Court rejects divorcing husband’s conflict claim against solicitors – Legal Futures

Posted February 17th, 2025 in conflict of interest, divorce, law firms, news by tracey

‘The Family Court has rejected a divorcing husband’s claim that his wife’s solicitors are conflicted out of acting for her because of past work they did for the couple.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 17th February 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SLS Hale Lecture: The Future of Law Reform – Law Commission

Posted February 17th, 2025 in Law Commission, lectures, legal history, news by tracey

‘The Chair of the Law Commission, Sir Peter Fraser, delivered the SLS Hale Lecture 2024, which was organised by the Society of Legal Scholars and hosted by Swansea University’s School of Law.
The lecture was entitled ”The Future of Law Reform”.’

Full speech

Full Story

Law Commission, 13th February 2025

Source: lawcom.gov.uk

Stamp Duty Land Tax and Divorce – Financial Remedies Journal

Posted February 17th, 2025 in divorce, matrimonial home, news, stamp duty by tracey

‘This is sometimes the forgotten tax on divorce. Maybe this is fair enough as there is a pretty clear exemption in tax law that states that stamp duty land tax (SDLT) will not apply to transfers pursuant to divorce. However, the last few years have seen the introduction of two SDLT surcharges and when these two combine it creates a top rate of SDLT of 19% – a sizeable liability which should not be forgotten when factoring in housing costs.’

Full Story

Financial Remedies Journal, 10th February 2025

Source: financialremediesjournal.com

Life ban for ex-football manager who hit linesman – BBC News

‘A former football manager has been fined and given a lifetime ban for punching a linesman during a match.’

Full Story

BBC news, 14th February 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Family tributes as rail firm fined £4m for deaths – BBC News

Posted February 17th, 2025 in accidents, bereavement, fines, health & safety, industrial injuries, news, railways by tracey

‘The families of two workers who were struck and killed by a train following safety failures have spoken of the “irreplaceable void” in their lives as Network Rail is fined nearly £4m.’

Full Story

BBC News, 14th February 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Special Forces blocked 2,000 credible asylum claims from Afghan commandos, MoD confirms – BBC News

‘UK Special Forces command rejected resettlement applications from more than 2,000 Afghan commandos who had shown credible evidence of service in units that fought alongside the SAS and SBS, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed for the first time.’

Full Story

BBC News, 17th February 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Secondary school teacher paid damages after alleged harassment by pupils’ parents – The Guardian

Posted February 17th, 2025 in bullying, damages, families, harassment, news, school children, teachers by tracey

‘A secondary school headteacher has been paid damages in the settlement of a legal claim against abusive parents who he alleged launched a campaign of harassment against him, including turning up at his family home and verbally abusing him at the school gates.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 16th February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Prison accused of lack of candour in probe into three self-inflicted deaths in 19 days – including ex Dreamboys boss – The Independent

‘A coroner has accused prison bosses of “failing to act with candour” as she investigated three self-inflicted deaths in just 19 days at a scandal-hit prison, including that of the former head of the Dreamboys stripper group.’

Full Story

The Independent, 14th February 2025

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Southport killer Axel Rudakubana’s sentence not unduly lenient, attorney general says – The Independent

‘Southport killer Axel Rudakubana’s sentence was not unduly lenient and will not be referred to the Court of Appeal, the attorney general has said.’

Full Story

The Independent, 14th February 2025

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Prosecution for Possession of a Bladed Article Stayed as Abuse of Process – Drystone Chambers

‘The defendant, an 18-year-old with no previous convictions or contact with the police, was charged after being stopped and searched at Notting Hill Carnival in August 2023, where he was found in possession of a lock knife. The defendant, who was preparing to begin university in September 2023, was remorseful and had admitted to carrying the knife following discussions about receiving a caution as a form of out of court disposal.’

Full Story

Drystone Chambers, 13th February 2025

Source: www.drystone.com

Court of Appeal adopts intervener’s submissions in Higgs v Farmor’s School and upholds guidance provided by the EAT in landmark case of manifestation of religion and belief – Cloisters Chambers

‘The Court of Appeal has today upheld the guidance provided by the EAT, that was proposed by Sarah Fraser Butlin KC for the Archbishops’ Council, in a major decision concerning the question of how courts and tribunals should approach religious or philosophical belief discrimination cases concerning the manifestation of belief – when people are treated less favourably because they have done or said something expressing their protected beliefs. The guidance will be of real practical assistance to employers and employees.’

Full Story

Cloisters Chambers, 12th February 2025

Source: www.cloisters.com

Non disclosure and adverse inferences – Becket Chambers

‘A common complaint of parties to financial remedy proceedings is they are often dissatisfied with the level of disclosure provided by their former spouse. In practical terms, what can a Court realistically do? Much depends on the nature of any non-disclosure. Sadly, it is fairly common for spouses to try to hide assets or evade disclosing them. Whilst it happens all too frequently, it does not mean we should turn a blind eye to it and just accept it is happening. This article provides some practical tips to maximise the power of the adverse inference.’

Full Story

Becket Chambers, 10th February 2025

Source: becket-chambers.co.uk

Man cons council out of £710k in ‘Greggs’ swindle – BBC News

Posted February 14th, 2025 in coronavirus, fraud, loans, news by Lily

‘Aftab Baig, 47, made fraudulent small business grant claims from Leeds City Council against 32 properties which were branches of the firm during the coronavirus pandemic in May 2020. Baig, who had no links to Greggs and was not employed by the company, was eventually caught out and all but £90,000 was later returned to the council. At Leeds Crown Court on Wednesday, Baig, of Paisley Road West, Glasgow, was found guilty of three counts of fraud and is due to be sentenced at the same court on 31 March.’

Full Story

BBC News, 14th February 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

CAP update shows complexity of UK ‘less healthy’ food and drink advertising ban – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 14th, 2025 in advertising, codes of practice, consultations, food, health, media, news by Lily

‘The Committee of Advertising Practice’s (CAP) update regarding media restrictions on advertisements for “less healthy” food and drinks products reveals the complexity of the issues to be considered by stakeholders, an expert has said.’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 13th February 2025

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

UK slot machine operator fined over cancer patient’s activity – The Guardian

Posted February 14th, 2025 in cancer, duty of care, fines, gambling, news by Lily

‘A high street slot machine operator has been fined almost £100,000 by the gambling regulator after the Guardian revealed how staff allegedly exploited a vulnerable cancer patient.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 13th February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Man shot by police was lawfully killed, jury finds – BBC News

‘A man who was fatally shot by armed officers after entering a police station car park holding a knife and a bag with a cat inside was lawfully killed, an inquest has found.’

Full Story

BBC News, 13th February 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Qatari royal loses lawsuit after bitter fight over 17th century Idol’s Eye diamond – The Independent

Posted February 14th, 2025 in artistic works, dispute resolution, news by Lily

‘A high court ruling has been made in a bitter dispute between branches of the Qatari royal family over a 17th century diamond worth millions of pounds.’

Full Story

The Independent, 13th February 2025

Source: www.independent.co.uk

DWP confirms 57,000 benefit claimants will get compensation after court ruling – The Independent

‘The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that tens of thousands of benefit claimants can expect to receive significant compensation after several major court battles.’

Full Story

The Independent, 14th February 2025

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Most academy leaders in England say new bill will not affect school management – The Guardian

Posted February 14th, 2025 in bills, education, government departments, news, teachers by Lily

‘The majority of academy leaders in England say the government’s new schools bill will not affect how they manage their schools, according to a new survey of multi-academy trust chief executives.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 14th February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

New sentencing guidelines for blackmail, kidnap and false imprisonment offences – Sentencing Council

‘The Council has published two new guidelines for sentencing offenders convicted of: blackmail, and kidnap or false imprisonment. The new guidelines are the first for these serious offences. They have been developed through consultation to help judges sentence the wide range of offending covered by cases of blackmail, kidnap or false imprisonment. The new guidelines apply to adults sentenced in England and Wales and will come into effect on 1 April 2025.’

Full Story

Sentencing Council, 12th February 2025

Source: www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk