‘Justice system complicit in stalking escalation’ – BBC News
‘The criminal justice system is failing women on stalking, a review by London’s victims’ commissioner has found.’
BBC News, 23rd July 2024
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: criminal justice
Chortle chortle, scribble scribble: the dying art of the court reporter – The Guardian
‘The cases heard at the Old Bailey offer a vivid, often grim portrait of England and Wales today. What happens when there is no one left to tell these stories?’
The Guardian, 11th July 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
Trials and tribulation – Law Society’s Gazette
‘Crown courts are in crisis, reports Catherine Baksi. The backlog continues to climb, the estate is crumbling and there aren’t enough lawyers. So what’s the plan?’
Law Society's Gazette, 2nd July 2024
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
CPS Statement: Decision not to charge in relation to fatal collision at The Study Prep School, Wimbledon – Crown Prosecution Service
‘CPS Statement: Decision not to charge in relation to fatal collision at The Study Prep School, Wimbledon.’
Crown Prosecution Service, 26th June 2024
Source: www.cps.gov.uk
Tackling the regulation of sexually explicit deepfakes – Kingsley Napley Criminal Law Blog
‘Artificial intelligence, and its use on social media, is making it continuously harder to distinguish between real and fake information online. Although fact checking is often required when considering written or spoken words, with the advent of so-called “deepfakes”, we now also need to fact check some of the images or videos we see online.’
Kingsley Napley Criminal Law Blog, 25th June 2024
Source: www.kingsleynapley.co.uk
Four teenagers convicted over fatal stabbing of Kennie Carter in Manchester – The Guardian
‘Four teenagers have been found guilty of killing a 16-year-old boy who was stabbed in the chest in what prosecutors described as a “cowardly” revenge attack in Manchester.’
The Guardian, 26th June 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
As a teenager, John was jailed for assaulting someone and stealing their bike. That was 17 years ago – will he ever be released? – The Guardian
‘Indeterminate sentences are devastating to mental health, but prisoners with mental illness are less likely to be released. The result is a vicious cycle whereby the most vulnerable inmates often have the least chance of getting out – as John’s case shows.’
The Guardian, 21st June 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
Stephen Lawrence detectives will not face charges – BBC News
‘Four retired detectives who ran the first Stephen Lawrence murder investigation should not face criminal charges for their actions in the case, a review has concluded.’
BBC News, 18th June 2024
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Clash Averted: Nealon and Hallam v United Kingdom and the Presumption of Innocence – Constitutional Law Association
‘On 11 June 2024, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights handed down its judgment in Nealon and Hallam v United Kingdom. The case is important for two reasons: firstly, because it provides a long-awaited clarification of the law relating to the presumption of innocence under Article 6 of the Convention; secondly, because it allows Strasbourg to perform a “return shot” after UK courts were very hostile to its earlier judgments on this issue.’
Constitutional Law Association, 13th June 2024
Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org
Criminal Behaviour Orders: is sentence the end? – Mountford Chambers
‘Aside from the confiscation regime, the reality is that for most defendants before the criminal courts, the day of reckoning, the day of sentence, is final. Not so for defendants facing the possibility of ancillary orders; Criminal Behaviour Orders, Stalking Protection Orders, Football Bannings Order; the list goes on. Are these orders no more than what is necessary in a fair and just society to protect the many from the few, or are we simply applying a vengeful mark of Cain on those who have already, by virtue of their sentence, paid their dues to society?’
Mountford Chambers, 13th May 2024
Source: www.mountfordchambers.com
Sixteen years for stealing a flower pot: the film about the IPP jail sentence ‘designed to bury you alive’ – The Guardian
‘Britain’s Forgotten Prisoners is a devastating documentary about the ‘public protection’ sentences that can amount to whole-of-life terms for relatively minor offences. Film-maker Martin Read explains his seven-year quest for justice.’
The Guardian,12th June 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
Stephen Tierney: The Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Act 2024: Necessary remedy or unwarranted interference with judicial independence? – UK Constitutional Law Association
‘For the first time, by way of the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Act (“the Act”), Parliament has legislated to quash criminal convictions. In this post I will argue that, no matter how understandable, indeed laudable, the intention behind this legislation, in its haste to offer a speedy and comprehensive correction to mass injustice, Parliament has crossed a constitutional line and ventured into territory that is properly the preserve of the courts.’
UK Constitutional Law Association , 3rd June 2024
Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org
The struggle for justice in one English town – BBC News
‘The backlog of Crown Court cases in England and Wales is close to a record high – more than a quarter have now been open for over a year. In West Mercia, which covers a large part of the West Midlands and the counties bordering Wales, on average nearly 18 months pass between an incident occurring and a jury reaching a verdict. But many people have been waiting a lot longer for justice.’
BBC news, 10th June 2024
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Crime and punishment: how 14 years of Tory rule have changed Britain – in charts – The Guardian
‘“Justice delayed is justice denied” goes the old legal maxim – one that has captured the state of the court system in England and Wales in recent years.’
The Guardian, 2nd June 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
What laws can the Conservative government pass before the general election? – The Independent
‘The Conservatives and Labour have held talks to work out what outstanding legislation can be rushed through parliament to become law before the Commons closes for the general election.’
The Independent, 23rd May 2024
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Court backlog target in England and Wales no longer achievable, says NAO – The Guardian
‘The Ministry of Justice’s ambition to reduce the backlog in crown courts in England and Wales to 53,000 by March next year is no longer achievable, a parliamentary watchdog has said.’
The Guardian, 24th May 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
Police chiefs say prison crisis in England and Wales is ‘unsustainable’ – The Guardian
‘Police chiefs have told ministers they fear that the crisis gripping the Prison Service in England and Wales is “unsustainable” and risks public safety, the Guardian has learned.’
The Guardian, 21st May 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
Greater support for neurodivergent offenders in bid to cut crime – Ministry of Justice
‘Staff dedicated to helping neurodivergent offenders are now in place in all public prisons in England and Wales.’
Ministry of Justice, 16th May 2024
Source: www.gov.uk
