Teenager found guilty of shaking partner’s baby to death – The Guardian
‘A teenager who at 16 shook a four-month-old baby to death has been found guilty of murder.’
The Guardian, 11th July 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
Month: July 2024
EHRC consultation: Updated guidance on sexual harassment – Kingsley Napley Employment Law Blog
‘The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has today launched a consultation on its long awaited updated technical guidance on sexual harassment and harassment at work.’
Kingsley Napley Employment Law Blog, 9th July 2024
Source: www.kingsleynapley.co.uk
Man who killed stranger jailed for 28 years – BBC News
‘A man has been jailed for 28 years after he stabbed to death a 74-year-old woman he had never met as she walked through a park in Devon.’
BBC News, 11th July 2024
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
What restrictions are placed on defendants in climate protest trials? – The Guardian
‘The chaotic scenes inside and outside court at the trial of five people accused of conspiring to block traffic on the M25 in 2022 have highlighted restrictions placed on defendants in a number of climate protest trials that people are seeking to challenge, but risk falling foul of the law as they seek to do so. Here the Guardian explains the basis of the restrictions and why they are so contentious.’
The Guardian, 11th July 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
Just Stop Oil activists found guilty of conspiring to block M25 traffic – The Guardian
‘Five environmental activists are facing long sentences after they were found guilty of conspiring to block traffic on the M25, after a trial in which the defendants were arrested various times for defying the court.’
The Guardian, 11th July 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
High Court issues disclosure ruling in £100m dispute over alleged wrongful termination of contract for supply of Covid-19 lateral flow test kits – Local Government Lawyer
‘The Technology and Construction Court has granted a declaration sought by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care that certain documents relating to an aborted contract for Covid-19 lateral flow test kits are under the control of the main contractor in the dispute.’
Local Government Lawyer, 11th July 2024
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Gabriel Tan and Lewis Graham: A Quiet Revolution – Rationality and the Parole Board – UK Constitutional Law Association
‘It is not that often that first instance judges in judicial review claims disagree as to the approach to be taken in the context of a core question relating to judicial review. When it happens, administrative lawyers are bound to take notice. This has most recently occurred in the context of rationality challenges to decisions taken by the Secretary of State for Justice to reject Parole Board recommendations to release or transfer to open conditions. The most interesting aspect of this recent phenomenon is that the High Court has managed to hand down, on our count, 13 reported decisions over the last two years, before the Court of Appeal has had the opportunity to “resolve” the issue, although a hearing is currently listed before the Court of Appeal in appeals against two of these decisions in October 2024. In this piece, we seek to explain the current position, highlighting areas of agreement and disagreement between first instance judges, and which questions remain, as yet, unresolved.’
UK Constitutional Law Association, 11th July 2024
Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org
Colin Pitchfork parole hearing will not be held in public after ‘fresh allegations’ – The Guardian
‘The parole hearing for Colin Pitchfork, who was convicted of raping and murdering two teenagers, will no longer be held in public due to “unforeseeable developments including fresh allegations”.’
The Guardian, 11th July 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
Mental health tragedy lessons not learned – family – BBC News
‘The son-in-law of an 88-year-old man who was killed by a woman with schizophrenia at a supermarket says too many people are being harmed due to a lack of proper risk assessments of mental health patients.’
BBC News, 11th July 2024
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
UK ministers preparing king’s speech containing at least 30 bills – The Guardian
‘The government is preparing a packed king’s speech containing at least 30 bills, including sweeping plans on housebuilding, green energy, crime and voter registration, the Guardian has learned.’
The Guardian, 11th July 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
What are the laws on crossbows and could they be changed soon? – The Guardian
‘Home secretary Yvette Cooper has said she will consider the findings of a crossbow review after women were found dead in Bushey.’
The Guardian, 10th July 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
Executory trusts: the scope for their creation (including within fundraising appeals) – Trust & Trustees
‘This article seeks to explain what is meant by an “executory trust”. It argues that widely cited case law, suggesting an executory trust is only valid if it includes a highly detailed explanation of the intended final trust, is inconsistent with the weight of authority overall and may be wrong. And it argues that fundraising appeal collections may often give rise to executory trusts. Accordingly, it is suggested that executory trusts—a topic only mentioned at all in about half of trusts textbooks—may be more practically significant than is usually thought.’
Trusts & Trustees, 9th July 2024
Source: academic.oup.com
High court allows two UK universities to remove Gaza protest camps – The Guardian
‘Two universities in the UK have been permitted to clear student encampments from their campuses, after a judge said protesters had “no prospect” of showing that their human rights would be affected.’
The Guardian, 10th July 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
Home Office U-turn grants Wirral ‘legend’ right to live in UK after 46 years – The Guardian
‘A retired newsagent and “local legend” from Merseyside has said he feels marvellous after a Home Office U-turn granted him the right to live in the UK almost 50 years after he arrived.’
The Guardian, 11th July 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
Multiple homicide: a descriptive study of serial homicide and mass murder in England and Wales – The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology
‘Homicide involving multiple victims is relatively rare in England and Wales. When it does occur, mental illness is assumed to have played a significant role. However, reliable evidence to support this is often lacking. We aimed to describe the prevalence of multiple homicide and its subgroups: serial murder, mass murder and familicide and the presence of mental disorder. Data were obtained from the Home Office, HM Court Service, the Police National Computer and NHS Trusts. In England and Wales 470 killed multiple victims between 1997 and 2018. Most did not have evidence of mental health symptoms at the time of offence (85%) or a recorded history of mental disorder (69%). Mental disorder was also not found in most serial homicides (90%), mass murders (94%), or familicides (70%). A tenth of all multiple homicide perpetrators had been under the care of mental health services a year before the incident. This finding challenges commonly held views about mental disorders and the stigma that is perpetuated when multiple-victim homicides occur. Low prevalence and low levels of contact with mental health services make preventing multiple homicide difficult. Reducing violence across society by adopting a multi-agency public health approach is recommended.’
The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, 5th July 2024
Source: www.tandfonline.com
Imprisonment for breach of injunctions: what is happening in the civil courts? – Legal Studies
‘Drawing on a dataset of 263 contempt of court decisions, this paper examines a widespread but under-interrogated phenomenon: imprisonment for breach of injunctions. Across a wide range of contexts – from cases involving anti-social behaviour, protest, Gypsy and Traveller communities – courts across the country are using their civil contempt of court powers to imprison individuals for breaching injunctions. As the first research to date that explicitly examines this issue, the paper falls into four parts. First, it introduces the powers to make an injunction; in section 2 the courts’ powers on committal are outlined. Section 3 introduces the dataset on which this paper is based. Finally, section 4 explores the geographical distribution of cases, sentencing decisions, and the representation of defendants in these proceedings. We identify significant disparities in the application and enforcement of injunctions, raising critical questions about legal practices, fairness and equality. We advocate for ongoing academic research in this area.’
Legal Studies, 1st July 2024
Source: www.cambridge.org
Driving reform: Sir Geoffrey Vos MR – Counsel
‘Sir Geoffrey Vos, Master of the Rolls and Head of Civil Justice since January 2021, is well known for his passion for access to justice and all things digital. Perhaps less widely known is the driven personality and wanderlust that lies behind this, as Anthony Inglese CB discovers.’
Counsel, July 2024
Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk
Trader recommendation websites must vet firms, says watchdog – The Guardian
‘Popular trader recommendation websites must vet the firms they advertise and tackle fake reviews under new rules designed to protect households from cowboy builders and tradespeople.’
The Guardian, 11th July 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
