Joint enterprise law wrongly interpreted for 30 years, court rules – The Guardian

Posted February 18th, 2016 in appeals, evidence, interpretation, joint enterprise, judgments, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘A key test imposed by judges in assessing guilt in so-called joint enterprise killings has been wrongly interpreted for the past 30 years, the supreme court has ruled.’

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The Guardian, 18th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New planning guidance emphasises importance of housing evidence to neighbourhood planning – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 17th, 2016 in codes of practice, evidence, housing, local government, news, planning by michael

‘New paragraphs were added to the UK government’s National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG) last week clarifying that, in areas with a neighbourhood plan in place but without a five year supply of deliverable housing sites, neighbourhood plan policies relating to housing should not be considered up-to-date.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 16 February 2016

Source: www.out-law.com

Police mindset at Hillsborough was ‘all about public disorder’, inquest hears – The Guardian

‘South Yorkshire police officers requested dog handlers to come to Hillsborough in 1989 when people were trying to escape the lethal crush because police believed it was a pitch invasion, the new inquests into the disaster have heard.’

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The Guardian, 12th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Identical twin found ‘not guilty’ of charges after DNA tests unable to determine which brother committed crime – The Independent

Posted February 10th, 2016 in dangerous driving, DNA, evidence, news, offensive weapons by sally

‘A man has been cleared of two charges after prosecutors were unable to provide evidence to disprove claims his identical twin brother was the real offender.’

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The Independent, 9th February 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Hillsborough jury told to consider credibility of police evidence – The Guardian

Posted February 9th, 2016 in evidence, health & safety, inquests, news, police, sport by sally

‘The jury at the inquests into the deaths of 96 people at Hillsborough in 1989 has been told to consider the credibility and reliability of evidence given by South Yorkshire police officers.’

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The Guardian, 8th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Cheryl James: Teenage army recruit ‘may have been killed by someone else’ – The Independent

Posted February 9th, 2016 in armed forces, evidence, forensic science, homicide, inquests, murder, news by sally

‘New forensic evidence reveals that a teenage army recruit found dead at Deepcut barracks may not have shot herself and could have been killed by someone else, it has emerged.’

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The Independent, 8th February 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Deepcut inquest will not consider ‘culture of sexual abuse’ claims – The Guardian

Posted February 2nd, 2016 in armed forces, evidence, inquests, news, sexual offences by sally

‘An inquest into the death from a gunshot wound of a young female soldier at Deepcut 20 years ago will not consider whether there was a “culture of sexual abuse” at the army barracks, a coroner has ruled.’

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The Guardian, 1st February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Stephen Lawrence investigation: Police seek fresh DNA samples – BBC News

Posted February 1st, 2016 in complaints, corruption, DNA, evidence, forensic science, inquiries, murder, news, ombudsmen, police, racism by sally

‘Police investigating the murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993 have contacted an unspecified number of people to request DNA samples.’

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BBC News, 30th January 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Fresh inquest may shed light on mystery Deepcut shootings – The Guardian

Posted February 1st, 2016 in armed forces, evidence, forensic science, human rights, inquests, inquiries, news, suicide by sally

‘Independent inquiry into recruit Cheryl James’s death in 1995 is “milestone” in history of unexplained barracks deaths.’

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The Guardian, 1st February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Investigation into sexual abuse at Kids Company dropped due to lack of evidence – Daily Telegaph

Posted January 29th, 2016 in charities, child abuse, evidence, news, police, prosecutions by sally

‘An investigation into reports of physical and sexual abuse linked to Kids Company has been dropped after police found no evidence to “justify a referral to the Crown Prosecution Service”.’

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Daily Telegraph, 28th January 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

CPS accused of suppressing police corruption evidence – The Guardian

‘Criminal trial prosecutors have been accused of suppressing evidence of police corruption in what has been called “misconduct of a particularly serious nature”. Lawyers are alleged to have covered up evidence that police received corrupt payments from a firm of private investigators in return for confidential information.’

