FA urged to follow up CPS’ promise of criminal action over homophobic ‘rent boys’ chants – Daily Telegraph

‘The Football Association have been urged to follow up the Crown Prosecution Service’s promise of criminal action over homophobic “rent boys” chants with disciplinary sanctions against clubs who fail to educate their fans.’

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Daily Telegraph, 11th January 2022

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Criminal bar explores appetite for action over legal aid – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 11th, 2022 in barristers, consultations, criminal justice, legal aid, news by sally

‘The Criminal Bar Association is asking practitioners if they would be prepared to escalate action if the government fails to commit by Valentine’s Day to increasing legal aid funding.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 10th January 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Domestic abuse victims in England and Wales to be given more time to report assaults – Ministry of Justice

‘Under the changes, victims of domestic abuse will be allowed more time to report incidents of common assault or battery against them. Currently, prosecutions must commence within six months of the offence.’

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Ministry of Justice, 4th January 2022

Source: www.gov.uk

Speech by Dame Victoria Sharp DBE: The Challenges and Opportunities Created by Digital Evidence in Criminal Cases – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

‘Dame Victoria Sharp DBE, the President of the Queen’s Bench Division, has given a speech to the National Criminal Justice Conference.’

Full speech

Courts and tribunals Judiciary, 5th January 2022

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Colston Four acquittal raises doubts about 10-year jail term proposal – The Guardian

‘The acquittal of the Colston Four raises questions about new laws imposing 10-year jail terms for the toppling of statues, legal experts have said.’

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The Guardian, 6th January 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Hillsborough Law would ‘level scales of justice’, says mayor – BBC News

‘A Hillsborough Law is needed to ensure fairer treatment for bereaved families, Liverpool City Region’s mayor has said.
Steve Rotheram and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said the government needs to “level the scales of justice”.
They are calling for measures recommended in a 2017 report, based on the experiences of Hillsborough families, to be enshrined in law.’

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BBC News, 7th January 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Breastfeeding voyeurs targeted by new proposed offence in England and Wales – The Guardian

‘Voyeurs who record images of breastfeeding women without permission and domestic abusers who escape jail because of time limits on prosecutions are being targeted by proposals put before parliament on Tuesday.’

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The Guardian, 4th January 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Tougher sentences announced in crackdown on illegal hare coursing – The Independent

‘People who take part in hare coursing, an illegal bloodsport, face tougher sentences under plans set out by the government on Tuesday.’

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The Independent, 4th January 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Violent men who harm women warned that police are increasing action against them – National Police Chiefs’ Council

‘Police in England and Wales will take wide-ranging action to deliver a fundamental shift in priority of violence against women and girls and give victims a consistently high standard of service wherever they are.’

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National Police Chiefs' Council, 15th December 2021

Source: news.npcc.police.uk

Daniel Morgan: Axe-murder victim’s family ‘set to sue the Met’ – The Independent

Posted December 13th, 2021 in compensation, corruption, criminal justice, families, murder, news, police, victims by sally

‘The family of a private investigator whose murder 34 years ago remains unsolved are preparing to take legal action against the Metropolitan Police over the case.’

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The Independent, 13th December 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Rape ‘scorecards’ reveal CPS will miss prosecution targets – The Guardian

‘Rape “scorecards” published for the first time reveal that the Crown Prosecution Service will miss performance targets dictated by the government after a collapse in prosecutions for the crime.’

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The Guardian, 9th December 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Pestering women in the street to be outlawed – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 6th, 2021 in criminal justice, harassment, hate crime, Law Commission, news, sexual offences, women by sally

‘Public sexual harassment, such as cat-calling and making sexually explicit comments, to be made an offence in wake of Sarah Everard murder.’

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Daily Telegraph, 3rd December 2021

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Navy rape survivor backs civilian court trials for serious offences – BBC News

‘A member of the Royal Navy, whose rape case collapsed in a military court, has backed calls for serious offences committed in the UK to be investigated and tried through civilian courts.’

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BBC News, 6th December 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Remand inmates in England and Wales ‘facing second Christmas behind bars’ – The Guardian

‘Some defendants will be facing “a second Christmas behind bars without the opportunity to prove their innocence”, a legal charity has warned, as the number of remand prisoners in England and Wales detained longer than the legal custody limit continues to rise.’

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The Guardian, 1st December 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Raab eyes “drastic action” to keep family disputes out of court – Legal Futures

‘Justice secretary Dominic Raab is “in the market for something quite drastic and bold” to reduce the number of private law family cases in the courts, he said yesterday.’

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Legal Futures, 1st December 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Firearms – importation sentencing guidelines published – Sentencing Council

‘The Council has published a new guideline for sentencing offenders convicted of firearms importation offences in England and Wales, following consultation.’

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Sentencing Council, 24th November 2021

Source: www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk

Domestic abuse accounts for one in eight crimes in London – BBC News

‘Domestic abuse now accounts for one in eight crimes reported to the Met Police, new figures show.’

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BBC News, 24th November 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘No alternative’ to new walkouts in legal aid dispute, says QC – The Guardian

‘A former barrister who led the first strike at the England and Wales bar has said he “can’t see any alternative” to fresh industrial action in a dispute over legal aid fees.’

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The Guardian, 22nd November 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Inability to find criminal lawyers ‘chickens coming home to roost’ – LCJ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 19th, 2021 in barristers, coronavirus, courts, criminal justice, law firms, legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

‘The inability to find barristers to represent criminal defendants is an example of “chickens coming home to roost”, the lord chief justice has said.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 18th November 2021

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Domestic abuse victim ‘living in fear’ after being wrongly told she could not appear ex-partner’s ‘lenient’ sentence – The Independent

‘“Myself and my family have suffered life-changing trauma,” a domestic abuse victim tells The Independent. “Following the attack, I am unable to work due to my injuries and live in paralysing fear of what will happen when he is released in eight years.”

Her ex-partner was jailed for life – but with a minimum term of only eight years – in March. The domestic abuse victim has now been told she has missed her chance to appeal his sentence but was never told she had the right to do so under the Unduly Lenient Sentencing scheme. Instead, police inaccurately told her she was unable to appeal his sentence because “a life sentence is the maximum”.’

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The Independent, 19th November 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk