Month: July 2009

R v Khan – WLR Daily

Posted July 31st, 2009 in diminished responsibility, homicide, law reports, mental health by sally

R v Khan [2009] EWCA Crim 1569; [2009] WLR (D) 261

“The circumstance that, on a charge of murder, there was unchallenged expert medical evidence that the defendant suffered from such abnormality of mind as to support a defence of diminished responsibility did not of itself necessitate the withdrawal of the charge from the jury.”

WLR Daily, 29th July 2009

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Regina (Purdy) v Director of Public Prosecutions; Society for the Protection of Unborn Children intervening – Times Law Reports

Posted July 31st, 2009 in law reports by sally

Regina (Purdy) v Director of Public Prosecutions; Society for the Protection of Unborn Children intervening

House of Lords

“The Director of Public Prosecutions should be required to promulgate a policy identifying the facts and circumstances that he would take into account in considering whether to prosecute persons such as the claimant’s husband for aiding and abetting an assisted suicide abroad.”

The Times, 31st July 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Reducing reoffending in London – consultation response – Ministry of Justice

Posted July 31st, 2009 in consultations, press releases, rehabilitation by sally

“A consultation setting out proposed priorities for the delivery of prison and probation services in the capital and the joint work between agencies to reduce reoffending. The consultation will be used to inform an action plan for 2009-11.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 31st July 2009

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Bar Council accuses CPS of ‘Alice in Wonderland accounting’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 31st, 2009 in accounts, Crown Prosecution Service, news by sally

“The Bar Council accused the Crown Prosecution Service of ‘Alice in Wonderland accounting’ this week over the CPS’s claim to have saved millions using its own lawyers rather than external advocates.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 30th July 2009

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

News focus: miners’ compensation – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 31st, 2009 in claims management, industrial injuries, miners, news, professional conduct, solicitors by sally

“The work that solicitors have done under the mineworkers’ compensation scheme has attracted the attention of press, parliament and the public ever since details of wrongdoing began to emerge earlier this decade. But the debate has focused on two controversies: the millions of pounds that solicitors have earned, and the deductions that some solicitors made from miners’ compensation.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 30th July 2009

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Bar Council Contributes to Debate on Civil Litigation Costs – The Bar Council

Posted July 31st, 2009 in costs, press releases by sally

“The Bar Council has today published its response to Lord Justice Jackson’s Preliminary Report on the costs of civil litigation.  Lord Justice Jackson, who has been asked by the Master of the Rolls to investigate civil litigation costs, published his Preliminary Report in May 2009.  A Bar Council Working Group, chaired by Michael Todd QC, has submitted its response to the Preliminary Report. This sets out the Bar Council’s views on the principles of civil litigation costs and on case management.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 31st July 2009

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Food mixer did not violate rival’s trade mark by using similar shape – OUT-LAW.com

Posted July 31st, 2009 in appeals, news, trade marks by sally

“A claim that one food mixer violated the trade mark rights of another by being similar in shape has failed. The Court of Appeal said that any similarity in shape between the machines had not given Kenwood an unfair advantage over Whirlpool.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 31st July 2009

Source: www.out-law.com

Interest rate of 15% was not a punishment, rules Court of Appeal – OUT-LAW.com

Posted July 31st, 2009 in company law, contracts, interest, news, penalties by sally

“An interest rate of 15% agreed in a contract between two companies was not a penalty and was justified, the Court of Appeal has said. The interest, which had been ruled unlawful, can be charged, said the Court.”

Full story

OUT-Law.com, 30th July 2009

Source: www.out-law.com

Racecourse price agreements did not break competition law, says Court of Appeal – OUT-LAW.com

Posted July 31st, 2009 in competition, gambling, media, news by sally

“Racecourses did not break competition laws when they decided to sell their television rights only to a company that they owned. A rival company owned by betting shops has lost its case at the Court of Appeal.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 30th July 2009

Source: www.out-law.com

‘Salsa affair’ stab man is jailed – BBC News

Posted July 31st, 2009 in attempted murder, attempts, murder, news, sentencing by sally

“A 66-year-old man who tried to murder his young Filipino wife after she had an affair with a salsa teacher has been jailed for 18 years.”

Full story

BBC News, 30th July 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Banking reform ‘largely cosmetic’ – BBC News

Posted July 31st, 2009 in banking, financial regulation, news by sally

“The government’s plans for reforming the regulation of banks are ‘largely cosmetic’ and ‘lack clarity’, MPs in the Treasury Select Committee say.”

Full story

BBC News, 31st July 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Solicitors boycott virtual courts – BBC News

Posted July 31st, 2009 in courts, live link evidence, news, solicitors by sally

“A government scheme to allow defendants to be dealt with via ‘virtual courts’ is being boycotted by solicitors who say it is ‘justice on the cheap’.

Full story

BBC News, 31st July 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Teacher Guy Button gave gun to father for hospital ward suicide – The Times

Posted July 31st, 2009 in news by sally

“A music teacher faces up to ten years in prison after he admitted giving his father, who was terminally ill, a gun so that he could shoot himself dead in a busy hospital ward.”

Full story

The Times, 31st July 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Teenage volunteers face prosecution unless they register with anti-paedophile database – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 31st, 2009 in children, criminal records, news, vetting by sally

“Guidance for the controversial Independent Safeguarding Authority states that youths who want to help vulnerable groups will have to be vetted ‘in time for their 16th birthday to avoid committing an offence’.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 31st July 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Ex-royal bodyguard jailed for £3m investment scam – The Independent

Posted July 31st, 2009 in fraud, news, sentencing by sally

“A former royal bodyguard who masterminded a £3 million investment scam was jailed for six years today.”

Full story 

The Independent, 30th July 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Ronnie Biggs wins permission to challenge parole decision – The Guardian

Posted July 31st, 2009 in judicial review, news, parole, robbery by sally

“The great train robber Ronnie Biggs has been given permission to challenge the decision to refuse him parole, his legal adviser said today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 30th July 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Organist wins battle for recognition for A Whiter Shade of Pale riff – The Guardian

Posted July 31st, 2009 in artistic works, intellectual property, news by sally

“The musician who wrote the haunting organ riff in A Whiter Shade of Pale, the 1967 hit for Procol Harum that became part of the soundtrack of the last half-century, is entitled to future royalties, the House of Lords ruled today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 30th July 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Council house cheats can earn £20,000 a year by sub-letting – The Times

Posted July 31st, 2009 in news by sally

“A crackdown on thousands of council tenants who are making huge profits by sub-letting their homes illegally will be announced by ministers today.”

Full story

The Times, 31st July 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

‘Right to die’ campaigner Debbie Purdy wins House of Lords ruling – The Times

Posted July 31st, 2009 in news by sally

“Families who help terminally ill relatives to end their lives will be free from the risk of prosecution after a landmark ruling yesterday.”

Full story

The Times, 31st July 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – OPSI

Posted July 30th, 2009 in legislation by sally

The Local Justice Areas Order 2009

The Armed Forces (Powers of Stop and Search, Search, Seizure and Retention) Order 2009

The Licensing Act 2003 (Premises Licences and Club Premises Certificates) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2009

Source: www.opsi.gov.uk