Secret papers show extent of senior royals’ veto over bills – The Guardian

“The extent of the Queen and Prince Charles’s secretive power of veto over new laws has been exposed after Downing Street lost its battle to keep information about its application secret.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Insulting words’ crime ditched – BBC News

Posted January 15th, 2013 in crime, freedom of expression, news, public order by sally

“The crime of ‘insulting’ someone through words or behaviour, which once led to the arrest of a student for asking a police officer whether his horse was gay, is to be dropped.”

Full story

BBC News, 14th January 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Submarine shooting: coroner calls on navy to introduce breath-testing – The Guardian

Posted January 14th, 2013 in alcohol abuse, armed forces, coroners, disciplinary procedures, inquests, murder, news by tracey

“A coroner has said he would recommend random breath-testing for navy personnel following the shooting dead of an officer by a drunk submariner on a nuclear-powered submarine.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ivan Esack jailed for murdering wife Natalie – BBC News

Posted January 14th, 2013 in diminished responsibility, domestic violence, murder, news, sentencing by tracey

“A former policeman has been jailed for at least 28 years for murdering his estranged wife at her hair salon.”

Full story

BBC News, 14th January 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted January 14th, 2013 in law reports by tracey

High Court (Administrative Court)

Shadwell Estates Ltd v Breckland District Council & Anor [2013] EWHC 12 (Admin) (11 January 2013)

Pitblado & Ors v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government & Anor (Rev 1) [2012] EWHC 3723 (Admin) (21 December 2012)

High Court (Family Division)

Bristol City Council v C & Ors [2012] EWHC 3748 (Fam) (21 December 2012)

Source: www.bailii.org

Liverpool double rapist Mindaugas Budkus jailed – BBC News

Posted January 14th, 2013 in assault, DNA, news, offensive weapons, rape, robbery, sentencing, video recordings by tracey

“A man convicted of raping two women within three weeks in Liverpool has been sentenced to life in prison.”

Full story

BBC News, 11th January 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Imran Ahmed: Care home owner sentenced for £100,000 theft – BBC News

Posted January 14th, 2013 in assets recovery, care homes, gambling, news, sentencing, theft by tracey

“The former owner of a care home in Nottinghamshire has been jailed for three years for stealing more than £100,000 from an 80-year-old resident.”

Full story

BBC News, 11th January 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted January 14th, 2013 in legislation by tracey

The Great Western Ambulance Service National Health Service Trust (Dissolution) Order 2013

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Command Papers – official-documents.gov.uk

Posted January 14th, 2013 in parliamentary papers by tracey

Government response to Justice Select Committee’s opinion on the European Union Data Protection framework proposals,Cm 8530 (PDF)

Source: www.official-documents.gov.uk

Final Legal Education and Training Review report delayed – Legal Futures

Posted January 14th, 2013 in consultations, legal education, news, reports by tracey

“Completion of the much-anticipated Legal Education and Training Review (LETR) has been delayed, it has emerged. The academic team compiling the report after 18 months of research and consultation was meant to have delivered it by the end of 2012.”

Full story

Legal Futures, 14th January 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Judiciary publishes guide for self-represented litigants – Judiciary of England and Wales

Posted January 14th, 2013 in judiciary, litigants in person, press releases by tracey

“A guide for self-represented litigants making applications to the Interim Applications Court of the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court has been published by the judiciary today (Friday 11 January).”

Full press release

Judiciary of England and Wales, 11th January 2013

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Identity of social workers may be published following fostering bungle – UK Human Rights Blog

“Bristol City Council v C and others [2012] EWHC 3748 (Fam). This was an application for a reporting restriction order arising out of care proceedings conducted before the Bristol Family Proceedings Court. The proceedings themselves were relatively straightforward but, in the course of the hearing, information came to light which gave rise to concerns of an ‘unusual nature’, which alerted the interest of the press.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 13th January 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Sunday working case does not establish that all religious discrimination claims will fail – OUT-LAW.com

“A tribunal’s refusal to allow the constructive dismissal claim of a Christian care worker who was required to work on Sundays does not establish that Sunday working will never amount to indirect religious discrimination, an expert has said.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 14th January 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Michael Jackson fans sentenced for Sony Music hacking – BBC News

Posted January 14th, 2013 in artistic works, computer crime, news, sentencing, suspended sentences by tracey

“Two men who admitted hacking Sony Music stealing thousands of hours of music tracks including unreleased material by Michael Jackson, have been spared jail.”

Full story

BBC News, 11th January 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Jimmy Savile scandal: How will it affect future abuse cases?- BBC News

“Jimmy Savile’s ability to commit hundreds of serious sexual offences inside public institutions, ‘hiding in plain sight’ as Friday’s police and NSPCC report on his crimes puts it, seems almost incredible. And for his victims, it is indeed credibility which is the issue at the heart of this scandal.”

Full story

BBC News, 12th January 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Husband tricked into believing wife’s children were his awarded £25,000 damages – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 14th, 2013 in bereavement, damages, deceit, DNA, news, paternity by tracey

“A husband has won £25,000 in damages for ‘bereavement’ after his wife tricked him into believing children whom he raised until they were teenagers were his rather than the products of affairs.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 13th January 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Man who threw bottle at Usain Bolt at Olympics found guilty – The Guardian

Posted January 14th, 2013 in bail, DNA, mental health, news, public order, sport, threatening behaviour by tracey

“A man who threw a plastic beer bottle at Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt moments before the Olympic 100m final has been found guilty of public disorder at Stratford magistrates court.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

OFT to act on unfair gym membership contracts – The Guardian

Posted January 14th, 2013 in consumer protection, inquiries, news, ombudsmen, unfair contract terms by tracey

“At the end of what is always the busiest month of the year for gyms, the OFT is expected to announce that it will outlaw contracts that last longer than 12 months or do not contain a get-out clause for members who, for example, lose their job or sustain an injury. The move follows a year-long investigation into a number of gym chains, believed to include LA Fitness, Fitness First and Bannatyne’s. The OFT is also understood to be looking at debt collectors that some reports say use aggressive practices in chasing money owed to gym groups.”

Full story

The Guardian, 12th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Flat-rate pensions plan revealed – BBC News

Posted January 14th, 2013 in contracting out, national insurance, news, pensions by tracey

“Details of the government’s plans to introduce a flat-rate pension by 2017 – equivalent to £144 per week in today’s money – have emerged ahead of an official announcement next week.”

Full story

BBC News, 12th January 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Barnardo’s concern over child sex trafficking rise – BBC News

Posted January 14th, 2013 in child abuse, news, statistics, trafficking in human beings by tracey

“The UK has seen an ‘alarming’ 22% year-on-year rise in children being sexually exploited, the charity Barnardo’s says.”

Full story

BBC News, 13th January 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk