High court rules against ‘buffer zones’ for windfarms – The Guardian

Posted April 16th, 2013 in energy, local government, news, planning by sally

“Wind energy developers are celebrating today after the high court ruled that Milton Keynes Borough Council’s attempts to impose a ‘buffer zone’ for new wind farm projects were unlawful.”

Full story

The Guardian, 15th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

How to calm the legal aid row – The Lawyer

Posted April 15th, 2013 in legal aid, news, proceeds of crime, restraint orders by sally

“Repeal section 41 (4) of the Proceeds of Crime Act to level the playing field and ease pressure on the public purse.”

Full story

The Lawyer, 15th April 2013

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Court of Protection Update – Family Law Week

“Sally Bradley and Michael Edwards, barristers at 4 Paper Buildings, look at recent decisions on capacity in the Court of Protection.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 12th April 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Court terminates father’s parental responsibility – Family Law Week

“In the first reported judgment on the issue since 1995, Mr Justice Baker has terminated the parental responsibility of a father who had been imprisoned for sexual abuse of his own child’s half-sisters.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 14th April 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Rise in convictions of badger cruelty as RSPCA accused of using law to get to hunts – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 15th, 2013 in animal cruelty, hunting, licensing, news, prosecutions, statistics, video recordings by sally

“Badger cruelty prosecutions have almost doubled in five years, according to new figures, as the RSPCA is accused of using the law to target huntsmen.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 14th April 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Put away the measuring tape – it’s time for greater codification – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted April 15th, 2013 in Law Commission, legislation, news, taxation by sally

“Ever since I was a law student, it has been an annual ritual of the newspapers to buy a copy of the Tolley Tax Handbook and measure how much fatter the tax laws have become. Red tape seems inevitable, regulation grows by half an inch or so each year and business bemoans this lack of simplicity. So why does no-one ask the same thing of statutes and case law? Couldn’t this all be simplified by codification?”

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 12th April 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Bankers’ ‘honesty test’: nearly all pass City regulator’s check – The Guardian

Posted April 15th, 2013 in banking, criminal records, financial regulation, news, ombudsmen by sally

“Just 30 out of 227,000 people have failed the City regulator’s ‘fit and proper’ test to take on some of the most risky jobs in British banks since the onset of the financial crisis.”

Full story

The Guardian, 12th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Whistleblowing charity seeks evidence on effectiveness of current law – OUT-LAW.com

“The national whistleblowing charity has begun a public consultation exercise to help it establish whether the current law and legal protections are fit for purpose.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 15th April 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Restrictions on terror suspect student relaxed by court – BBC News

“Restrictions on a terror suspect who is studying at a London university should be relaxed, the High Court has ruled.”

Full story

BBC News, 13th April 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Appeal court extends jail term of man who filmed rape on iPad – The Guardian

Posted April 15th, 2013 in appeals, deportation, news, rape, sentencing, video recordings by sally

“Appeal judges have almost doubled the jail sentence of a man who filmed himself raping a woman on his iPad.”

Full story

The Guardian, 12th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Psychiatric Asbos’ were an error says key advisor – The Independent

Posted April 15th, 2013 in medical treatment, mental health, news by sally

“Controversial powers to treat mental health patients in the community while seriously curtailing their freedoms have been criticised by one of their strongest supporters.”

Full story

The Independent, 14th April 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Sally Bercow faces first high court hearing in Twitter libel battle – The Guardian

Posted April 15th, 2013 in child abuse, damages, defamation, internet, news by sally

“Sally Bercow, the wife of the Commons speaker, faces her first high court hearing next week as part of the libel battle with Lord McAlpine over an allegedly defamatory Twitter message.”

Full story

The Guardian, 12th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

No Sky TV, no Xbox: prisoners’ perks to be axed as Chris Grayling gets tough on jails – The Independent

Posted April 15th, 2013 in news, prisons by sally

“Thousands of prisoners could lose their automatic access to gym equipment, games consoles and other perks under plans for a tough new regime in Britain’s jails.”

Full story

The Independent, 14th April 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Prosecuting sexual assault: ‘Raped all over again’ – The Guardian

Posted April 15th, 2013 in cross-examination, news, prosecutions, rape, sexual offences, suicide, trials, witnesses by sally

“Frances Andrade’s experience in the witness box left her feeling violated. Within days she had killed herself. Is it time we changed the way we prosecute sexual assault?”

