Former vicar jailed for boy rape in church vestry – BBC News
‘A former Anglican vicar who admitted raping a child in his parish has been jailed for life with a minimum term of eight years.’
BBC News, 19th November 2024
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: Christianity
“Safe access zones” at abortion clinics: legislation – Law & Religion UK
‘On 21 October 2024, the Secretary of State made The Public Order Act 2023 (Commencement No. 5) (England and Wales) Regulations 2024 which extend to England and Wales; this provides that Section 9 of the Public Order Act 2023 (offence of interference with access to or provision of abortion services) will come into force on 31 October 2024.’
Law & Religion UK, 23rd October 2024
Source: lawandreligionuk.com
Christian schools’ legal challenge against VAT on fees – BBC News
‘A independent faith school in Hampshire has launched a legal challenge against the government’s plans to introduce VAT on private school fees.’
BBC News, 21st October 2024
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Law Commission consultation on burial and cremation law – Law & Religion UK
‘The law on burial and cremation in England and Wales, some of which dates back to the mid-19th century, is complicated and outdated. It has evolved as a patchwork of different laws which apply to different burial grounds depending on who operates them (eg the Church of England, local authorities or private owners). There are also gaps in the law. Burial space is running out, with the situation worst in some urban areas. Grave reuse has long been seen as a solution to this problem, but not all burial grounds are permitted to reuse graves.’
Law & Religion UK, 3rd October 2024
Source: lawandreligionuk.com
Limits on anonymity – Law & Religion UK
‘In UK courts and elsewhere, it is sometimes necessary to introduce an element of anonymity into the proceedings and their reporting, as in the consistory court judgment Re St. Margaret Ormesby [2024] ECC Nor 5 where, unusually, one of the petitioners expressed concerns on aspects of the judgment which might become known to the joint applicant. Additionally, the “medical harm” criterion of Re Blagdon was considered.’
Law & Religion UK, 30th September 2024
Source: lawandreligionuk.com
Soul Survivor: Independent Review Report – Law & Religion UK
‘The Outcome of the independent review into the culture and practices of Soul Survivor was published at 12pm on 26 September 2024, advance notice and contact details having been given for those who might have needed support.’
Law & Religion UK, 26th September 2024
Source: lawandreligionuk.com
Priest sentenced for stealing church donations – BBC News
‘A priest has been given a suspended prison sentence for stealing money from his own church’s donation plates.’
BBC News, 17th September 2024
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Disbanding a parish – and a question of jurisdiction: All Saints Spring Park PCC – Law & Religion UK
‘All Saints Spring Park Parochial Church Council v Church Commissioners [2024] UKPC 23 was an appeal by the PCC and the incumbent of All Saints Spring Park under the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011 to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council against a scheme made by the Church Commissioners under the Measure. An episcopal visitation in 2016 had concluded that the parish was not financially viable [5], and the Commissioners made a scheme under the Measure to dissolve the parish and divide its area between the neighbouring parishes of St John Shirley and St George Shirley. The incumbent, Revd Yvonne Clarke – who was the first black woman to be ordained deacon in the Church of England and one of the first women to be ordained priest [3] – and the Parochial Church Council had made written representations on the proposal, but the Bishop of Southwark duly approved the scheme in June 2020.’
Law & Religion UK, 31st July 2024
Source: lawandreligionuk.com
Law and religion roundup – Law & Religion UK
‘Further to the notices relating to Jonathan Fletcher posted by the Diocese of Southwark and the Metropolitan Police, it is perhaps timely to include a link to the Attorney General’s Note, Contempt of court and social media.’
Law & Religion UK, 14th July 2024
Source: lawandreligionuk.com
Ampleforth inquiry finds alleged serious abuse against pupils in last 10 years – The Guardian
‘An inquiry into the running of a prestigious private school said it uncovered a string of “serious abuse allegations” committed against pupils by monks and staff within the last decade.’
The Guardian, 12th July 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
Non-Christian symbols on churchyard headstones – Law & Religion UK
‘In the recent judgment Re St. Mary Shotesham [2024] ECC Nor 4, the petitioner sought to introduce a memorial stone into the churchyard of St Mary’s, Shotesham. The points at issue were whether the depiction of the Star of David at the top of the stone infringed the Diocesan Churchyard Regulations issued by Arlow Ch in 2016 and, if so, whether a faculty should nevertheless be granted.’
