COVID-19 Deaths and PPE – The Coroner’s Role – Parklane Plowden Chambers

‘Inevitably the COVID-19 pandemic will result in a significant increase in the workload of coroners and the number of inquests being heard. Cases where the virus may have been contracted in the workplace setting including frontline workers because of the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) may be one significant area of potential inquiry.’

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Parklane Plowden Chambers, 4th May 2020

Source: www.parklaneplowden.co.uk

Conall Mallory: The Right to Life and Personal Protective Equipment – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘Military analogies have been deployed with vigour in the early weeks of the United Kingdom’s battle against COVID-19. Initially the government told the public to ‘keep calm and carry on’. When the lockdown came, the Prime Minister ‘enlisted’ us all to slow its spread. A ‘war cabinet’ was formed and those in the health and social care sectors, who would be most regularly exposed to the virus, were referred to as being on the ‘frontline’ of the battle.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 21st April 2020

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Tougher penalties proposed for attacks on UK emergency workers- The Guardian

Posted April 16th, 2020 in assault, consultations, coronavirus, emergency services, murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘Judges will be able to impose tougher punishments on anyone convicted of assaulting emergency workers or threatening to transmit diseases under sentencing guidelines proposals published on Thursday.’

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The Guardian, 16th April 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Grenfell Tower fire: Second phase of inquiry to begin – BBC News

‘The second phase of the Grenfell Tower fire inquiry is to begin later, days after one of its panellists resigned.’

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BBC News, 27th January 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Grenfell victims face eight-year wait for justice over inferno that killed 72 – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 6th, 2020 in accidents, bereavement, delay, emergency services, families, fire, inquiries, news, victims by sally

‘The families of Grenfell victims could be forced to wait at least eight years after the tragedy to discover if anybody will ever be charged over 72 deaths.’

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Daily Telegraph, 4th January 2020

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Grenfell Tower: London Fire Brigade ‘too slow to learn lessons from disaster’, says watchdog – The Independent

Posted December 17th, 2019 in emergency services, fire, news, reports by tracey

‘The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has been too slow to learn lessons from the Grenfell tragedy, with “wasteful” practices, insufficiently trained staff and failure to follow national guidance still being a problem in the organisation two and a half years on, a watchdog has warned.’

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The Independent, 17th December 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Grenfell Tower inquiry: the chair’s findings so far – The Guardian

‘Firefighters’ ‘stay put’ tactics and apparent lack of preparation and construction materials criticised.’

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The Guardian, 30th October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Grenfell inquiry: key questions answered – The Guardian

‘Why was it set up, why is it split into two parts and why are some people unhappy with it?’

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The Guardian, 29th October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Douglas Oak inquest: Coroner calls for improved police and ambulance training on handling persons suffering from Acute Behavioural Disturbance – Garden Court Chambers

Posted October 29th, 2019 in emergency services, inquests, mental health, news, police by sally

‘The inquest into the death of Douglas Oak concluded at Bournemouth Coroners Court yesterday with Senior Coroner for Dorset Rachel Griffin stating that she would be issuing a wide ranging preventing Future Deaths report because of her concerns that further lives will be lost unless action is taken at a national level to improve training and the handling of persons suffering from acute behavioural disturbance (ABD).’

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Garden Court Chambers, 23rd October 2019

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Inquest into Mia Atkins choking death: Misadventure ruling – BBC News

Posted October 29th, 2019 in children, emergency services, hospitals, inquests, news by tracey

‘The death of a two-year-old girl who choked on a cocktail sausage was caused by misadventure, a coroner has ruled.’

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BBC News, 28th October 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Alison Berridge, Alexandra Littlewood and Ciar McAndrew: Freedom of Information Journal – Recent decisions of the Commissioner and Tribunal – Monckton Chambers

‘Alison Berridge, Alexandra Littlewood and Ciar McAndrew, public law barristers at Monckton Chambers, highlight the points of interest from April-June decisions of the First-Tier and Upper Tribunals.’

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Monckton Chambers, 20th August 2019

Source: www.monckton.com

Police chief: Attackers of PCs ‘must be jailed, no ifs no buts’ – BBC News

Posted August 27th, 2019 in assault, emergency services, imprisonment, news, sentencing by sally

‘Harsher sentences for people who attack police officers “would be very welcome”, the head of the national body for police bosses has said.’

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BBC News, 25th August 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Woman prosecuted for making more than 200 fake calls to 999 – The Independent

Posted January 24th, 2019 in emergency services, fines, medical treatment, news, telecommunications by tracey

‘A woman has been fined for making 200 hoax 999 calls between Christmas and New Year.’

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The Independent, 23rd January 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Man who bit police officer is first person to be jailed under new law to protect emergency workers – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 28th, 2018 in assault, emergency services, guilty pleas, news, sentencing by tracey

‘A landscape gardener who bit a police officer has become the first person to be jailed under new laws to protect emergency workers.’

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Daily Telegraph, 28th November 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Jail time to double for assaulting an emergency worker – Ministry of Justice

‘New law protecting emergency workers from assault to receive Royal Assent today (Thursday 13 September 2018).’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 13th September 2018

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

999 calls: When do assurances of help give rise to a duty of care? – UK Police Law Blog

Posted July 31st, 2018 in duty of care, emergency services, news, police by sally

‘The working assumption of most police lawyers is that a common law duty of care will not arise where call handlers tell 999 callers that the police will attend and assist. The judgment in Sherratt v Chief Constable of GMP [2018] EWHC 1746 (QB) demonstrates that a more careful analysis is required. In this case, some fairly common and non-specific assurances were sufficient to give rise to a duty of care.’

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UK Police Law Blog, 27th July 2018

Source: ukpolicelawblog.com

Emergency services liable where responsibility is assumed and detrimental reliance has taken place – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted July 20th, 2018 in duty of care, emergency services, news, police, suicide by tracey

‘Sherratt v Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police [2018] EWHC 1746 (QB) (16 July 2018). This was an appeal on a preliminary issue from the decision of David Berkeley QC, sitting as the Recorder below. The question was whether the defendant chief constable owed a duty of care to the claimant’s partner, who had committed suicide.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 18th July 2018

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Woman fined £120 after admitting leaving abusive note on ambulance – The Independent

Posted February 21st, 2018 in emergency services, fines, news, public order by tracey

‘A woman who admitted to leaving a foul-mouthed note on an ambulance has been fined £120.’

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The Independent, 20th February 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Law Pod UK Ep.23: Lawsuits against the police for arrest operations – 1 COR

Posted February 15th, 2018 in appeals, duty of care, emergency services, news, police, Supreme Court by sally

‘The Supreme Court’s ruling on police tactics may have implications for other emergency services, as Isabel McArdle explains to Rosalind English.’

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Law Pod UK, 14th February 2018

Source: audioboom.com

Police to be probed over ‘frozen patient’ death – BBC News

Posted January 25th, 2018 in complaints, emergency services, news, police by tracey

‘A police force has referred itself to the watchdog over its handling of a case involving a man thought to have frozen to death.’

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BBC News, 25th January 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk