22/07/2022 – Current Awareness

‘The Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab has today (20 July 2022) set out a package of measures that take aim at so-called “Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation” (SLAPPs).’

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Ministry of Justice, 20th July 2022

Source: www.gov.uk

Domestic abusers barred from cross-examining victims in family and civil courts – Ministry of Justice

Posted July 22nd, 2022 in civil justice, cross-examination, domestic violence, families, family courts, HM Courts Service, Ministry of Justice, news, victims by tracey

‘Victims of domestic abuse can be spared from being cross-examined by their alleged attackers in family and civil courts under measures coming into force today (21 July 2022).’

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Ministry of Justice, 21st July 2022

Source: www.gov.uk

MoJ considers £5,000 costs cap to protect defendants against SLAPPs – Legal Futures

Posted July 22nd, 2022 in consultations, costs, disclosure, freedom of expression, limitations, media, Ministry of Justice, news, public interest by tracey

‘The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has suggested that people defending themselves from strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) could be protected by a £5,000 costs cap.’

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Legal Futures, 22nd July 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Re S: A short lesson on jurisdiction in international children cases post-Brexit – Family Law

Posted July 22nd, 2022 in brexit, children, families, family courts, jurisdiction, kidnapping, news by tracey

‘The President of the Family Division has very recently handed down his decision in this matter of Re: S (A Child) (Jurisdiction) [2022] EWHC 1720 (Fam), in which we acted for the successful applicant mother. Whilst the facts of the case are unique, the judgment serves as a helpful reminder of the jurisdictional framework of international children cases following our departure from the European Union.’

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Family Law, 21st July 2022

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

No-Fault Divorce: A Step Forward for the LGBTQ Community – Family Law

Posted July 22nd, 2022 in divorce, equality, families, homosexuality, news, sexual orientation discrimination by tracey

‘The introduction of the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 on 6 April 2022, bringing in the long-awaited “no-fault divorce”, is considered to be one of the most significant reforms of family law in many years. Although not widely commented on, it also potentially signifies an important step for the LGBTQ community.’

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Family Law, 21st July 2022

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

BSB launches a consultation on the regulation of non-professional conduct and on proposed new Social Media Guidance and publishes interim Social Media Guidance – Bar Standards Board

Posted July 22nd, 2022 in barristers, consultations, internet, news, professional conduct by tracey

‘The BSB is today launching a three-month public consultation on the regulator’s proposed approach to the regulation of non-professional conduct and on barristers’ use of social media. Simultaneously, interim Social Media Guidance has been published, which will be updated following the consultation. The consultation documents and interim Social Media Guidance were both developed with input from a stakeholder reference group consisting of external experts (including practising barristers) and BSB Board members.’

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Bar Standards Board, 21st July 2022

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Serious farce: SFO slammed over Unaoil case as third conviction quashed – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 22nd, 2022 in bribery, corruption, disclosure, news, Serious Fraud Office, third parties by tracey

‘The Serious Fraud Office must prevent third parties having ‘direct access’ to the watchdog’s director and ensure all prosecutions have an “effective disclosure strategy”, a review into the calamitous Unaoil bribery case recommended today – as a third man jailed after the investigation had his name cleared.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 21st July 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

‘Damning’ report slams ‘poor’ Home Office response to Channel crossings – The Independent

Posted July 22nd, 2022 in government departments, immigration, news, reports by tracey

‘The Home Office response to the surge in Channel crossings is “poor” and the “system is overwhelmed”, according to a watchdog. Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration David Neal found that problems arose mainly due to a “refusal” by the Government department to move from an “emergency response to what has rapidly become steady state, or business as usual”.’

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The Independent, 21st July 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Prisoner Charles Bronson asks for public Parole Board hearing under new rules – The Guardian

Posted July 22nd, 2022 in news, parole, robbery, violent offenders by tracey

‘Charles Bronson, one of the UK’s longest serving and most notorious prisoners, has become the first inmate to formally ask for his next Parole Board hearing to be heard in public after new rules came into force on Thursday in an attempt to remove the secrecy behind the process.’

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The Guardian, 21st July 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Guildford pub bomb inquest: Device could have been planted by a ‘courting couple’ – BBC News

Posted July 22nd, 2022 in armed forces, coroners, explosives, inquests, news, Northern Ireland, terrorism, unlawful killing by tracey

‘Five people were unlawfully killed by an IRA bomb in Guildford in 1974 which could have been planted by a “courting couple”, a coroner concluded.’

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BBC News, 21st July 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust CQC rating: ‘requires improvement’ Published 1 hour ago – BBC News

Posted July 22nd, 2022 in hospitals, mental health, news, ombudsmen by tracey

‘The NHS trust that provides mental health services in Cornwall has been given a “requires improvement” rating by the official regulator.’

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BBC News, 22nd July 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Record numbers of sexual offences reported in London – BBC News

Posted July 22nd, 2022 in London, news, police, rape, sentencing, sexual offences, women by tracey

‘A record number of reported rapes and sexual assaults in London will push the court system to “breaking point”, a victims commissioner has said.’

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BBC News, 22nd July 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Graham Mansfield: Failed suicide pact killer calls for law change – BBC News

Posted July 22nd, 2022 in assisted suicide, homicide, murder, news, sentencing, suspended sentences by tracey

‘A man who was handed a suspended prison sentence after killing his terminally ill wife in a failed suicide pact has said the law on euthanasia must change.’

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BBC News, 21st July 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Human rights of people in care at risk due to slow progress on visiting – report – The Independent

Posted July 22nd, 2022 in care homes, complaints, coronavirus, human rights, news, ombudsmen, select committees by tracey

‘The human rights of people in care are at risk of being breached by slow progress on enabling visits and the inappropriate use of resuscitation notices, a report has warned.’

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The Independent, 22nd July 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

BBC to pay ‘substantial damages’ to William and Harry’s royal nanny over Bashir smears – The Independent

Posted July 22nd, 2022 in BBC, damages, deceit, defamation, news, royal family by tracey

‘The BBC has agreed to pay “substantial damages” to William and Harry’s former nanny over “false and malicious” allegations used to obtain Martin Bashir’s 1995 Panorama interview with Diana, Princess of Wales.’

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The Independent, BBC News, 22nd July 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

UK cybersecurity chiefs back plan to scan phones for child abuse images – The Guardian

Posted July 22nd, 2022 in child abuse, children, indecent photographs of children, internet, news, privacy, sexual offences, telecommunications by tracey

‘Tech companies should move ahead with controversial technology that scans for child abuse imagery on users’ phones, the technical heads of GCHQ and the UK’s National Cybersecurity Centre have said. So-called “client-side scanning” would involve service providers such as Facebook or Apple building software that monitors communications for suspicious activity without needing to share the contents of messages with a centralised server.’

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The Guardian, 21st July 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com