Full story

The Guardian, 13th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

After Leveson: Stephen Sedley on press regulation – London Review of Books

Posted April 12th, 2013 in charters, freedom of expression, licensing, media, news by sally

“The Privy Council, which will now be responsible for issuing a royal charter setting up a panel to vet the independence of a new press regulator, started licensing books in 1538. In 1557 a royal charter gave the members of the Stationers’ Company a monopoly of printing. In 1588 the anti-episcopal Marprelate Tracts (one of whose authors, John Penry, was executed for publishing them) provoked a system of press licensing which survived in one form or another, though with diminishing effect, until the last decade of the 17th century.”

Full story

London Review of Books, 11th April 2013

Source: www.lrb.co.uk

Man jailed for slashing women in Hounslow – BBC News

Posted April 12th, 2013 in grievous bodily harm, news, sentencing, wounding by sally

“A man who slashed two women in separate random attacks in west London has been jailed for 18 years.”

Full story

BBC News, 12th April 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Data protection law is in danger of lagging behind technological change – The Guardian

Posted April 12th, 2013 in anonymity, data protection, news, privacy by sally

“Data processing practices are evolving faster than the law can adapt to them, according to a senior British lawyer at an international law firm specialising in data protection.”

Full story

The Guardian, 12th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

High Court backs ban against teacher who condemned ‘homosexual lifestyle’ – The Independent

“The High Court has upheld a classroom ban on a Christian school teacher who condemned the ‘homosexual lifestyle’ in front of pupils.”

Full story

The Independent, 12th April 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Adult TV star had curfew tag removed as it would interfere with work – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 12th, 2013 in community service, electronic monitoring, news, parole by sally

“An adult TV chat show has overturned a court order forcing her to wear an electronic tag after claiming it would put her out of work.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 12th April 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted April 12th, 2013 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Asmeron v R. [2013] EWCA Crim 435 (11 April 2013)

JC & Ors v R [2013] EWCA Crim 368 (28 March 2013)

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

ET BT and CT (Children) v Islington [2013] EWCA Civ 323 (10 April 2013)

Flatman v Germany [2013] EWCA Civ 278 (10 April 2013)

Anderson & Ors v London Fire & Emergency Planning Authority [2013] EWCA Civ 321 (11 April 2013)

Patel, R (on the application of) v General Medical Council (Rev 1) [2013] EWCA Civ 327 (27 March 2013)

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

Stobart Group Ltd & Ors v Elliott [2013] EWHC 797 (QB) (11 April 2013)

Vaughan v London Borough of Lewisham & Ors [2013] EWHC 795 (QB) (11 April 2013)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Willis & Anor v Derwentside District Council [2013] EWHC 738 (Ch) (10 April 2013)

Morshead Mansions Ltd v Mactra Properties Ltd [2013] EWHC 801 (Ch) (10 April 2013)

National Grid Electricity Transmission Plc v ABB Ltd & Ors [2013] EWHC 822 (Ch) (11 April 2013)

High Court (Family Division)

R v A [2013] EWHC 692 (Fam) (27 March 2013)

A Primary Care Trust v LDV & Ors [2013] EWHC 272 (Fam) (18 February 2013)

Elliott v Ratcliffe [2013] EWHC 806 (Fam) (01 February 2013)

High Court (Administrative Court)

Harford v The Nursing and Midwifery Council [2013] EWHC 696 (Admin) (10 April 2013)

Sanneh, R (on the application of) v The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions & Anor [2013] EWHC 793 (Admin) (10 April 2013)

Stevens v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government & Anor [2013] EWHC 792 (Admin) (10 April 2013)

Durowoju v Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) [2013] EWHC 837 (Admin) (11 April 2013)

Haney, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for Justice [2013] EWHC 803 (Admin) (11 April 2013)

Oxford Diocesan Board of Finance v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government & Anor [2013] EWHC 802 (Admin) (11 April 2013)

Jaffar, R (on the application of) v The Secretary of State for the Home Department & Anor [2013] EWHC 813 (Admin) (11 April 2013)

Source: www.bailii.org