Cautions to be scrapped for serious offenders, says Chris Grayling – The Guardian

“Serious offenders will no longer receive a mere ‘slap on the wrist’, the justice secretary has said, as he announced an overhaul of the cautions system.”

Full story

The Guardian, 29th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Three’s a crowd for simple magistrates court cases, says minister – The Guardian

Posted September 11th, 2013 in cautions, courts, Crown Court, fines, magistrates, news, police, sentencing by tracey

“Chris Grayling says it is absurd that benches of three magistrates are required to rubber-stamp ‘foregone conclusions.’ ”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

On-the-spot fines are making High Streets ‘fair game’ to young criminals – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 11th, 2013 in cautions, courts, fines, magistrates, news, police, recidivists, young offenders by tracey

“Britain’s High Streets are at risk of becoming ‘fair game’ to young criminals who are ‘blighting our communities’ because they know they can escape with on-the-spot fines, the Justice Secretary warns today.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 11th September 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Besotted sailor, 75, becomes ‘Britain’s oldest stalker’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 29th, 2013 in cautions, elderly, news, sentencing, stalking, suspended sentences by sally

“A lonely yachtsman is believed to be the oldest stalker in Britain after becoming obsessed with a female church warden.”

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Daily Telegraph, 29th August 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Victims of crime to be given a voice and challenge police – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 14th, 2013 in appeals, cautions, domestic violence, magistrates, news, police, sexual offences, victims by sally

“Victims of crime could get the right to challenge police who let criminals off with a ‘slap on the wrist’, under Government proposals being unveiled today.”

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Daily Telegraph, 14th August 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Guidance for Magistrates involved in scrutiny of out of court disposals – Judiciary of England and Wales

Posted June 21st, 2013 in cautions, codes of practice, judges, magistrates, news, penalties by tracey

“Guidance issued by the Senior Presiding Judge, Lord Justice Gross.”

Full guidance

Judiciary of England and Wales, 17th June 2013

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

O’Neill v HM Advocate (No 2); Lauchlanv Same – WLR Daily

O’Neill v HM Advocate (No 2); Lauchlanv Same [2013] UKSC 36; [2013] WLR (D) 231

“The right to a trial within a reasonable time under article 6.1 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms was a separate right from the right to a fair trial under that article. Consequently the time when a person was ‘charged’ with an offence for the purposes of time starting to run under the reasonable time guarantee might be different from the time when he should have had access to a lawyer for the purposes of ensuring a fair trial under article 6.1 read with article 6.3(c).”

WLR Daily, 13th June 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Charles Saatchi case: what is a police caution? – The Guardian

Posted June 18th, 2013 in assault, cautions, news by sally

“Police cautions are given to save the expense and logistical difficulty of a full court hearing and happen when someone admits what is usually a relatively minor offence.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judge asks why paedophile was let off with a ‘slap on the wrist’ by police – Daily Telegraph

“A judge has demanded an inquiry into an ‘inexplicable’ decision to let a paedophile off with a caution.”

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Daily Telegraph, 13th June 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

‘Soft’ sentences for knife crime despite Chris Grayling pledge – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 7th, 2013 in cautions, fines, news, offensive weapons, recidivists, sentencing, statistics by tracey

“Knife-wielding criminals are being handed soft sentences by the courts despite a pledge by the Government to introduce tough new measures.”

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Daily Telegraph, 6th June 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Teacher caught with child abuse images can work in schools, panel rules – The Guardian

“A teacher sacked for possessing indecent images of children should be allowed to return to work in schools, a panel has ruled.”

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The Guardian, 6th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Going down: criminal justice statistics – The Guardian

Posted May 31st, 2013 in cautions, crime, criminal justice, news, sentencing, statistics, young offenders by sally

“Recorded crime, convictions and the number of individuals entering prisons have shown a dramatic decline since 2011. We take a closer look at the data.”

Full story

The Guardian, 30th May 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Metropolitan police issue cautions for crimes including rape, figures reveal – The Guardian

Posted May 14th, 2013 in cautions, news, police, statistics by sally

“Nearly 29,000 cautions were handed to criminals by the Metropolitan police in the year to March for offences including robbery, drug-trafficking and rape.”

Full story

The Guardian, 13th May 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Police cautions issued for sex crimes, arson and robbery – BBC News

Posted May 8th, 2013 in cautions, news, police, rape, sexual offences by sally

“More than 1,000 sex offenders have received police cautions in the east of England rather than face court proceedings, it has emerged.”

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BBC News, 8th May 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Cautions for serious and repeat offenders under review – Ministry of Justice

Posted April 3rd, 2013 in cautions, courts, news, police, recidivists by sally

“Serious and repeat criminals should not expect to escape with a caution, Secretary of State for Justice Chris Grayling announced today with the launch of a Government review into cautions. ”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 3rd April 2013

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Police cautions to be reviewed by government – The Guardian

Posted April 3rd, 2013 in cautions, courts, news, police, recidivists by sally

“The government is launching a review of the use of police cautions in England and Wales, amid fears that they are being used to punish serious offences that should be dealt with by the courts.”

Full story

The Guardian, 3rd April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Blanket disclosure requirement for minor past convictions breaches Convention – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted January 31st, 2013 in appeals, cautions, disclosure, human rights, news, privacy, vetting by sally

“The Court of Appeal has ruled that the statutory requirement that criminal convictions and cautions must be disclosed in an enhanced criminal record check (‘ECRC’) in the context of particular types of employment interfered with the appellants’ right to respect for private life under Article 8.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 30th January 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

UK criminal record disclosure laws deemed to infringe individuals’ privacy rights – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 31st, 2013 in cautions, criminal records, disclosure, human rights, news, privacy, vetting by sally

“UK laws that set out a ‘blanket’ requirement that job applicants disclose to employers all of the ‘recordable’ criminal convictions and police warnings they have been given are incompatible with individuals’ right to privacy, the Court of Appeal has ruled.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 31st January 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Regina (T) v Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police and others (Liberty and another intervening); Regina (B) v Secretary of State for the Home Department; Regina (W) v Secretary of State for Justice – WLR Daily

Posted January 31st, 2013 in appeals, cautions, criminal records, law reports, police, privacy by sally

Regina (T) v Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police and others (Liberty and another intervening); Regina (B) v Secretary of State for the Home Department; Regina (W) v Secretary of State for Justice [2013] EWCA Civ 25; [2013] WLR (D) 33

“The statutory regime requiring the blanket disclosure of all convictions and cautions relating to recordable offences against an individual was disproportionate to (i) the general aim of protecting employers and, in particular, children and vulnerable adults who were in their care, and (ii) the particular aim of enabling employers to make an assessment as to whether the individual was suitable for a particular kind of work.”

WLR Daily, 29th Janaury 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Court of Appeal Declares Criminal Records Regime Incompatible with Article 8 – Panopticon

Posted January 30th, 2013 in cautions, criminal records, disclosure, human rights, news, privacy, proportionality by sally

“The Court of Appeal has today [29 January] handed down an important judgment in R (T & others) v Chief Constable of Greater Manchester & others [2013] EWCA Civ 25. The case concerned the blanket requirement in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, section 113B of the Police Act 1997 and articles 3 and 4 of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 that criminal convictions and cautions must be disclosed in an enhanced criminal record check (‘ECRC’) in the context of particular types of employment (such as with children or vulnerable adults), even if those convictions or cautions would otherwise be deemed spent by the 1974 Act.”

Full story

Panopticon, 29th January 2013

Source: www.panopticonblog.com