Magna Carta 800 Years On – BBC Law in Action
‘This year, 2015, marks the 800th anniversary of the signing of Magna Carta, a legal document often seen as the cornerstone of British freedoms.’
BBC Law in Action, 3rd February 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Day: 9 February 2015
‘Gratuitously rude’ judge reprimanded in CoA ruling – Law Society’s Gazette
‘A family judge was reprimanded by Court of Appeal judges twice in two days and told he should be “embarrassed” by the way he handled a case, it has emerged.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 6th February 2015
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘Significant’ changes to public procurement rules to be introduced in weeks – OUT-LAW.com
‘A raft of major changes to the regulation of procurement in the public sector in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is set to be introduced later this month.’
OUT-LAW.com, 9th February 2015
Source: www.out-law.com
Sun journalists retrial row after judge removed from case – The Guardian
‘A decision to remove a judge lined up for a retrial of four Sun journalists has led to a legal row at the Old Bailey involving some of the most senior judges in the country.’
The Guardian, 6th February 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Proposed changes to S.21 – NearlyLegal
‘As well as the clauses introducing the retaliatory eviction proposals, the Government’s proposed amendments to the Deregulation Bill would make some other changes to s.21. The effects would be:
No s.21 notice can be served within the first 4 months of the shorthold tenancy, thus ending the all too widespread practice of serving a s.21 at the time the tenancy agreement is signed (though I’d still say that was probably caught by the deposit rules). The proposals also make clear that possession proceedings cannot be begun before 6 months from the start of the tenancy (that disposes of an idea some bright spark landlords had, that it was OK to start proceedings before 6 months so long as the possession order was made after the 6 month date).’
NearlyLegal, 8th February 2015
Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk
Roy Harper cleared of indecently assaulting an 11-year-old girl – BBC News
‘Musician Roy Harper has been cleared of indecently assaulting an 11-year-old girl in Herefordshire in the 1970s.’
BBC News, 6th February 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
When a duty of care does arise in tort – suing Companies House – UK Human Rights Blog
‘Cases about whether someone owes a duty of care in tort can be surprisingly difficult to decide. Kate Beattie has just posted on the Michael case here, where no duty was held to arise, despite (it appears) the police control room being told by the doomed Ms Michael that her ex-boyfriend had just told her that he was just about to “fucking kill you”. He was as good as his word, within 20 minutes, and the family now sues the police. How much more direct can you be than that? And yet the family lost 5-2 in the Supreme Court.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 8th February 2015
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
The Algebra of FOIA – Panopticon
‘It is no matter of Euclidian geometry to say that where x + y = z, and z = 13, being told what y equals one need not be Pythagoras to establish the value of x. But what happens when z is in the public domain, x is absolutely exempt information under FOIA (because it is caught by section 23(1)) and the public interest otherwise favours the disclosure of y, which is not the subject of an exemption? Inevitably, the effect of disclosure is that the absolutely exempt information is also revealed. The Interim Decision of the Upper Tribunal in Home Office v ICO & Cobain [2014] UKUT 306 (AAC) was that the Tribunal had to consider whether it was appropriate to utilise the section 50(4) FOIA power so as not to direct disclosure. The issue may be formulaic, but the answer is not.’
Panopticon, 6th February 2015
Source: www.panopticonblog.com
UK government issues first definition of computer hacking by spies – The Guardian
‘Code of practice sets out rules and safeguards surrounding use of computer hacking outside UK by security services.’
The Guardian, 6th February 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Doctor Michael Salmon guilty of indecent assaults – BBC News
‘Former doctor Michael Salmon has been found guilty of indecently assaulting girls at a hospital where Jimmy Savile abused patients.’
BBC News, 6th February 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Fake pregnancy woman found guilty of child smuggling – The Independent
‘A woman who faked her own pregnancy after years of infertility has been convicted of smuggling a child into Britain after apparently buying it from a Nigerian “baby farm” and passing it off as her own.’
The Independent, 6th February 2015
Source: www.independent.co.uk
We’ve got too many inquiries. I demand an inquiry – Daily Telegraph
‘Whether it’s Chilcot or child abuse, ministers have made the task too big to be useful.’
Daily Telegraph, 7th February 2015
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
British jihadist Imran Khawaja jailed for 12 years – BBC News
‘A British jihadist who travelled to Syria then faked his own death to try to return to the UK undetected has been given a 12-year custodial sentence.’
BBC News, 6th February 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Punish hate crime on social media with internet asbos, say MPs – The Guardian
‘Social media users who persistently spread racial hatred online should be given “internet asbos” blocking them from sites such as Facebook and Twitter, according to an MPs’ report that examines the rising levels of antisemitism in Britain.’
The Guardian, 9th February 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Lithuanian fraudster used ‘clever’ scam to steal £32,000 from John Lewis – Daily Telegraph
‘Judge condemns Laima Butke’s devious con and jails her for 19-months, saying she hurt “decent company” John Lewis.’
Daily Telegraph, 6th February 2015
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Asbestos NHS costs decision due from Supreme Court – BBC News
‘Firms in Wales whose staff are treated for asbestos-related illnesses are to learn if they must reimburse the NHS.’
BBC News, 9th February 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Victims of Rotherham abuse scandal complained about killed PC, lawyer says – The Guardian
‘A specialist child abuse lawyer has said two victims of the Rotherham scandal had complained to him about a police officer who has since been killed in a car crash.’
The Guardian, 8th February 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
