‘Parliament should review the law around rape cases where neither party can remember having sex, a military judge has suggested after clearing an Army major of attacking a female Captain.’
Daily Telegraph, 12th August 2020
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘Priti Patel’s plans to use the navy to tackle the growing number of migrants crossing the Channel from northern France would be unlawful and dangerous, lawyers have warned.’
The Guardian, 7th August 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The Ministry of Defence is reviewing policy on how members of the armed forces can show solidarity with the fight for black civil rights after “taking the knee” was banned at a military base.’
The Independent, 1st July 2020
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘Claims on behalf of British soldiers falsely accused of brutality and abuses against Iraqi civilians have added to this week’s rush of group actions.’
Litigation Futures, 25th June 2020
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
‘ “Warfare no longer looks like a tank driving over a battlefield,” says the head of Army Legal Services. These days lawyers are on the frontline – in every sense.’
Law Society's Gazette, 22nd June 2020
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘The Centre for Military Justice, acting on behalf of three female service personnel has sent a pre – action protocol letter to the Ministry of Defence with regard to three cases which the service justice system (SJS) has conducted and their assertion appears to be that these victims were discriminated against. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) response is due this week. We have not seen the letter nor do we expect to see the response. The Centre for Military Justice stating publicly that by the end of the month they will issue proceedings in the High Court for Judicial Review (JR) citing action for discrimination under both the Human Rights Act and Equality Act. We await sight of the claim and then the defence.’
Thomas More Chambers, 14th May 2020
Source: www.thomasmore.co.uk
‘British soldiers who have been accused of committing war crimes in Iraq are unlikely to face criminal prosecution.’
BBC News, 2nd June 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘The name of this case may seem familiar; perhaps too familiar given the time it usually takes for matters to proceed through our court system. However, you’d be right. This is the third preliminary issue in the matter of Harry Roberts (a minor and a protected party by his mother and litigation friend Mrs Lauren Roberts) v Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (1), Ministry of Defence (2) and Allegemeines Krankenhaus Viersen GMBH (3) [2020] EWHC 994 (QB) to be determined by the High Court and the second in less than twelve months.’
No. 5 Chambers, 18th May 2020
Source: www.no5.com
‘The outbreak of Covid-19 has demonstrated how quickly our established ideas and normalised ways of thinking can be changed. Work that was called ‘low-skilled’ is now recognised as ‘essential’, the nation has hailed nurses as ‘heroes’, and face masks are a part of routine life.’
Each Other, 22nd May 2020
Source: eachother.org.uk
‘Government lawyers have rejected a claim brought by eight Commonwealth army veterans, dismissing their allegations that, on discharge, officials failed to assist them with complex, unaffordable immigration rules, leaving them classified as illegal immigrants.’
The Guardian, 20th May 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The Centre for Military Justice, acting on behalf of three female service personnel has sent a pre – action protocol letter to the Ministry of Defence with regard to three cases which the service justice system (SJS) has conducted and their assertion appears to be that these victims were discriminated against. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) response is due this week. We have not seen the letter nor do we expect to see the response. The Centre for Military Justice stating publicly that by the end of the month they will issue proceedings in the High Court for Judicial Review (JR) citing action for discrimination under both the Human Rights Act and Equality Act. We await sight of the claim and then the defence.’
Thomas More Chambers, 14th May 2020
Source: www.thomasmore.co.uk
‘Three women serving in the armed forces have begun legal action aimed at preventing the military courts from trying UK rape cases, complaining that the conviction rate is five to six times lower than in civilian courts.’
The Guardian, 3rd April 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘On 18 March 2020, the UK Minister for Defence introduced into the UK Parliament his promised package of new legislation designed to ‘protect veterans’. Entitled the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill, the proposed laws would amend the UK’s Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA) in ways that impact on its human rights obligations, including under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).’
Oxford Human Rights Hub, 6th April 2020
Source: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk
‘A five-year time limit on bringing prosecutions against soldiers and veterans who have served abroad – except in “exceptional circumstances” – is to be imposed under legislation introduced by the government.’
The Guardian, 18th March 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘A Windrush man who was told the UK government had no record of him despite having spent nearly a decade serving in the British army says he is struggling to obtain compensation two years on.’
The Independent, 23rd january 2020
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘Just over 17% of racially aggravated crimes investigated by military police over the past five years resulted in guilty verdicts at court martial, it has emerged, as the armed forces faces new pressure over claims it is failing black and Asian service personnel.’
The Guardian, 7th January 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘From landmark legal cases to a landslide general election result, and civil disobedience to constitutional upheaval – the UK had no shortage of human rights news stories in 2019.’
Each Other, 6th January 2020
Source: eachother.org.uk
‘”Racism is prevalent” within the armed forces, the independent ombudsman overseeing complaints has warned.’
BBC News, 19th December 2019
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘A British Falklands war veteran has been given his medals back and received an apology from the Ministry of Defence after being forced out of the navy over his sexuality.’
The Guardian, 10th December 2019
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘On Nov 11, 2019, the Conservative Party announced rather unclear plans to take legal steps to ensure that inquest juries in Northern Ireland could not return verdicts of unlawful killing in relation to actions by UK soldiers (and presumably other state agents such as the RUC police) in operations during The Troubles. The plans also apparently include barring prosecutions for any alleged unlawful acts during such operations during The Troubles (there is no statute of limitations on serious criminal offences in the UK so this would be an entirely novel step).’
Red Lion Chambers, 14th November 2019
Source: www.redlionchambers.co.uk
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