Law & Religion UK, 9th July 2024
Source: lawandreligionuk.com
Vatican’s chief of staff testifies in UK court in ‘trial of the century’ – The Guardian
‘Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra was called to testify on Thursday on behalf of the Vatican secretariat of state in a British civil proceeding brought against the Vatican by an Italian-British financier who was involved in the transactions over a London property.’
The Guardian, 4th July 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
The older child and medical treatment decisions – mental capacity or competence? – Mental Capacity Law and Policy
‘Re J (Blood Transfusion: Older Child: Jehovah’s Witnesses) [2024] EWHC 1034 (Fam) is a characteristically thoughtful judgment from Cobb J, concerning whether authorisation should be given to provide a 17 year old Jehovah’s Witness with blood products in a planned operation. In analysing the legal framework, Cobb J was taken to the decision of the Court of Appeal in E v Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust and F v Somerset NHS Foundation Trust [2021] EWCA Civ 1888 (“E and F”). He resisted, however, the submission by the Trust that the decision set out the proposition that there can be a point in cases involving the medical treatment of those under that 18 that “the discretionary powers on the court to intervene convert into a duty on the court to intervene to preserve the young person’s life” (paragraph 33).’
Mental Capacity Law and Policy, 12th May 2024
Jehovah’s Witnesses and blood products: Re J – Law & Religion UK
‘In J (Blood Transfusion: Older Child: Jehovah’s Witnesses), Re [2024] EWHC 1034 (Fam), J was a baptised Jehovah’s Witness aged 17 years 7 months who was awaiting abdominal surgery. As a Jehovah’s Witness, he did not consent to the use of blood products in the event of a significant uncontrolled intra-operative or post-operative bleed [1 & 2]. The Applicant, the University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, applied to the court for a declaration that it would be lawful and in J’s best interests for him to receive blood products if required in the event of an emergency in the surgery.’
Law & Religion UK, 10th May 2024
Source: lawandreligionuk.com
Say a prayer for Article 9? R (on the Application of TTT) v Michaela School and the question of interference – Law & Religion UK
‘The media reports of the last few months highlight how controversial and charged the decision in R (on the Application of TTT) v Michaela School [2024] EWHC 843 (Admin) is. There is much to unpack and debate about the High Court’s 83-page judgment, not least how the secular approach held to be lawful in the judgment sits with a legal framework that continues to favour Christianity in terms of laws on collective worship and the teaching of religion in school.’
Law & Religion UK, 19th April 2024
Source: lawandreligionuk.com
A heckler’s veto on Christian street preaching in the UK – Law & Religion UK
‘In Britain, there have been a number of incidents in which Christians have been prevented from preaching in public spaces by the police. For example, the recent incident of Pastor Dwayne Lopez in Uxbridge garnered much media attention. Pastor Lopez was asked to stop preaching by several Metropolitan Police officers because it had been reported by an individual that they found him to be offensive.’
Law & Religion UK, 29th February 2024
Source: lawandreligionuk.com
Medics quitting jobs over ‘distress caused by rightwing Christian group’ – The Guardian
‘Medics treating critically ill babies are quitting their jobs owing to “considerable moral distress” caused by a rightwing Christian group behind a series of end-of-life court cases, the Guardian has been told.’
The Guardian, 27th November 2023
Source: www.theguardian.com
Humanism and religious instruction in schools: the landmark case of Bowen – Law & Religion UK
‘The High Court decision in R (on the Application of Bowen) v Kent County Council [2023] EWHC 1261 (Admin) makes it clear that local authorities cannot exclude humanist representatives from their Standing Advisory Councils for Religious Education (SACREs). Although many SACREs already include humanists and this interpretation has been articulated in soft law, the judgment of Constable J is unambiguous on that point and presents a significant step forward. However, the judgment also highlights how the protection of non-religious beliefs continues to be controversial and lacking in clarity. This post will explore this welcome decision while highlighting the unresolved matters concerning freedom of non-religious beliefs.’
Law & Religion UK, 30th May 2023
Source: lawandreligionuk.com
Abuse survivors’ ‘utter dismay’ at report’s findings into bishop’s resignation – The Independent
‘An official report into the resignation of a Roman Catholic bishop who ignored warnings to stop associating with a paedophile has been met with “utter dismay” by abuse survivors.’
The Independent, 4th May 2023
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Defining “family graves” – Re Blagdon revisited (I) – Law & Religion UK
‘In Re Blagdon Cemetery [2002] Fam 299, the Arches Court reviewed the circumstances under which burial in a “family grave” might be considered as an exception to the general presumption of permanence of Christian burial arising from the initial act of interment.’
Law & Religion UK, 28th March 2023
Source: lawandreligionuk.com
