Council fails in Upper Tribunal appeal over mentoring support during non-term time periods – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Upper Tribunal has found that a decision made by the First-tier Tribunal regarding autism mentoring support during non-term time periods did not involve an error on a point of law.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 21st August 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Ministers ‘dragging feet’ on forcing killers to court as Lucy Letby to skip sentencing – The Independent

‘Ministers have been accused of “dragging their feet” over laws to force killers into the dock as Lucy Letby refuses to appear in court for her sentencing.’

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The Independent, 21st August 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Lucy Letby trial: why the babies remain anonymous – The Guardian

‘The trial of Lucy Letby was conducted amid levels of press secrecy for victims and witnesses rarely seen outside proceedings involving matters of national security.’

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The Guardian, 18th August 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Comedian Tom Binns given suspended sentence over child abuse images – The Guardian

‘A comedian who has appeared on Channel 4’s 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown has been sentenced after being found with more than 35,000 indecent images of children.’

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The Guardian, 17th August 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Medical neglect by London NHS trust contributed to suicide of girl, 12, rules coroner – The Guardian

‘Medical neglect and “gross failures” by a mental health trust contributed to the suicide of a 12-year-old girl in a case that has highlighted national concerns about underfunding, a coroner has ruled.’

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The Guardian, 17th August 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Statement of brave 13-year-old gets rapist more than 19 years in prison – BBC News

Posted August 16th, 2023 in child abuse, children, imprisonment, news, rape, sentencing, sexual offences, victims by sally

‘A man who subjected a young girl to a three-year “campaign of rape” has been jailed for over 19 years.’

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BBC News, 15th August 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ofsted issues warning against placement of vulnerable children in unregistered homes – Local Government Lawyer

‘Ofsted has warned that “too often”, children subject to deprivation of liberty (DoL) orders are placed in illegal unregistered settings without external oversight.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 15th August 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Parents of baby killed by their husky in Lincolnshire given suspended sentences – The Guardian

Posted August 15th, 2023 in children, dogs, guilty pleas, news, sentencing, suspended sentences by sally

‘The parents of a three-month-old girl who was mauled to death by one of their husky dogs have been given suspended jail sentences.’

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The Guardian, 14th August 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Suitability s202 reviews and ‘minded to’ regulations – Nearly Legal

Posted August 14th, 2023 in appeals, children, education, families, homelessness, housing, local government, news by tracey

‘Elbhiri v Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. 9 December 2022. Central London County Court (Unreported – copy of judgment )
This is a s.204 appeal judgment that I have been sitting on for an inexcusably long time, ever since I was kindly sent the judgment. This is particularly inexcusable as it is a very interesting point at issue in this appeal. The brief background was that RBKC owed Ms Elbhiri the full housing duty following her homeless application. Ms E had been placed in temporary accommodation under s.193 Housing Act 1996. She then sought a review under s.202 of the suitability of the accommodation. The review upheld the suitability of the accommodation and Ms E brought a s.204 appeal.’

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Nearly legal, 13th August 2023

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Coronial powers and the rights of the unborn (Part 1) – UK Human Rights Blog

‘In this two-part article, Maya Sikand KC, Tom Stoate, and Ruby Peacock, explore two difficult questions arising from the inquest into the “harrowing circumstances” of the death of a baby, Aisha Cleary, at HMP Bronzefield. This first part seeks to answer the question: should coroners have jurisdiction to investigate stillbirths?’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 11th August 2023

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Assessing someone as being clearly an adult – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal recently considered the approach to be taken to a claim for judicial review of a decision that SB was clearly and obviously an adult. Catherine Rowlands examines the judgment.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 11th August 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court of Appeal rules on “hot potato” issue of decision between care order, supervision order or no order when child placed at home – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal by a mother and made supervision orders in place of care orders for all three of her children, who are placed at home.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 8th August 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Mum of Nikki Allan to sue Northumbria Police – BBC News

Posted August 9th, 2023 in bereavement, children, compensation, criminal justice, delay, DNA, families, murder, news, police by tracey

‘The mother of a girl murdered in 1992 says she is taking legal action against a police force over her 30-year wait for justice.’

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BBC News, 9th August 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

National deprivation of liberty court: Latest data trends – June 2023 – Family Law

‘In July 2022, the President of the Family Division launched the national deprivation of liberty court. Based at the Royal Courts of Justice, it deals with all new applications seeking authorisation to deprive children of their liberty under the inherent jurisdiction and will run for a 12-month pilot phase initially. Nuffield Family Justice Observatory was invited to collect and publish data on these applications.’

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Family Law, 7th August 2023

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Man convicted after ‘aggressive’ protest against drag queen event at Tate Britain – The Guardian

Posted August 8th, 2023 in children, harassment, news, threatening behaviour, transgender persons by tracey

‘A man has been found guilty of a public order offence after protesting against a drag queen story-telling event for children at Tate Britain.’

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The Guardian, 7th August 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Jail for van driver who smuggled children as young as one – Home Office

‘A British man who tried to smuggle migrant children as young as 1 into the UK by hiding them behind boxes in his van has been jailed for 4 years.’

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Home Office, 28th July 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Far-right satanist on terrorist watch jailed for making child abuse image – The Guardian

‘A convicted satanist and far-right extremist who was given a suspended sentence as a teenager has now been imprisoned after admitting further crimes including making an indecent photograph of a child.’

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The Guardian, 3rd August 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

When can findings of fact be re-opened? – Becket Chambers

Posted August 3rd, 2023 in chambers articles, children, family courts, news, res judicata by sally

‘There has been some uncertainty over the correct approach to the issue of when findings of fact can be re-opened. This was as a direct result of the judgment of Mostyn J in Re RL.’

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Becket Chambers, 3rd July 2023

Source: becket-chambers.co.uk

Children’s Commissioner for England asks for views on adding care experience to list of ‘protected characteristics’ – Local Government Lawyer

Posted August 2nd, 2023 in adoption, care homes, children, equality, fostering, local government, news by sally

The Children’s Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, is to ask care-experienced people for their views on whether care experience should be a ‘protected characteristic’ under the Equality Act 2010 – “like age, disability or religion currently are”.

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Local Government Lawyer, 1st August 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Home Office breached statutory duty to ensure provision of adequate accommodation for pregnant asylum seeker and children – Garden Court Chambers

‘The Claimant was a destitute asylum-seeker who was heavily pregnant and the mother of three young children.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 31st July 2023

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk