Day: 31 March 2008

Sentencing Commission Working Group Consultation: A structured sentencing framework and Sentencing Commission – Judiciary of England and Wales

Posted March 31st, 2008 in consultations, sentencing by sally

“The independent Sentencing Commission Working Group is seeking views on how a structured sentencing framework could be adapted for England and Wales, drawing reference to the US experience. The aim is to develop a set of proposals to improve the operation of the CJS in relation to sentencing.”

Consultation paper: A structured sentencing framework and Sentencing Commission (PDF)

Judiciary of England and Wales, 31st March 2008

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Murder accused guilty of deceit – BBC News

Posted March 31st, 2008 in murder, news, theft by sally

“A financial trader accused of murdering a wealthy reclusive author at his north London home has been found guilty of dishonesty charges.”

Full story

BBC News, 31st March 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Year’s jail for ‘wicked’ false rape accusation – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 31st, 2008 in news, perverting the course of justice, rape, sentencing by sally

“A woman who falsely accused a soldier of rape has been described as ‘wicked’ by the judge who sentenced her to a year in jail.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 31st March 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – OPSI

Posted March 31st, 2008 in legislation by sally

The National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2008

The Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions (Approved Devices) (Wales) Order 2008

The Civil Enforcement Officers (Wearing of Uniforms) (Wales) Regulations 2008

The Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions (Guidelines on Levels of Charges) (Wales) Order 2008

The Removal and Disposal of Vehicles (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2008

The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (Commencement) (Wales) Order 2008

The Welsh Levy Board Order 2008

The Immigration (Disposal of Property) Regulations 2008

The Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Act 2007 (Commencement No. 4) Order 2008

The Childcare Act 2006 (Commencement No. 4) Order 2008

The Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 (Audit of Public Bodies) Order 2008

Source: www.opsi.gov.uk

Credit crunch fallout could drag on for years, lawyers warn – The Times

Posted March 31st, 2008 in banking, financial regulation, news by sally

“Lawyers across the City have been sifting through traders’ e-mails and listening to recordings of their phone conversations in an attempt to piece together thousands of financial transactions.”

Full story

The Times, 31st March 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Diana coroner: No evidence of Royal plot – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 31st, 2008 in inquests, news, royal family by sally

“The coroner leading the inquest into the death of Princess Diana has said there is no evidence that Prince Philip, the Secret Intelligence Service or any other government agency had anything to do with the 1997 car crash that killed the Princess and her lover Dodi Fayed.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 31st March 2008
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Pupillages nosedive by 20 per cent since 2000 – The Lawyer

Posted March 31st, 2008 in news, pupillage by sally

“The number of Bar Vocational Course (BVC) graduates invited to take pupillage has dropped by 20 per cent since the turn of the century, with less than a third of graduates securing pupillages last year.”

Full story

The Lawyer, 31st March 2008

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Legal threat over detentions bill – BBC News

Posted March 31st, 2008 in detention, news, terrorism by sally

“Plans to extend the limit on detaining terror suspects without charge to 42 days could face an Equality and Human Rights Commission court challenge.”

Full story

BBC News, 31st March 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

New sexual harassment law to protect staff from customers – The Guardian

Posted March 31st, 2008 in employment, harassment, news by sally

“Employers will be duty-bound from next week to protect their staff from sexual harassment by customers, suppliers and others they encounter in the course of their work. Workers are already protected from harassment by colleagues, but under new rules which come into force on April 6, they will be able to seek damages from employers who fail to take reasonable steps to protect them from harassment by a third party, if bosses knew that at least two incidents had already taken place.”

Full story

The Guardian, 31st March 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New parking rules come into force – BBC News

Posted March 31st, 2008 in closed circuit television, fines, news, parking by sally

“New parking regulations have come into force in England despite concerns over the use of CCTV footage to enforce rules and impose fines.”

Full story

BBC News, 31st March 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Government is in touch – Smith – BBC News

Posted March 31st, 2008 in detention, news, terrorism by sally

“Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has dismissed claims by a fellow minister that the government is out of touch.”

Full story

BBC News, 30th March 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Endangered Ratty gets legal protection – The Guardian

Posted March 31st, 2008 in animals, environmental protection, news by sally

“Nearly 12 years after conservationists asked government to help save the disappearing water vole, the whiskered creature that inspired the character Ratty in Kenneth Grahame’s Wind in the Willows – along with seahorses, a shark and an edible snail – has become one of Britain’s most protected species.”

Full story

The Guardian, 31st March 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Doctors for Reform fight NHS order to halt cancer care – The Times

Posted March 31st, 2008 in cancer, medicines, news by sally

“A group representing nearly 1,000 doctors is preparing to mount a legal action against the health service to stop care being withdrawn from patients who want to pay for their own cancer medicines.”

Full story

The Times, 30th March 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

UK ‘must adopt disability treaty’ – BBC News

Posted March 31st, 2008 in disability discrimination, news, treaties by sally

“The government has been urged by a charity to ratify fully an international treaty on disability.”

Full story

BBC News, 30th March 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Sick and suicidal: plight of women in UK jails – The Guardian

Posted March 31st, 2008 in prisons, self-harm, special report, women by sally

“Most women prisoners have mental health problems, and nine of out 10 were convicted of non-violent offences. Now a new study shows an alarming rise in suicides and self-harm – and behind the statistics lie ruined lives and shattered relatives. With four inquests about to open, Amelia Hill reports on the growing scandal in Britain’s penal system.”

Full story

The Guardian, 30th March 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

More passenger misery at Terminal 5 as BA faces lawsuit – The Independent

Posted March 31st, 2008 in airports, news by sally

“Thousands of passengers faced further misery stranded on the huge concourse at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 today, as behind the scenes a ‘blame game’ began over the chaos that has gripped the airport since opening.”

Full story

The Independent, 30th March 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Judge wraps up Diana inquest – Reuters

Posted March 31st, 2008 in inquests, news, royal family by sally

“After almost six months and more than 250 witnesses, the judge presiding over the inquest into Princess Diana’s death wraps up the case on Monday with his summary to the jury.”

Full story

Reuters, 30th March 2008

Source: www.reuters.com

Crisis Lords meetings over sleaze allegations – The Guardian

Posted March 31st, 2008 in corruption, expenses, news, parliament by sally

“Crisis meetings are to take place in the House of Lords today over a series of sleaze allegations against peers, the Guardian can disclose. These include accusations that cash has been taken from lobbyists, passes handed out to commercial interests and expenses improperly claimed.”

Full story

The Guardian, 31st March 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Leading cultural figures attack folly of 42-day detention limit – The Independent

Posted March 31st, 2008 in detention, news, terrorism by sally

“The spy writer John Le Carré, the actors Colin Firth and Patrick Stewart, the novelist Iain Banks, fashion designer Vivienne Westwood and professor of philosophy A C Grayling are among a group of leading figures from the arts and academia who have written to Gordon Brown to oppose the extension of pre-charge detention to 42 days for terrorist suspects.”

Full story

The Independent, 31st March 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Regina (Griffin) v Richmond Magistrates Court – Times Law Reports

Posted March 31st, 2008 in fraud, human rights, insolvency, law reports by sally

Regina (Griffin) v Richmond Magistrates Court

Queen’s Bench Divisional Court

“A defendant charged with failing to deliver up books and papers in the course of the winding-up of a company and who raised the statutory defence of no intent to defraud bore a legal burden rather than an evidential one; that burden was not incompatible with the right to a fair trial.”

The Times, 31st March 2008

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.