‘More than 160,000 victims of domestic violence in England withdrew their support for charges against their abusers in 2016, a number that rocketed by almost 40 per cent compared with the previous 12 months, exclusive figures reveal.’
The Independent, 9th April 2017
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘Plans to revolutionise the courts to make them more straightforward and efficient, and deliver swifter justice for victims.’
Ministry of Justice, 20th March 2017
Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice
‘Just over six years ago, a taxpayer funded independent study of a pilot “virtual court” concluded that: “A rollout based on the pilot’s performance and parameters is likely to cost more money than it saves. A break-even scenario may be achieved, but this is still likely to be a challenge.” ‘
Law Society’s Gazette, 20th March 2017
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘Government plans for virtual court hearings and online guilty pleas for criminal offences are poorly costed, based on weak evidence and have not been subjected to proper consultation, a national justice charity says today.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 15th March 2017
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘Touts who use computer software to harvest concert tickets in bulk and resell them at vast mark-ups face unlimited fines as part of a crackdown on highly profitable resale sites such as Viagogo, StubHub and GetMeIn.’
The Guardian, 10th March 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘Paedophiles who view indecent images but go no further should not be jailed but rehabilitated, a leading child protection police officer has said.’
BBC News, 28th February 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Criminal justice agencies are at risk of failing children and young people who come forward to report crimes because they are not being taken seriously, Victims’ Commissioner has today warned.’
Victims’ Commissioner, 22nd Febraury 2017
‘The criminal defence community cannot absorb any more legal aid fee cuts, the Law Society and practitioner groups have told the government, which this week suggested that it will press ahead with controversial proposals.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 24th February 2017
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘Interested members of the public will be able to view ‘virtual’ court hearings from purpose-built booths in court buildings, the Prisons and Courts Bill states. The proposal is an attempt to counter threats to open justice by a courts system increasingly operating digitally. Court listings and case results will also be published online, a factsheet published by the Ministry of Justice says.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 23rd February 2017
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘The small claims limit will rise to £5,000 for whiplash cases, but only £2,000 for other personal injury (PI) claims, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) announced today in a bid “to crack down on the compensation culture epidemic” – less than seven weeks after its consultation closed.’
Legal Futures, 23rd February 2017
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘Experts and their evidence are under hostile scrutiny amid fears over a decline in standards, reports Grania Langdon-Down.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 20th February 2017
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘The justice secretary, Liz Truss, is to reject making deep cuts in the record 85,000 prison population in England and Wales warning that such “quick fix” solutions would put the public at greater risk.’
The Guardian, 13th February 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘The jury in a criminal case must believe the accused is guilty ‘beyond reasonable doubt’, meaning that a victim can be believed and yet a ‘not guilty’ verdict is still returned. This is part of the reason that many cases never reach trial: the police or CPS think the evidence may not fulfil the tough requirements of the criminal courts.’
The Independent, 18th January 2017
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘All victims of crime should be given the chance to make a statement in court about the impact the offence has had on their lives, the victims’ commissioner for England and Wales has said.’
BBC News, 18th January 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘UK authorities must do more to prioritise the recovery of assets that have been defrauded from businesses, an expert has said.’
OUT-LAW.com, 16th January 2017
Source: www.out-law.com
‘The quality of forensic science work in England and Wales is putting the integrity of the criminal justice system at risk, an expert has warned. Forensic Science Regulator Gillian Tully said some police forces were not committed to meeting the required standards, and there was a significant risk of DNA contamination.’
BBC News, 6th January 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
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