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
Month: February 2015
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
The Law and Rape – BBC Unreliable Evidence
‘Convictions for rape in the UK are described as “shockingly low”. Why does the law appear to be failing to protect women? Clive Anderson discusses what needs to be done to improve the situation with the Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders, Assistant Metropolitan Police Commissioner Martin Hewitt and two leading lawyers working in the area.’
BBC Unreliable Evidence, 28th January 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Advocate general: Employment Appeal Tribunal was wrong in ‘Woolworths’ collective redundancy case – OUT-LAW.com
‘UK rules limiting collective consultation requirements to cases where an employer was proposing 20 or more redundancies “at one establishment” are compatible with EU law, according to an adviser to the EU’s highest court.’
OUT-LAW.com, 5th February 2015
Source: www.out-law.com
‘Judge not, that ye be not judged’ : judging judicial decision-making – Lecture by Lord Neuberger
‘Judge not, that ye be not judged’: judging judicial decision-making (PDF)
Lecture by Lord Neuberger
F A Mann Lecture 2015
Source: www.supremecourt.uk
Conditional Fee Agreements – Zenith PI Blog
‘On 27th January 2015, the Court of Appeal handed down judgment in the case of Cox v Woodlands Manor Care Home Ltd (unreported – approved judgment is awaited) bringing home the importance of CFAs being compliant with the Cancellation of Contracts etc. Regulations 2008 and dealing with the situation where there might be legal expenses insurance cover in the background and how this might affect any CFA entered into.’
Zenith PI Blog, 5th February 2015
Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com
D v UK exception remains exceptional in medical treatment cases under Article 3 – UK Human Rights Blog
‘The Court of Appeal has confirmed that foreign nationals may be removed from the UK even where their lives will be drastically shortened due to a lack of healthcare in their home states. Removal in those circumstances does not breach Articles 3 or 8 ECHR except in the most exceptional cases.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 5th February 2015
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
Human Rights at the Crossroads? – BBC Unreliable Evidence
‘Clive Anderson and guests get behind the political rhetoric to debate the potential impact on the rights of British citizens if the Government carries out a proposal to scrap the Human Rights Act and replace it with a “more British” Bill of Rights.’
BBC Unreliable Evidence, 24th January 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Michael and others (Appellants) v The Chief Constable of South Wales Police and another (Respondents) – Supreme Court
Supreme Court, 28th January 2015