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The Guardian, 23rd January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lord Bramall inquiry: How did police obtain search warrant for ‘PR exercise’, asks retired judge – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 25th, 2016 in child abuse, evidence, inquiries, judges, news, police, warrants, wasting police time, witnesses by sally

‘Exclusive: Metropolitan Police’s handling of aborted child sex abuse case challenged as key abuse witness reveals police informant “stole” details.’

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Daily Telegraph, 24th January 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Hillsborough inquests coroner to begin summing up evidence – The Guardian

Posted January 25th, 2016 in coroners, evidence, health & safety, inquests, news, police, sport by sally

‘The coroner presiding over the fresh inquests into the deaths of 96 Liverpool supporters at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough is to begin summing up the evidence.’

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The Guardian, 25th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Poppi Worthington death file to be reviewed by CPS – BBC News

‘Prosecutors are to review the death of Poppi Worthington after a family court judge ruled her father sexually assaulted her before she died.’

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BBC News, 21st January 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Poppi Worthington’s father flees abroad following death threats – The Guardian

Posted January 22nd, 2016 in child abuse, disciplinary procedures, evidence, families, news, police, sexual offences by sally

‘A father who was publicly identified by a high court judge for sexually assaulting his baby daughter shortly before she died has fled abroad after receiving death threats, his family has said.’

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The Guardian, 21st January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Poppi Worthington death: toddler was sexually assaulted by father, says judge – The Guardian

‘A baby who died in suspicious circumstances had been sexually assaulted by her father just before her death, a judge has ruled.’

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The Guardian, 19th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Regina v R and others – WLR Daily

Posted January 14th, 2016 in appeals, criminal procedure, disclosure, documents, evidence, law reports by sally

Regina v R and others [2015] EWCA Crim 1941; [2015] WLR (D) 552

‘The Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) gave guidance on the proper approach to disclosure of unused material in criminal proceedings where large quantities of documents, in particular electronic documents, were involved, and also on the approach to an abuse of process application where proceedings were delayed because of the disclosure exercise.’

WLR Daily, 21st December 2015

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Anatomy of an Impossible Trial for Child Exploitation – 6 Pump Court

Posted January 13th, 2016 in children, evidence, news, prostitution, sexual offences, witnesses by sally

‘Richard Barraclough QC has written a commentary on a recent case in which he was Leading Counsel for one of the defendants.

The case involved serious sex/trafficking offences, including engaging an honourable and vulnerable girl in prostitution. The case was complex and involved the use of an intermediary. The issues raised in evidence (and the submission of no case) concerned the number and structure of ABE interviews, the use of pre ABE interviews and meetings, the extent to which a victim should be challenged in ABE interviews and the use of pre prepared witness statements where the victim refused to engage in the ABE process.

Reforms are now proposed in relation to the investigation and trial process in this type of case.

The commentary provided by Richard Barraclough QC gives a detailed analysis of the processes involved and the challenges in this type of case with such a vulnerable victim and where the process is so complex.’

Full story(Word)

6 Pump Court, 12th January 2016

Source: www.6pumpcourt.co.uk

Deepcut recruit Cheryl James ‘may have been raped before she died’ – The Guardian

Posted January 12th, 2016 in armed forces, evidence, inquests, news, rape by sally

‘A teenage army recruit who was found dead at a British barracks more than 20 years ago may have been raped or ordered by a superior to have sex, an inquest has been told.’

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The Guardian, 11th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Court of Appeal: immigration age assessments and Merton – UK Human Rights Blog

‘Two recent Court of Appeal cases, heard together, have considered the legality of the immigration detention of those who are, or possibly are, minors. Such cases involve local authority age assessments, which are to be carried out according to the guidance set out in Merton [2003] EWHC 1689 (Admin).’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 6th January 2016

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com