‘Watershed moment’ as three-year time limit on child rape claims scrapped in England and Wales – The Guardian

Posted February 5th, 2025 in child abuse, children, limitations, news, rape by sally

‘Hundreds of child rape survivors, including those targeted by grooming gangs, are expected to pursue their abusers in the courts after ministers scrapped a three-year time limit on compensation claims.’

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The Guardian, 5th February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Solicitor “cannot complain” to JCIO about judge’s criticism – Legal Futures

‘The High Court has rejected a solicitor and his client’s bid to challenge the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office’s (JCIO) refusal to entertain their complaints about three Court of Appeal judges.’

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Legal Futures, 4th February 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

NHS 111 firm admits fault for not sending ambulance to baby who later died – The Guardian

‘A private call handling firm operating the NHS 111 non-emergency service has admitted it was at fault for failing to send an ambulance to a baby boy who died shortly after falling ill, an inquest has heard.’

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The Guardian, 3rd February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

What is the new challenge to the evidence used to convict Lucy Letby? – The Guardian

‘Letby’s legal team is preparing to submit a case to the body that investigates potential miscarriages of justice.’

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The Guardian, 4th February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Lucy Letby latest: Experts to reveal ‘significant new medical evidence’ questioning child killer’s guilt – The Independent

‘An international panel of experts in the care of newborn babies will present what they say is “significant new medical evidence” in the case of convicted child serial killer Lucy Letby.’

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The Independent, 4th February 2025

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Creators of AI child sex abuse images face up to five years in prison under crackdown – The Independent

‘Creators of AI-generated images of child sexual abuse will face up to five years in prison in a new government crackdown. Home secretary Yvette Cooper has announced that the UK will be the first country in the world to make it illegal to own artificial intelligence tools designed to make images of child sexual abuse.’

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The Independent, 2nd February 2025

Source: www.independent.co.uk

When Children Act orders can be made for older children – Becket Chambers

Posted January 31st, 2025 in chambers articles, children, families, learning difficulties, news by sally

‘Looking at the case of Re T (a child) (s 9(6) Children Act 1989 orders: exceptional circumstances: parental alienation) [2024] EWHC 59 (Fam). It is generally accepted that orders are not made for older children aged 16, (or even from the age of 14 in many cases). So when will the court make an order for a child aged 16? A section 8 order cannot extend beyond the age of 16 (apart from “live with” orders) and new section 8 orders cannot be made in respect of a 16-year-old, save for in “exceptional circumstances”.’

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Becket Chambers, 16th January 2025

Source: becket-chambers.co.uk

Judges who oversaw Sara Sharif’s family court cases before her murder named – The Independent

‘Three judges who oversaw Sara Sharif’s family court cases before she was murdered by her father and stepmother have now been named by a court. Judge Alison Raeside, Judge Peter Nathan and Judge Sally Williams were named on Friday as the three judges who were all involved in family court proceedings related to the care of the 10-year-old between 2013 and 2019 after a Court of Appeal ruling overturned a ban on the media identifying them.’

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The Independent, 31st January 2025

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Planned UK people-smuggling laws risk ‘criminalising’ asylum seekers, charities say – The Guardian

‘Keir Starmer’s planned people-smuggling laws risk “criminalising” hundreds of asylum seekers, refugee charities have said, after it emerged that people who refuse to be rescued by the French authorities could be jailed for five years.’

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The Guardian, 30th January 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judge rejects attempt to overturn inquest verdict on Stockport scout’s death – The Guardian

‘A high court judge has rejected an attempt by a scout leader and an assistant to overturn the findings of an inquest jury that concluded they were responsible for the unlawful killing of a 16-year-old boy who fell from a cliff during an expedition.’

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The Guardian, 30th January 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

High Court judge criticises ‘unconscionable delay’ in care case, extension of statutory time limits ‘by default’ – Local Government Lawyer

‘A High Court judge has made a care order in relation to a four-year-old girl (F), finding that her best interests will be met by an adoptive placement outside her family, while criticising the “unconscionable delay” in the case, which took almost 30 months to reach a conclusion’

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Local Government Lawyer, 31st January 2025

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Injuries to a baby: Part 2 – the court’s decisions – Transparency Project

Posted January 30th, 2025 in care orders, child cruelty, children, families, family courts, local government, news by sally

‘The local authority threshold statement at this stage detailed the injuries and submitted that the fractures were caused by excessive force or shaking; the bruises and abrasions caused by grabbing or squeezing. The parents had not been honest about the cause of the injuries and if one of them had caused them, the other had failed protect to Claire from being injured. Additionally, the local authority relied on an injury that had occurred earlier in the summer but had at that time not been deemed a child protection matter. The statement set out a list of concerns relating to David’s drug use and to Amy’s failure to protect Claire from the consequences. There were also references to David’s inappropriate handling of Claire although eventually this particular point was not included in the judge’s findings.’

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Transparency Project, 29th January 2025

Source: transparencyproject.org.uk

Injuries to a baby: Part 1 – a mystery to be solved by the family court – Transparency Project

Posted January 30th, 2025 in care orders, child abuse, children, evidence, family courts, news, personal injuries by sally

‘One evening in autumn 2023, a young couple took their five month old baby to an emergency hospital where she was diagnosed with numerous physical injuries (some very serious) which the parents couldn’t explain. Local authority children’s services were called in and care proceedings began. The baby went into foster care under an interim care order when she left hospital. Fortunately, she soon fully recovered from the injuries. More than a year later, a full care order was made.’

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Transparency Project, 29th January 2025

Source: transparencyproject.org.uk

Stricter age-verification checks for all knife retailers – Home Office

‘Stricter age verification checks and a ban on doorstep drops will be introduced to greater protect young people from knife crime.’

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Home Office, 28th January 2025

Source: www.gov.uk

Jailed ‘catfish’ paedophile has sentence increased – BBC News

‘A catfishing paedophile jailed for targeting more than 30 children online has had his sentence increased.’

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BBC News, 29th January 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Wimbledon school crash driver arrested in reopened investigation – The Guardian

‘The driver of a Land Rover that crashed into a school in Wimbledon, killing two children, has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, the Metropolitan police have said.’

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The Guardian, 28th January 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Dad guilty of 14-year-old daughter’s murder – BBC News

Posted January 28th, 2025 in children, domestic violence, murder, news by sally

‘A man who claimed his daughter died in a “freak accident” during a play-fight with a knife has been found guilty of her murder.’

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BBC News, 27th January 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Journalists win appeal over naming of judges who decided historic care proceedings relating to Sara Sharif – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal brought by two journalists against a judge’s decision to order the anonymisation of the names of the circuit judges that had decided historic care proceedings relating to Sara Sharif, who was murdered by her father and step-mother in 2023.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 17th January 2025

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Southport murders: No 10 rejects calls to change law on whole-life sentences – The Guardian

‘Downing Street has rejected calls for sentencing changes, saying it does not have the power to extend whole-life sentences to killers aged under 18 because of international law.’

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The Guardian, 24th February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Press now allowed to report from family courts – BBC News

‘Journalists can now report from family courts in England and Wales in what the UK’s most senior family judge has called a “watershed” change.’

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BBC News, 27th January 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk