Harry Dunn’s family can appeal against High Court ruling – BBC News

‘The parents of Harry Dunn have been granted permission to appeal against a High Court ruling over the diplomatic immunity of his alleged killer.’

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BBC News, 3rd December 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Indefinite sentences ‘the greatest single stain on justice system’ – The Guardian

Posted December 4th, 2020 in criminal justice, imprisonment, judges, Ministry of Justice, news, sentencing by sally

‘A former supreme court justice has called for urgent action in dealing with prisoners languishing under indefinite sentences, branding the now defunct scheme “the greatest single stain on our criminal justice system”.’

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The Guardian, 3rd December 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

CPS says: How we’re working to overcome harmful rape myths and stereotypes – Crown Prosecution Service

‘As an experienced prosecutor of rape and serious sexual offences, I never underestimate the courage it takes for a victim to report such a deeply violating and distressing event to police. CPS staff, especially those on our RASSO teams are all too aware of the unique barriers many face when deciding whether to report offences relating to sexual assault; these include shame, guilt, fear of the process, fear of not being believed, shock, cultural context, embarrassment, language barriers and fear of reprisal from the community.’

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Crown Prosecution Service, 29th November 2020

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

R (RD) v Justice Secretary [2020] EWCA Civ 1346 – CrimeCast.Law

‘This was the second of a pair of recent cases which suggest that police officers and those who aspire to be police officers are held to a higher standard than the general public whom the police are sworn to protect. I discussed yesterday R v Luckett (Michael David) [2020] EWCA Crim 565, which illustrated the approach taken by the Criminal Division of the Court of Appeal to the sentencing of offences of misconduct in a public office by serving police officers. The case of R (RD) v Justice Secretary addresses the rigorous disclosure requirements imposed on those who apply to become police constables or police cadets. It prompted the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal to consider the application of Article 8(2) of the European Convention on Human Rights to candidates for the police service – specifically whether the current regime for the rehabilitation of offenders and for the disclosure of convictions, cautions and reprimands is in accordance with law and necessary in a democratic society …’

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CrimeCast.Law, 30th November 2020

Source: crimecast.law

Criminal barristers ‘will take action’ over Covid operating hours – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The criminal bar has accused the government of breaching the Equality Act 2010 by proposing to roll out extended operating hours in Crown courts without “proper assessment”’.

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Law Society's Gazette, 1st December 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Government urged to fix ‘disastrous state’ of rape prosecutions – The Guardian

‘An alliance of women’s organisations is calling for radical reforms to address the “disastrous state” of rape investigations and prosecutions, including a ministerial lead, a commission on juries and a ban on the use of sexual history evidence.’

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The Guardian, 30th November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Domestic abuse victims with ‘trapped capital’ should not be denied legal aid, court rules – The Guardian

‘Victims of domestic abuse should not be denied legal aid because they have assets trapped in a home, the high court has ruled.’

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The Guardian, 25th November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Legal Services Act a decade on: Much to celebrate but much to do – Legal Futures

Posted November 25th, 2020 in criminal justice, diversity, legal aid, legal services, Legal Services Board, news by sally

‘There is “much to celebrate” from the first decade of the Legal Services Act but the basic legal needs of many citizens are still not being met, the Legal Services Board (LSB) said today.’

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Legal Futures, 25th November 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Youth court closures in England and Wales due to Covid ‘have almost doubled backlog’ – The Guardian

‘The temporary closure of youth courts due to Covid-19 has almost doubled the backlog of cases in some areas of England and Wales, increasing anguish for traumatised victims and creating more uncertainty for accused children, inspectors have found.’

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The Guardian, 20th November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Criminalise public sexual harassment in UK, charities say – The Guardian

Posted November 23rd, 2020 in charities, children, criminal justice, harassment, news, sexual offences, statistics, women by sally

‘Girls’ rights groups are calling for public sexual harassment to be criminalised in the UK after research suggested more than half of young women and girls were harassed on the street during the summer.’

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The Guardian, 22nd November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Criminal justice system is ‘on its knees’, says top English lawyer – The Guardian

‘Crown court cases are being delayed until 2023, the innocent penalised more than the guilty, and the under-funded, criminal justice system brought “on its knees”, according to the chair of the Criminal Bar Association in England and Wales.’

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The Guardian, 19th November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Call to protect UK doctors from prosecution over life-or-death Covid rationing – The Guardian

‘Doctors forced to choose which patients to treat during the coronavirus pandemic and who would be left to die should be protected from prosecution, the prime minister has been told.’

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The Guardian, 17th November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Vigilante justice: is evidence obtained by ‘paedophile hunter’ groups admissible in criminal proceedings? – 2 Hare Court

‘On 15 July 2020 the Supreme Court handed down its findings in Sutherland (Appellant) v Her Majesty’s Advocate (Respondent) (Scotland) [2020] UKSC 32.’

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2 Hare Court, 2nd November 2020

Source: www.2harecourt.com

Rough sex excuse in women’s deaths is variation of ‘crime of passion’ – study – The Guardian

‘Men who kill women are increasingly using the “sex game gone wrong” excuse as a contemporary variation on the traditional crime of passion defence, research has found.’

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The Guardian, 10th November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Helen’s Law receives Royal Assent – Ministry of Justice

‘Killers who withhold information on their victims could spend longer behind bars.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 4th November 2020

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

New Act – legislation.gov.uk

Posted November 6th, 2020 in criminal justice, disclosure, legislation, prisons, victims by sally

Prisoners (Disclosure of Information About Victims) Act 2020

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Law Commission begins project on Corporate Criminal Liability – Law Commission

‘The Government has asked the Law Commission to investigate the laws around corporate criminal liability and provide options to reform them.’

Full press release

Law Commission, 3rd November 2020

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Forces claims bill condemned as attack on independent legal profession – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The Law Society has endorsed parliamentary criticism of proposed legislation aimed at curbing what the government calls vexatious claims against service personnel.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 30th October 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Protesters spied on by undercover officers call for ‘end to political policing’ as inquiry begins – The Independent

‘Undercover Policing Inquiry to begin more than five years after being announced by Theresa May.’

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The Independent, 1st November 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Andrew Hill – ‘Sentencing of Young People with particular reference to the Issue of Mental Health’- 33 Bedford Row

‘I will look at in this article at some of the sentencing principles and guidance when sentencing young people and in particular for serious offences and when they are suffering from mental illness.’

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33 Bedford Row, 27th October 2020

Source: www.33bedfordrow.co.uk