) (02 April 2026)

Olabode, R (On the Application Of) v His Majesty’s Area Coroner for Manchester City (Rev1) [2026] EWHC 810 (Admin) (02 April 2026

Valentine London Ltd v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government & Anor [2026] EWHC 790 (Admin) (01 April 2026)

KP, R (On the Application Of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department & Anor [2026] EWHC 735 (Admin) (26 March 2026)

High Court (Admiralty Division)

Minh v Da Guang Tankers (Private) Ltd & Anor Re: OCEAN UNICORN [2026] EWHC 793 (Admlty) (02 April 2026)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Kession Capital Ltd, In the Matter Of [2026] EWHC 785 (Ch) (07 April 2026)

Boult v Together Personal Finance Ltd [2026] EWHC 809 (Ch) (02 April 2026)

High Court (Commercial Court)

Nordic Power Partners P/S & Ors v Rio Alto Energia, Empreendimentos E Participacoes LTDA & Ors [2026] EWHC 806 (Comm) (01 April 2026)

APK Communications & Ors v Vodafone Ltd [2026] EWHC 811 (Comm) (26 March 2026)

High Court (Family Division)

D v M & Anor (Art 13(b) Alleged Murder of Parent) [2026] EWHC 731 (Fam) (01 April 2026)

Shropshire Council v Mother & Ors [2026] EWHC 510 (Fam) (17 February 2026)

High Court (King’s Bench Division)

Rai v Advantage Insurance Company Ltd (t/a Hastings Insurance) [2026] EWHC 784 (KB) (02 April 2026)

High Court (Technology and Construction Court)

Laing O’Rourke Delivery Ltd v Shepperton Studios Ltd [2026] EWHC 771 (TCC) (25 March 2026)

Source: www.bailii.org

BSB rows back on early naming of charged barristers – Law Society Gazette

Posted April 7th, 2026 in news by michael

‘The Bar Standards Board is to bring forward publication of disciplinary charges faced by barristers – but has rowed back from naming defendants at the point when charges are brought.’

Full Story

Law Society Gazette, 7th April 2026

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Tribunal judge’s 16-week delay issuing decision leads to sanction – Law Society Gazette

Posted April 7th, 2026 in news by michael

‘A tribunal judge has been issued with formal advice for misconduct after he issued a decision notice nearly four months after the hearing.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 7th April 2026

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

BSB rejects Good Law Project complaint over gender critical barrister – Legal Futures

Posted April 7th, 2026 in news by michael

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has rejected a complaint made against a barrister by the Good Law Project (GLP) on behalf of a trans woman over multiple social media posts.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 7th April 2026

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Chambers and ex-tenant face trial over unpaid rent – Legal Futures

Posted April 7th, 2026 in news by michael

‘A dispute between a leading chambers and a barrister over £71,200 of contributions that he allegedly failed to make is set to go to trial later this month.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 7th April 2026

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

The Hillsborough Law Bill: implications for public bodies – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 7th, 2026 in news by michael

‘The Public Office (Accountability) Bill does more than simply introduce, reintroduce, establish, or strengthen provisions relating to candour. It also provides for a number of other changes to the way public bodies operate, or rather, codifies practices that should be embedded within existing policies, structures and frameworks.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 2nd April 2026

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court of Protection case update April 2026 – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 7th, 2026 in news by michael

‘Lamis Fahad and Caitlin Smithey round up the latest Court of Protection judgments of interest to practitioners.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 2nd April 2026

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Holiday let owner says legislation will ‘destroy me’ – BBC News

Posted April 7th, 2026 in news by michael

‘[U]nder the law, self-catering holiday accommodation that is not let for 182 days a year can be treated as a second home and subject to council tax, in some cases at a premium rate.’

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BBC News, 6th April 2026

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK has detained 76 ‘age-disputed’ children under one in, one out scheme – The Guardian

Posted April 7th, 2026 in news by michael

‘More than 70 children from various conflict zones whose ages were disputed by the Home Office have been held in detention centres in the UK in preparation for forced removal to France under the government’s “one in, one out” scheme, research shows.’

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The Guardian, 5th April 2026

Source: www.theguardian.com

Funeral director admits preventing dozens of burials and stealing donations from mourners – The Independent

Posted April 7th, 2026 in news by michael

‘A fraudulent funeral director who gave grieving families the wrong ashes while their loved ones’ bodies were left at his site for months has pleaded guilty to 30 counts of preventing a lawful burial.’

Full Story

The Independent, 2nd April 2026

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Teachers made ill by rats and hit by toaster receive share of £15m payout – The Guardian

Posted April 7th, 2026 in news by michael

‘The details were revealed by the NASUWT union ahead of its annual conference in Birmingham later this week, and relate to successful claims for unfair dismissal, redundancy, discrimination, personal injury and health and safety.’

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The Guardian, 2nd April 2026

Source: www.theguardian.com

Firm handed ‘record’ illegal tree felling fine – BBC News

Posted April 7th, 2026 in news by michael

‘The Forestry Commission, which carried out the investigation, said it was the highest ever fine imposed on a case of illegal tree felling by a court in England.’

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BBC News, 2nd April 2026

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Easter Break

Posted April 2nd, 2026 in news by Simon

There will be no posts over the Easter holiday. We will resume posting on Tuesday 7th April 2026.

County council issues legal notice over unauthorised flag campaign – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 2nd, 2026 in news by Simon

‘Oxfordshire County Council has issued a formal legal notice to a group responsible for the continued placing of flags across the county, warning that it “won’t hesitate to take further legal steps where necessary”.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 1st April 2026

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Formal warning for High Court judge over judgment delays – Legal Futures

Posted April 2nd, 2026 in news by Simon

‘A High Court judge has been issued with a formal warning for misconduct over significant delays in handing down judgments in two cases – but cleared of using AI in drafting one of them.’

Full Story

Legal futures, 2nd April 2026

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

CPS left without counsel after chambers confusion – Legal Futures

Posted April 2nd, 2026 in news by Simon

‘The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) was left without counsel for a serious prosecution after a “failure in communication” between a barrister and the chambers she had recently left, appeal judges have heard.

‘His Honour Judge Grout refused an adjournment as a result, but the Court of Appeal upheld an appeal against his decision.’

Full Story

Legal futures, 2nd April 2026

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bar Standards Board update on plans to make our enforcement process more efficient and effective, enhancing transparency and reinforcing fairness – Bar Standards Board

Posted April 2nd, 2026 in news by Simon

‘Following a review and redesign of our end-to-end enforcement process, we conducted a public consultation between July and October 2025 which sought views on proposed “in principle” changes to our Enforcement Regulations in Part 5 of the BSB Handbook.

‘We have today published our full feedback statement on the outcome of the consultation, which summarises the responses received and our conclusions and next steps.’

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Bar Standards Board, 2nd April 2026

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Civil Procedure Guidance on AI and “Fake Authorities” – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted April 2nd, 2026 in news by Simon

‘In two weeks’ time my interview with Jacob Turner and Michael Workman on the Judicial Taskforce’s draft Statement and Consultation on AI and private law will come out on Law Pod UK. In the mean time, a short note of the guidance on this subect in Civil Procedure News, put out by The White Book Service (Issue 3/2026 11 March 2026).’

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UK Human Rights BLog, 31st March 2026

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Chloe Reddock: A Plan 2 far? – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted April 2nd, 2026 in news by Simon

‘In 2025, the Student Loans Company reported that graduates in England leave university with an average debt of £53,000, repayable with interest. Understandably, many regard this as unjust when less than three decades ago, students’ university tuition and maintenance fees were state-funded. Widespread discontent expressed by Plan 2 borrowers who studied between September 2012 and July 2023 has led to a new inquiry being launched into student loans in England. Against this background, this post explores whether the Westminster Government’s decision to apply a variable interest rate to Plan 2 borrowers could be indirectly discriminatory on the basis of age.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 2nd April 2026

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

AI and L&RUK readership – Law & Religion UK

Posted April 2nd, 2026 in news by Simon

‘An earlier post A further examination of AI in legal blogging examined recent changes in the use of Artificial Intelligence in relation to material used on the blog. It focussed on the output of L&RUK, our use of AI in relation to material obtained from various sources, and the potential impact of ChatGBT and Copilot. This present post examines referrals (i.e. effectively the input to the blog) using the statistical information provided by WordPress from various metrics: page views, visitors and referral bodies (websites, AI &c), and their geographical and time-related origin.’

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Law & Religion UK, 2nd April 2026

Source: lawandreligionuk.com