Home Office to keep DNA of innocent for six years, not 12 – The Guardian

Posted November 11th, 2009 in data protection, DNA, news, terrorism by sally

“Home Office ministers are expected to announce a six-year limit on the retention of DNA profiles on the national database for people arrested but not convicted of any offence, bringing it more in line with Scotland, where five years is the norm.”

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The Guardian, 11th November 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Leading article: Hard cases and good law – The Independent

Posted November 11th, 2009 in children, hospitals, medical ethics, medical treatment, news by sally

“The sad case of Baby RB, which has been argued to and fro before the High Court, ended summarily yesterday when the one-year-old boy’s father accepted the hospital’s case for withdrawing life support. This unexpected development had two immediate effects. The doctors are now within their rights to halt life support, so as to allow the severely disabled child – as the hospital put it – ‘a peaceful, calm and dignified death’. And the judge will not have to reach a decision – although he hinted what it would have been when he said that the outcome was, in his view, ‘inevitable’.”

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The Independent, 11th November 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Call to reform ‘repressive’ English libel laws – The Guardian

Posted November 11th, 2009 in defamation, freedom of expression, news by sally

“Intimidating and out-of-date laws are silencing free speech and scientific inquiry, a report claims, amid increasing controversy over England’s status as ‘the libel capital of the world’.”

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The Guardian, 10th November 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Jack Straw: tougher sentences for those who kill with a knife – Ministry of Justice

Posted November 11th, 2009 in news, offensive weapons, sentencing by sally

“Those who commit murder with a knife should face significantly longer in jail than they currently do, Justice Secretary Jack Straw announced today.”

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Ministry of Justice, 10th November 2009

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

15,000 people criminalised by Criminal Records Bureau over past six years – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 11th, 2009 in criminal records, news, vetting by sally

“Up to 15,000 people have been wrongly branded criminals or accused of more serious offences by the Government agency which vets the backgrounds of people who want to work with children, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.”

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Daily Telegraph, 11th November 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Libel law reform campaigners seek £10,000 damages cap – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 11th, 2009 in damages, defamation, freedom of expression, news by sally

“English libel law imposes disproportionate restrictions on free speech, according to an independent report that recommends 10 changes to the laws. The Ministry of Justice said today that it will launch a consultation on defamation and the internet.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 10th November 2009

Source: www.out-law.com

Libel and the cult of the forbidden – The Guardian

Posted November 11th, 2009 in defamation, freedom of expression, news by sally

“English libel law is as real a threat to free inquiry as the repressive zeal of anti-terrorism policy.”

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The Guardian, 10th November 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Police to handle minor charges under new CPS proposals – The Times

Posted November 11th, 2009 in news, police, prosecutions by sally

“The police may take over responsibility for bringing charges for thousands of minor offences each year under changes to be piloted by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).”

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The Times, 11th November 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

‘Failing mental health’ – BBC Law in Action

Posted November 11th, 2009 in mental health, news, prisons by sally

“Ninety percent of people in prison in England and Wales have a mental health problem.”

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BBC Law in Action, 10th November 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Anger at ‘cloak of secrecy’ for Freemason judges – The Independent

Posted November 11th, 2009 in judiciary, news by sally

“Jack Straw’s decision to no longer force applicants for the judiciary to declare if they are Freemasons was today branded a ‘disgrace’ by a Labour MP.”

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The Independent, 10th November 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘Snakes’ gun man freed from jail – BBC News

Posted November 11th, 2009 in appeals, news, offensive weapons, sentencing by sally

“A businessman jailed for three years for keeping a revolver he bought to fight off rattlesnakes while living in the USA has been freed on appeal.”

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BBC News, 10th November 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Knife killers will serve minimum 25 year jail term, Jack Straw says – The Guardian

Posted November 11th, 2009 in news, offensive weapons, sentencing by sally

“The minimum prison sentence for knife killers will be increased from 15 to 25 years, the justice secretary, Jack Straw, said today.”

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The Guardian, 10th November 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Noisy sex woman loses appeal bid – BBC News

Posted November 10th, 2009 in news, noise, nuisance by sally

“A woman who was banned from making loud noises during sex has lost an appeal against her conviction.”

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BBC News, 10th November 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Andre wins libel damages from Now – BBC News

Posted November 10th, 2009 in damages, defamation, news by sally

“Peter Andre has accepted ‘substantial’ damages in London’s High Court over claims he was lying when he portrayed himself as a loving father and husband.”

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BBC News, 10th November 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Injured motorist sues Highways Agency over black ice – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 10th, 2009 in news, personal injuries, road safety by sally

“A motorist who spent two days on a life support machine after crashing on black ice is suing the Highways Agency for failing to grit the road properly.”

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Daily Telegraph, 10th November 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Baby RB to be allowed to die as father withdraws from court battle – The Times

Posted November 10th, 2009 in news by sally

“A baby at the centre of a ‘right to life’ court battle will be allowed to die after his father today withdrew his case.”

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The Times, 10th November 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Ofsted hid crucial evidence on Baby P sacking – The Times

Posted November 10th, 2009 in news by sally

“Ofsted has been severely criticised for failing to disclose potentially crucial evidence concerning the sacking of the former head of Haringey children’s services over the Baby P case.”

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The Times, 10th November 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Infidelity murder defence to go – BBC news

Posted November 10th, 2009 in murder, news, provocation by sally

“Ministers are pushing ahead with plans to end the right of murder suspects to cite the sexual infidelity of their partner as a partial defence in court.”

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BBC News, 9th November 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Max Mosley takes privacy fight to European court in Strasbourg – The Guardian

Posted November 10th, 2009 in human rights, news, privacy by sally

“Max Mosley, the former president of Formula One’s governing body FIA, is to challenge the law of privacy in the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.”

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The Guardian, 9th November 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Met police may face charges over violent arrest of terror suspect – The Guardian

Posted November 10th, 2009 in assault, news, police by sally

“Five Metropolitan police officers could face prosecution over a ‘serious, gratuitous and prolonged’ attack on a British Muslim man that led the force to pay £60,000 in damages.”

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The Guardian, 10th November 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk