‘More than a third of victims of domestic violence cannot provide the evidence required to obtain legal aid, according to a parliamentary watchdog.’
The Guardian, 12th March 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘A rapist who preyed on women walking alone is facing jail after admitting crimes spanning nearly 30 years. Mechanic Clive Howard attacked five women in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire between 1986 and 2014. Police believe there may be more victims and are appealing for women targeted by Howard to come forward.’
The Guardian, 11th March 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Regina v Boardman [2015] EWCA Crim 175; [2015] WLR (D) 92
‘A judge was fully entitled to refuse to allow the prosecution to adduce evidence of telephone data records where they had failed to progress the case properly or in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Rules or other direction even though such refusal effectively brought the prosecution to an end. The Court of Appeal would support trial judges in the exercise of their discretion in discharging their case management responsibilities.’
WLR Daily, 26th February 2015
Source: www.iclr.co.uk
‘Judge regrets stopping trial because Muslim man gave evidence having sworn on the Bible instead of the Koran.’
Daily Telegraph, 27th February 2015
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘Evidence drawn up on David Cameron’s orders alleges that Public Interest Lawyers continued to pursue torture and murder claims for a year after realising that they may be “untrue”.’
Daily Telegraph, 1st March 2015
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Regina v Gurpinar; Regina v Kojo-Smith and another [2015] EWCA Crim 178; [2015] WLR (D) 80
Where a defendant was charged with murder and the issue arose as to whether the partial defence of loss of self-control should be left to the jury the trial judge had to undertake a much more rigorous evaluation of the evidence before that defence could be left to the jury than had been required under the former law of provocation.
WLR Daily, 20th February 2015
Source: www.iclr.co.uk
‘A criminal suspect can’t be forced to divulge their phone passcode, a US circuit court judge ruled in October 2014. Yet law enforcement officials can compel a suspect to provide a fingerprint – which they can then use to unlock the phone and obtain data which may prove the case against them.’
The Guardian, 24th February 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘Victims and witnesses will be given more support than ever before with double the number of courtroom experts soon to be available.’
Ministry of Justice, 23rd February 2015
Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice
‘The government has pledged to double the number of experts who help vulnerable witnesses and victims in courts in England and Wales.’
BBC News, 22nd February 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Lord Justice Fulford and Mrs Justice Lang DBE have rejected Rights of Womens much needed challenge against the regulations (regulation 33) on domestic violence. For practitioners who work in the field of domestic violence and for people who care about gender based violence this is a disappointing and somewhat confusing blow.’
The World of Family Law (Garden Court Chambers), 4th February 2015
Source: www.gcfamily.wordpress.com
‘Article 3 of the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992 provided that a dwelling was an exempt dwelling for the purposes of section 4 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 if it fell into Class B: “a dwelling owned by a body established for charitable purposes only, which is unoccupied and has been so for a period of less than sixmonths since the last occupation day, and was last occupied in furtherance of the objects of the charity”. When seeking exemption from council tax under that provision applicants were required to provide sufficient evidence to show that those conditions were satisfied.’
WLR Daily, 29th January 2015
‘Police are to reopen a case into a taxi driver who sexually assaulted three women after the man initially convicted cleared his name. Mohammed Islam, 40, was found guilty of touching the women as he drove them home to north east Wales in his taxi.
But he paid for an expert to enhance CCTV which prosecutors had claimed showed his taxi – and it proved he had not been at the scene.’
BBC News, 2nd February 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Alex Verdan QC, of 4 Paper Buildings, reviews recent important judgments in private law children cases.’
Family Law Week, 28th January 2015
Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk
‘The prosecution of arms-trade protesters who occupied a British drone engines manufacturer has been dropped at the last minute, after the company refused to hand over evidence about its exports of weaponry to Israel, The Independent can reveal.’
The Independent, 30th January 2015
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘The campaign group Rights of Women has been unsuccessful in its judicial review of Regulation 33 of the Civil Legal Aid (Procedure) Regulations 2012 (as amended) which sets out the list of documents which will be accepted as evidence that a legal aid applicant has suffered or is at risk of suffering domestic violence. The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) purports to retain legal aid for victims of domestic violence. However, such funding is only available where at least one of the documents listed in Regulation 33 is submitted to the Legal Aid Agency.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 28th January 2015
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
‘Paul Moffitt is the second juror to cast doubt on the 2008 conviction of the nurse Colin Norris for killing four elderly hospital patients.’
Daily Telegraph, 28th January 2015
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘Sir Brian Leveson, The President of the Queen’s Bench Division publishes his review into efficiency in criminal proceedings today (Friday) with a wide ranging set of recommendations. He was asked by the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Thomas to find ways to make criminal justice more efficient and streamlined.’
Judiciary of England and Wales, 23rd January 2015
Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk
‘At the end of the investigation into the disappearance and death of Alice Gross, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) submitted a report to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). That report proposed that Arnis Zalkalns was responsible for her abduction and murder.’
Corwn Prosecution Service, 27th January 2015
Source: www.cps.gov.uk
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