Cannabis user who murdered his grandmother jailed for 24 years – The Guardian

Posted December 19th, 2013 in children, drug abuse, families, guilty pleas, murder, news, offensive weapons, sentencing by tracey

‘A man who murdered his 84-year-old grandmother by stabbing her 50 times in her bed and then attempted to kill a nine-year-old boy has been told he must serve minimum of 24 years in prison.’

Full story

The Guardian, 18th December 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Kadan Beaumont murder: Father jailed for life – BBC News

‘A father who claimed the family dog caused fatal injuries to his 11-month-old son has been jailed for life for his murder.’

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BBC News, 18th December 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The old debate: punish prisoners, or rehabilitate them? – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 19th, 2013 in imprisonment, media, news, prisons, rehabilitation by tracey

‘Debates over how to treat prisoners have gone on since imprisonment began: should the prison system leave inmates to fester in cold cells, with punishment and deterrence as the goal of incarceration? Or should it let them wander from classroom to games room, preaching rehabilitation into society as its main aim?’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 18th December 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

FGM inquiry launched to uncover reasons for lack of prosecution in UK – The Guardian

Posted December 19th, 2013 in child abuse, crime, female genital mutilation, inquiries, news, prosecutions by tracey

‘A major inquiry has been launched into female genital mutilation (FGM) to uncover why there has not been a single prosecution in the UK since it was made a criminal offence, and to try to bring an end to the illegal practice.’

Full story

The Guardian, 18th December 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Theresa Villiers did not break ministerial code report finds – BBC News

Posted December 19th, 2013 in codes of practice, lobbying, ministers' powers and duties, news, reports, transport by tracey

‘Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers did not breach the ministerial code over a meeting with a lobbyist, an internal No 10 report has found. She had faced allegations that, as a transport minister, she failed to declare a meeting with a representative of a firm seeking to build a railway depot in the Hertfordshire green belt. But a report by the Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heyward has cleared her.’

Full story

BBC News, 18th December 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Divorced wife ‘cheated out of millions after husband failed to reveal assets’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 19th, 2013 in appeals, divorce, evidence, financial provision, news by tracey

‘A divorced wife claims her ex-husband misled her about the value of his computer software business to cheat her out of a multi-million-pound settlement. Alison Sharland, 46, says Charles, 53, convinced her to give up her claim to an equal share when they divorced.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 18th December 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

RSPCA hires former CPS lawyer to review its prosecutions policy – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 19th, 2013 in animal cruelty, charities, news, private prosecutions, solicitors by tracey

‘The RSPCA has bowed to pressure from MPs and campaigners and hired a senior lawyer to carry out a £50,000 review into its controversial prosecutions policy.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 19th December 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Lostprophets’ Ian Watkins begins 35-year term for child sex offences – BBC News

‘Paedophile Lostprophets’ singer Ian Watkins is beginning a 35-year sentence for child sex offences, including attempted rape of a baby.’

Full story

BBC News, 19th December 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Stephen Bett mileage: IPCC considers Norfolk PCC claim – BBC C News

Posted December 19th, 2013 in complaints, expenses, news, police by tracey

‘Mileage claims lodged by a police and crime commissioner are being looked at by the police watchdog.’

Full story

BBC News, 19th December 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

EVENT: LSE – In Conversation with Joshua Rozenberg

Posted December 18th, 2013 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘A decade after he left the BBC, Joshua returned in 2010 to present the popular Radio 4 series Law in Action, a programme he had launched in 1984. Also in 2010, he also accepted an invitation to chair Halsbury’s Law Exchange, an independent and politically neutral think-tank.’

Date: 16th January 2014, 6.30-8.00pm

Location: Old Theatre, Old Building

Charge: Free

More information can be found here.

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted December 18th, 2013 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Marines A & Ors v Guardian News and Media & Other Media [2013] EWCA Crim 2367 (17 December 2013)

Mahmood & Anor, R v [2013] EWCA Crim 2356 (17 December 2013)

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Tiger Aspect Holdings Ltd & Anor v Sunlife Europe Properties Ltd [2013] EWCA Civ 1656 (17 December 2013)

Durrant v Avon & Somerset Constabulary [2013] EWCA Civ 1624 (17 December 2013)

Blemain Finance Ltd v Goulding [2013] EWCA Civ 1630 (17 December 2013)

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

Karbhari & Anor v Ahmed [2013] EWHC 4042 (QB) (17 December 2013)

MacLennan v Morgan Sindall (Infrastructure) Plc [2013] EWHC 4044 (QB) (17 December 2013)

JXMX (A Child) v Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust [2013] EWHC 3956 (QB) (17 December 2013)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Co-Operative Bank Plc, Re [2013] EWHC 4074 (Ch) (04 December 2013)

Jack & Anor (London Scottish Finance Ltd) v Craig & Ors [2013] EWHC 4047 (Ch) (17 December 2013)

Co-Operative Bank Plc, Re [2013] EWHC 4072 (Ch) (18 November 2013)

High Court (Family Division)

P (A Child) [2013] EWHC 4048 (Fam) (17 December 2013)

Cheema & Ors v Nottingham and Newark Magistrates’ Court & Anor [2013] EWHC 4022 (Admin) (17 December 2013)

A Local Authority v DB (Mother) & Ors [2013] EWHC 4066 (Fam) (06 December 2013)

TM, Re [2013] EWHC 4043 (Fam) (12 December 2013)

P, Re [2013] EWHC 4037 (Fam) (13 December 2013)

High Court (Administrative Court)

Solicitors Regulation Authority v Anderson Solicitors & Ors [2013] EWHC 4021 (Admin) (17 December 2013)

Ramsden, R (on the application of) v Independent Police Complaints Commission & Anor [2013] EWHC 3969 (Admin) (12 December 2013)

Scottish Widows Plc & Ors v Cherwell District Council & Ors [2013] EWHC 3968 (Admin) (17 December 2013)

Fulford Parish Council, R (on the application of) v City of York Council & Ors [2013] EWHC 3924 (Admin) (12 December 2013)

Source: www.bailii.org

Sir James Munby: Caesarean mother case shows need for “radical change” in family courts – Daily Telegraph

‘The case of a mother whose baby was taken away following an enforced caesarean is an “irrefutable demonstration of the pressing need for radical change” in the family courts, senior judge says.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 17th December 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Regina v Padda – WLR Daily

Regina v Padda [2013] EWCA Crim 2330; [2013] WLR (D) 496

‘Section 22(4)(a) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 preserved an obligation on the court and a discretion to make a confiscation order which was just and in so doing it could take into account all relevant circumstances and had to take into account the legislative policy in favour of maximising the recovery of the proceeds of crime, even from legitimately acquired assets.’

WLR Daily, 12th December 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Chancery Modernisation Review: Final Report Published – Judiciary of England and Wales

Posted December 18th, 2013 in consultations, courts, news, reports by sally

‘A review of the Chancery Division of the High Court by Lord Justice Briggs is published today. Based in the Rolls Building in London and in the seven principal regional trial centres, the Chancery Division is now the largest unit for handling business and property cases in the country.’

Full story

Judiciary of England and Wales, 17th December 2013

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Judge Sir Paul Coleridge disciplined for stating views on traditional marriage – Daily Telegraph

‘A senior High Court judge has been disciplined for misconduct after speaking out over his support for traditional marriage.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 17th December 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

BSB publishes guidance on deliberately failing to attend court – Bar Standards Board

‘The Bar Standards Board has today published guidance on deliberately failing to attend court.’

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 18th December 2013

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Copyright Licensing BBC v EOS – NIPC Law

‘As everyone knows, copyright restricts the acts listed in s.16 (1) of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (“CDPA”) in relation to a work in which copyright subsists (“a copyright work”). Those acts include copying, issuing copies, renting, lending or communicating the work to the public etc. Anyone who does any of those acts without the owner’s licence infringes that copyright. He or she may be sued or in an extreme case prosecuted.’

Full story

NIPC Law, 17th December 2013

Source: www.nipclaw.blogspot.co.uk

Lord Judge – Constitutional Change: Unfinished Business – UCL Constitutional Unit

Posted December 18th, 2013 in constitutional law, constitutional reform, human rights, judiciary, news by sally

‘Lord Judge delivered a lecture on the topic of “Constitutional Change: Unfinished Business”.’

Video

UCL Constitutional Unit, 17th December 2013

Source: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit

European court ‘steamrolling’ Britain, warns leading judge – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 18th, 2013 in EC law, human rights, judges, jurisdiction, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘Lord Mance warns the EU must not “steamroll” national courts to impose human rights rules on countries including the UK’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 17th December 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Prisoners serving less than a year should be allowed to vote, says Parliamentary committee – The Independent

Posted December 18th, 2013 in bills, elections, human rights, news, prisons by sally

‘Prisoners serving sentences of 12 months or less should be given the vote, the Government is today told by an all-party parliamentary committee.’

Full story

The Independent, 18th December 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk