Month: September 2012

Employment Tribunal Rules – review by Mr Justice Underhill – Department for Business Innovation & Skills

Posted September 18th, 2012 in consultations, employment tribunals, news by sally

“In November 2011, Mr Justice Underhill, former President of the Employment Appeal Tribunal was invited by Government to lead a fundamental review of the rules of procedure for employment tribunals. He was asked to ensure that the rules were simplified and provided the framework to manage cases flexibly, effectively, proportionately and consistently, providing certainty to all parties who participate in the employment tribunal process.”

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Department for Business Innovation & Skills, 14th September 2012

Source: www.bis.gov.uk

“Representing the Bar”: Bar Council publishes first ever representational annual report – The Bar Council

Posted September 18th, 2012 in barristers, news, reports by sally

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has published its first ever Annual Report at its Annual General Meeting, focusing solely on its representational activities. Representing the Bar reports the Bar Council’s performance against its three-year Strategic and Business Plan, which the Bar Council approved last year.”

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The Bar Council, 15th September 2012

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Russian businessman Vladimir Slutsker loses legal fight over London house – The Independent

Posted September 18th, 2012 in divorce, matrimonial home, news, trusts by sally

“A ‘very wealthy’ Russian businessman today lost a legal fight with his ex-wife over the ownership of a house in London worth millions of pounds.”

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The Independent, 17th September 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted September 18th, 2012 in legislation by sally

The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012

The National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2012 (Amendment) Regulations 2012

The National Assistance (Assessment of Resources) Amendment (England) Regulations 2012

The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (Commencement No. 10) Order 2012

The Police and Justice Act 2006 (Commencement No. 15) Order 2012

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Men jailed for £700,000 circular saw cash machine raids – BBC News

Posted September 18th, 2012 in banking, closed circuit television, news, recidivists, sentencing, theft by sally

“Four men have been jailed for a year long campaign of raids on supermarket cash dispensers using a circular saw.”

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BBC News, 17th September 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Anti-abortion protesters cleared of public order offences – The Guardian

Posted September 18th, 2012 in abortion, demonstrations, intimidation, news, public order by sally

“Anti-abortion protesters who displayed pictures of aborted foetuses outside a clinic offering pregnancy terminations have been cleared of public order offences.”

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The Guardian, 17th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Controlling partners ‘to be prosecuted for domestic abuse’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 18th, 2012 in domestic violence, families, news, threatening behaviour by sally

“Men who emotionally abuse their partners by controlling their finances, preventing them from seeing friends or verbally abusing them could soon be prosecuted under domestic violence laws, it has been claimed.”

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Daily Telegraph, 18th September 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Minimum 28 years in jail for rapist who murdered pensioner – The Independent

Posted September 18th, 2012 in courts, murder, news, rape, sentencing by sally

“A rapist who murdered a pensioner has been jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum 28 years behind bars.”

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The Independent, 17th September 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Indeterminate sentences ruling due from European Court – BBC News

Posted September 18th, 2012 in compensation, courts, human rights, news, rehabilitation, sentencing by sally

“The European Court of Human Rights is set to rule later on whether indeterminate prison sentences in England and Wales are lawful.”

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BBC News, 18th September 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Kate photos row shows just how difficult it is to enforce a privacy law – The Guardian

Posted September 18th, 2012 in consent, media, news, privacy by sally

“As Britain’s tabloids close ranks in condemning the publication of pictures of a sunbathing Duchess of Cambridge, it is tempting to conclude that a fear of Leveson lies behind the outbreak of criticism. But in truth anybody who has followed the history of celebrity holiday pictures will know the tabloids are far more cautious than they used to be, after a series of PR disasters and adverse legal rulings have forced privacy issues up the agenda.”

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The Guardian, 17th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judge bans Olympic swimming team voyeur from female changing rooms – The Guardian

Posted September 18th, 2012 in news, rehabilitation, sexual offences, voyeurism by sally

“A man who tried to spy on members of the Chinese Olympic swimming team at a training pool has been banned from entering any female changing rooms or toilets for five years.”

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The Guardian, 17th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Man wins house fire legal battle – The Independent

Posted September 18th, 2012 in fire, insurance, news by sally

“A man has won a legal battle over an insurance company’s refusal to pay up for a fire it claimed was deliberately started by his partner.”

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The Independent, 17th September 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

National Audit Office warns over prisons savings – BBC News

Posted September 18th, 2012 in news, prisons, reports, restorative justice, sentencing by sally

“The prison service will struggle to meet targets on cuts because a key sentencing change has been ditched, the government’s spending watchdog says.”

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BBC News, 18th September 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Employment law reforms are licence to treat people badly – and still pay less – The Guardian

Posted September 18th, 2012 in compensation, employment, news, unfair dismissal by sally

“Government plans to cap unfair dismissal compensation will not make it easier to fire employees. It’ll just make it cheaper.”

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The Guardian, 17th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

May: police should be tried over Hillsborough – The Independent

Posted September 18th, 2012 in complaints, evidence, news, police, prosecutions, reports, sport by sally

“Police officers should be tried in court over their part in the Hillsborough disaster if evidence suggests they were to blame for some of the deaths, the Home Secretary has said.”

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The Independent, 18th September 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Gay couple sue bed and breakfast owner – The Guardian

Posted September 18th, 2012 in damages, homosexuality, hotels, news, sexual orientation discrimination by sally

“A gay couple have sued the owner of bed and breakfast accommodation after she refused to let them stay in a double room because of her religious views.”

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The Guardian, 17th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Local authorities and NHS Trusts (1): compromise agreements, officers’ identities and gagging clauses – Panopticon

Posted September 18th, 2012 in freedom of information, health, local government, news, non-disclosure agreements by sally

“From a FOIA perspective, local authorities and NHS Trusts have this in common: both frequently receive requests for details of compromise agreements and other details about individual officers’ employment and disciplinary records. Three recent cases before the Tribunal confirm the general trend that – absent case-specific and well-evidenced arguments – the Commissioner and Tribunal re reluctant to order disclosure of such personal data, notwithstanding the context of public sector employees.”

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Panopticon, 17th September 2012

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

Related link: Local authorities and NHS Trusts (2): unusual appeals ahead

Government targets “compensation culture” by reducing caps on unfair dismissal awards – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 18th, 2012 in compensation, employment, news, unfair dismissal by sally

“The Government’s latest announcements on employment law reform, including a major reduction in the level of compensation that can be awarded if a worker is successful in bringing a claim for unfair dismissal, target the ‘compensation culture’ that the current system encourages, an expert has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 17th September 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

First badger cull licence issued – BBC News

Posted September 18th, 2012 in animals, environmental protection, licensing, news by sally

“The first licence allowing farmers in England to shoot badgers in an attempt to reduce cattle TB has been issued.”

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BBC News, 17th September 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Tilting at Windmills – The “New” Offence of Squatting in a Residential Building – Zenith Chambers

Posted September 17th, 2012 in crime, news, squatting by sally

“The provisions of s. 144 Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 ‘create’ the offence, punishable by a fine on summary conviction or a maximum of 51 weeks in prison, of squatting in a residential building. This has resulted in a Government Circular (2012/04) explaining the offence and its ambit, issued on 22nd August 2012 and implemented on 1st September 2012. This article does not propose to comment on the perceived political or social imperative for creating yet another summary criminal offence, but rather the purpose, effect and guidance given by the government in investigating and prosecuting the offence.”

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Zenith Chambers, 10th September 2012

Source: www.zenithchambers.co.uk