Month: June 2007

DS v. HM Advocate – Times Law Reports

Posted June 12th, 2007 in evidence, law reports, Scotland, sexual offences by sally

When accused tries to import victim’s sexual history

DS v. HM Advocate

Privy Council

“A Scottish statute providing that when a court gave permission for a person accused of certain sexual offences to lead evidence of the alleged victim’s previous sexual history, there was a presumption in favour of laying before the jury the accused’s previous convictions for sexual offences unless he could show that such disclosure would not be in the interests of justice, or would prejudice his right to a fair trial.”

The Times, 12th June 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Buy-to-let landlords ‘must help disabled’ – The Times

Posted June 12th, 2007 in age discrimination, disability discrimination, news, sex discrimination by sally

“Thousands of buy-to-let landlords will be have to build ramps and lifts for disabled tenants in their properties under the Government’s proposed new equality law.”

Full story

The Times, 12th June 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Migrant scheme reforms may have breached law, CRE warns – The Guardian

Posted June 12th, 2007 in immigration, news, race discrimination by sally

“The government breached anti-discrimination laws after controversial changes to its immigration programme for highly-skilled workers, the Commission for Racial Equality believes.”

Full story

The Guardian, 12th June 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Abortion numbers may intensify debate – Reuters

Posted June 12th, 2007 in abortion, news by sally

“An increasingly bitter debate as the Abortion Act marks its 40th year looks set to be reignited on Tuesday when the government publishes annual figures for the number of terminations.”

Full story

Reuters, 12th June 2007

Source: www.reuters.com

Prisoners ‘locked out’ after jails hit full capacity – The Times

Posted June 12th, 2007 in news, prisons by sally

“A record 550 new inmates were ‘locked out’ of prison last night as a surge in inmate numbers forced jails to declare that they had run out of space to take any more.”

Full story

The Times, 12th June 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Regulations laid to deliver Energy Performance Certificates and HIP’s – Communities and Local Government

Posted June 12th, 2007 in home information packs, news by sally

“The Government today laid the revised regulations necessary to deliver Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and Home Information (HIPs) into the housing market on 1 August.”

Full story 

Communities and Local Government press release, 11th June 2007

Source: www.communities.gov.uk

BSB in bid to rewrite Code of Conduct – Legal Week

Posted June 12th, 2007 in barristers, news, professional conduct by sally

“The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has embarked on an ambitious three-year project to rewrite the Bar’s rulebook for the first time.”

Full story

Legal Week, 12th June 2007

Source: www.legalweek.com

Sukuk succour – The Lawyer

Posted June 12th, 2007 in islamic law, special report by sally

“It’s not just pro-Muslim sentiment that is fuelling the emerging Islamic finance market, Government legislation is lending a helping hand too.” 

Full story

The Lawyer, 11th June 2007

Source: www.thelawyer.com

FSA actions market abuse investigation – The Lawyer

Posted June 12th, 2007 in insider dealing, news by sally

“The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is conducting an investigation into insider dealing that will force lawyers to abide by the Market Abuse Directive 2005.”

Full story

The Lawyer, 11th June 2007

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Top judge is new Diana coroner – BBC News

Posted June 12th, 2007 in coroners, inquests, news by sally

“The new coroner for the inquests into the deaths of Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed has been formally appointed.” 

Full story

BBC News, 11th June 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Children smuggled into UK for sex abuse and slavery – The Guardian

Posted June 12th, 2007 in children, news, trafficking in human beings by sally

“The trade in hundreds of children smuggled into the UK for sexual exploitation, drug smuggling, under-age marriage, street crime and domestic slavery was exposed last night in a government report. The Home Office-commissioned survey identifies 330 cases of suspected or confirmed victims of trafficking – most of them from China or from Africa – but warns of an ‘unknown quantity’ that have not come to the attention of the authorities.”

Full story

The Guardian, 12th June 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Related link: A scoping project on child trafficking in the UK (PDF)

Immigration laws too complex, says minister – The Independent

Posted June 12th, 2007 in immigration, news by sally

“The biggest overhaul of Britain’s immigration laws for more than 35 years is being planned by the Government, which has admitted that their complexity has undermined public confidence in the system.”

Full story

The Independent, 12th June 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Dead soldier’s father calls for murder inquiry – The Guardian

Posted June 12th, 2007 in armed forces, freedom of information, murder, news by sally

“The father of a teenage soldier who died in mysterious circumstances at Deepcut barracks called today for a murder inquiry to be launched after the emergence of what he said was fresh information about the police investigation into her death and a subsequent cover up.”

Full story

The Guardian, 12th June 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The Big Question: What are the precedents for holding an inquiry into the war? – The Independent

Posted June 12th, 2007 in Iraq, news, war by sally

“The Conservatives called a debate in the House of Commons yesterday to demand an inquiry into the Iraq war. They did not specify when the inquiry should take place; but they wanted MPs to agree in principle to hold one, pointing to the precedent set after the Falklands War, 25 years ago. William Hague, speaking for the Conservatives, claimed that an inquiry was ‘essential to restoring public trust and confidence in the Government’.”

Full story

The Independent, 12th June 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Equality bill set to curb golf club discrimination – The Guardian

Posted June 12th, 2007 in clubs, news, sex discrimination by sally

“Golf clubs and other private members’ establishments will no longer be able to ban women members from their bars or discriminate in any other way on gender grounds under a shakeup of equality laws unveiled today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 12th June 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Father guilty of daughter’s ‘honour’ murder – The Guardian

Posted June 12th, 2007 in domestic violence, murder, news, women by sally

“The father and uncle of a young woman who ‘besmirched their honour’ by becoming involved in a relationship with someone they considered to be the wrong man were today convicted of her murder.”

Full story

The Guardian, 12th June 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judge accused of flashing female commuter – The Times

Posted June 12th, 2007 in indecent exposure, judges, news by sally

“A woman today recalled her “shock and embarrassment” at being flashed on a crowded train by a man she later identified as a senior judge.”

Full story 

The Times, 12th June 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

UK consults on Unfair Commercial Practices Directive – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 11th, 2007 in consumer protection, EC law, news by sally

“The Government has asked retailers to comment on draft legislation that will force them to ‘deal fairly’ with customers and other businesses. Two new Regulations are proposed, scheduled to come into force on 6th April 2008.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 11th June 2007

Source: www.out-law.com

Outrage as child sex offenders avoid jail – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 11th, 2007 in news, sentencing, sexual offences by sally

“Thousands of sex offenders including paedophiles and rapists have escaped with cautions rather than being jailed over the past five years.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 11th June 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Gaming body loses casinos challenge – The Times

Posted June 11th, 2007 in gambling, news by sally

“The British Casino Association (BCA) has lost its High Court challenge over the Government’s plans for 17 new casinos, including the first Las Vegas-style ‘super-casino’.”

Full story

The Times, 11th June 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk