01/09/2009 – Current Awareness

“The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which oversees compliance with the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, has published guidance on what information local authorities can and cannot release.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 1st September 2009

Source: www.out-law.com

Solicitor claims council guilty of Dunkirk veteran’s manslaughter – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 1st, 2009 in care homes, homicide, news, social services by sally

“A solicitor is prosecuting a council for the alleged manslaughter of a Dunkirk veteran, who died two weeks after being told his care home was to be closed.”

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Daily Telegraph, 1st September 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

‘Very dangerous’ serial sex predator jailed indefinitely – The Independent

Posted September 1st, 2009 in news, sentencing, sexual offences by sally

“A ‘very dangerous’ serial sex predator was jailed indefinitely today for groping schoolgirls, joggers and women heading home from work.”

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The Independent, 1st September 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Ex-BNP man fined over names leak – BBC News

Posted September 1st, 2009 in data protection, fines, news, political parties by sally

“A former member of the British National Party has been fined £200 after admitting publishing the details of some 10,000 party members online.”

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BBC News, 1st September 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted September 1st, 2009 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Bastow, R. v [2009] EWCA Crim 1834 (23 July 2009)

High Court (Administrative Court)

Carter v Crown Prosecution Service [2009] EWHC 2197 (Admin) (27 July 2009)

High Court (Patents Court)

Novartis AG & Anor v Johnson & Johnson Medical Ltd & Ors [2009] EWHC 2029 (Pat) (29 July 2009)

Source: www.bailii.org

New Chairman of the Criminal Bar Association Calls for a Halt to the Government’s “Cavalier” Legal Aid Cuts – The Bar Council

Posted September 1st, 2009 in barristers, legal aid, news by sally

“The new Chairman of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), Paul Mendelle QC, has today called for the Government to re-think its approach towards the publicly-funded Bar.”

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The Bar Council, 1st September 2009

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

MPs with questionable claims to be barred from Lords – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 1st, 2009 in expenses, news, parliament, peerages & dignities by sally

“MPs with questionable expenses claims will be barred from taking a seat in the House of Lords if they choose to stand down before the election.”

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Daily Telegraph, 1st September 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Row over £3m IT link leaves thousands of crimes off police computer – The Times

Posted September 1st, 2009 in criminal records, news, police by sally

“Thousands of crimes are never put on to the police national computer because of a £3 million row over who should pay towards uploading them on to the IT system.”

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The Times, 1st September 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Ministers under fire for locking up immigrant children – The Guardian

Posted September 1st, 2009 in children, immigration, imprisonment, news by sally

“Ministers were facing accusations today that hundreds of children are being held unnecessarily in immigration detention centres as official figures revealed, for the first time, that 470 minors were being detained with their families.”

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The Guardian, 30th August 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Plan to help victims of NHS negligence is left to languish on statute book – The Independent

Posted September 1st, 2009 in hospitals, negligence, news by sally

“Ministers have been condemned for failing to implement a law designed to help victims of NHS negligence and improve patient safety.”

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The Independent, 30th August 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Amro International SA and anr v Financial Services Authority and ors – WLR Daily

Posted September 1st, 2009 in disclosure, financial regulation, law reports, proportionality by sally

Amro International SA and anr v Financial Services Authority and ors; [2009] WLR (D) 288

“Although the purpose of ss 169–172 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 was to facilitate investigation in support of overseas regulators and such co-operation was desirable in order to maintain the regulation of financial markets and banks, the nature of the claim in respect of which the Financial Services Authority’s assistance was sought was of fundamental importance and it was wrong to exercise the powers to aid an investigation into allegations that were not made in that claim. The correct approach was to apply a test of proportionality and the documents required should be properly specified.”

WLR Daily, 28th August 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.

Magistrates attack plans for ‘alcohol asbos’ to tackle drunken behaviour – The Guardian

Posted September 1st, 2009 in drinking banning orders, magistrates, news by sally

“A government policy to fine drunken troublemakers up to £2,500 under a new system of ‘alcohol asbos’ introduced today has been rubbished by magistrates whose job it is to impose them.”

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The Guardian, 31st August 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Abuse victim jailed for blackmail – BBC News

Posted September 1st, 2009 in blackmail, news, sentencing by sally

“A sex abuse victim has been jailed for six years for blackmailing the man who abused him.”

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BBC News, 28th August 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

New ‘booze Asbos’ come under fire – BBC News

Posted September 1st, 2009 in drinking banning orders, news by sally

“New powers to impose Drinking Banning Orders – dubbed ‘booze Asbos’ – on people who behave anti-socially while drunk have come under fire.”

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BBC News, 31st August 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Law firms enjoy vintage year despite dip in profits – The Times

Posted September 1st, 2009 in law firms, news by sally

“Britain’s biggest law firms suffered a dip in profits for the first time in a decade last year but still enjoyed one of their best years, earning more than £4 billion.”

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The Times, 31st August 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Man alleges police shot him in head with Taser – The Guardian

Posted September 1st, 2009 in news, police, weapons by sally

“A police watchdog is investigating claims that officers used a Taser stun gun on a man’s head during an arrest.”

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The Guardian, 31st August 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Baby P: Sharon Shoesmith ‘compares her treatment to that of James Bulger’s murderers’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 1st, 2009 in child abuse, judicial review, news, social services by sally

“Sharon Shoesmith, the social services chief who was sacked over the Baby P scandal, compares her treatment to that of the killers of James Bulger in a legal challenge, it has been reported.”

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Daily Telegraph, 1st September 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Bar Standards Board warning over ABSs – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 1st, 2009 in alternative business structures, barristers, legal services, news by sally

“The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has said it would be ‘wrong’ to allow barristers to join alternative business structures (ABSs) without evidence of whether all forms of the new structure are ‘compatible with the regulatory objectives’ of the Legal Services Act 2007, or necessary for the benefit of consumers.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 28th August 2009

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk