Michael Bennison trial stopped over ‘lost’ DNA evidence – BBC News

Posted October 11th, 2013 in attempted murder, attempts, DNA, evidence, murder, news, wounding by sally

“The trial of a man for the attempted murder of a woman in York has been abandoned after DNA evidence was lost.”

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BBC News, 9th October 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Michael Moss killing: Ex-partner Collette Booth arranged attack – BBC News

Posted October 9th, 2013 in assault, evidence, homicide, news, sentencing, telecommunications, video recordings by sally

“A woman who arranged for two men to attack her former partner has been jailed for manslaughter.”

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BBC News, 8th October 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Witness evidence – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted October 8th, 2013 in evidence, news, witnesses by sally

“A good witness statement can greatly improve the chances of success in any case, whereas conversely a poorly drafted one can undermine what may otherwise be a potentially strong claim or defence. Andy Lane reports on a recent Chancery Division authority which serves as a timely reminder to us all.”

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Hardwicke Chambers, 2nd October 2013

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

Jeremy Forrest trial: No action to be taken against woman over perverting the course of justice claim – The Independent

“No further action will be taken against a woman who was suspected of trying to pervert the course of justice in connection with the case of jailed teacher Jeremy Forrest.”

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The Independent, 7th October 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

New Zealand businessman Mark Lundy set for retrial after 12 years in jail as he wins appeal in UK court over murder conviction

Posted October 8th, 2013 in evidence, murder, news, Privy Council, retrials by sally

“A businessman sentenced to life imprisonment for the murders of his wife and daughter in New Zealand had his conviction quashed by a British court today following the emergence of new evidence.”

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The Independent, 7th October 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Child sexual abuse victims are being failed by courts, says NSPCC – The Guardian

“Children giving evidence in court in sexual abuse cases need to be given more support because many suffer from stress before a trial, the NSPCC has said.”

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The Guardian, 5th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Balancing the Niqab in the Courtroom on the Head of a Pin: the Case of D(R) – The Barristers’ Hub

Posted October 1st, 2013 in courts, evidence, freedom of expression, Islam, news, women by sally

“Professor Susan Edwards, following recent judicial guidance and debate on the wearing of the niqab, provides both expert and legal opinion on the issue.”

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The Barristers’ Hub, 1st October 2013

Source: www.barristershub.co.uk

Newlyweds jailed after honeymoon burglaries – BBC News

Posted September 30th, 2013 in burglary, evidence, news, sentencing, video recordings by sally

“A newlywed couple who began their honeymoon by ransacking the home of a pensioner have been jailed.”

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BBC News, 27th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Councils using CCTV to fine motorists for parking to be made illegal – The Independent

Posted September 27th, 2013 in closed circuit television, evidence, fines, local government, news, parking by tracey

“Councils in England could be banned from using CCTV cameras and ‘spy cars’ to hand motorists parking fines under new government proposals.”

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The Independent, 27th September 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Police ‘containment’ of Palestinian solidarity protester was lawful, rules High Court – UK Human Rights Blog

“The High Court has found that the containment of a protester in a designated protesting pen for seventy five minutes was not unlawful at common law, nor under the Human Rights Act 1998.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 24th September 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Experts acclimatise to tougher post-Jackson life – Litigation Futures

Posted September 25th, 2013 in appeals, evidence, expert witnesses, fees, news, proportionality by sally

“The post-Jackson climate for expert witnesses is ‘leaner and meaner’, according to a leading observer of their work.”

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Litigation Futures, 25th September 2013

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Niqab court ruling: a classic exercise in reasonableness – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

“In 1894 Edward Marshall Hall KC defended the Austrian-born prostitute Marie Hermann, charged with the murder of a client whose body she hid in a trunk. The jury acquitted of murder and convicted of manslaughter after what has become his most famous jury speech ending with, ‘Look at her, gentlemen of the jury, look at her. God never gave her a chance, won’t you?’ The personalities may have changed and the language less flowery but the basic principle of a jury trial is the same – we judge our peers on the evidence and that is the evidence presented in court. This includes our assessment of other human beings, not just what they say but how they say it.”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 25th September 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Surprise bid to put Shrien Dewani on trial in Britain – The Guardian

“Lawyers for Shrien Dewani, the honeymoon murder suspect, are to ask British prosecutors to consider bringing a case against him in a dramatic attempt to avoid a trial in South Africa.”

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The Guardian, 21st September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Veils in court – should they be allowed? – Legal Week

Posted September 20th, 2013 in courts, evidence, freedom of expression, Islam, news, women by sally

“The media have been riveted in recent days by a drama in Blackfriars Crown Court, where a defendant charged with intimidating a witness refused to remove her full-face veil or ‘niqab’.”

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Legal Week, 19th September 2013

Source: www.legalweek.com

CCTV in Employment Tribunal Proceedings – No. 5 Chambers

“Caroline Jennings explores the use of CCTV as evidence in the Employment Tribunal.”

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No. 5 Chambers, 16th September 2013

Source: www.no5.com

Veils and ignorance: defendant not allowed to wear niqaab when giving evidence – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted September 19th, 2013 in courts, evidence, freedom of expression, human rights, identification, Islam, news, trials, women by sally

“The ruling by HHJ Murphy in Blackfriars Crown Court this Monday that a defendant in a criminal trial should not be allowed to wear a niqaab (face veil) whilst giving her evidence has prompted calls for a public debate about the wearing of face veils in public more generally. Adam Wagner has already commented on the case here. A summary and analysis of the decision follows below.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 18th September 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

The Niqaab issue is too important to be left to liberal instinct – UK Human Rights Blog

“Yesterday, before His Honour Judge Peter Murphy ruled that a female Muslim defendant in a criminal trial must remove her face-covering veil (niqaab) whilst giving evidence, Home Office Minister Jeremy Brown said he was ‘instinctively uneasy’ about restricting religious freedoms, but that there should be a national debate over banning the burka.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 17th September 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Wearing veil should be the woman’s choice, says Theresa May – The Guardian

Posted September 18th, 2013 in courts, evidence, freedom of expression, Islam, news, religious discrimination, women by sally

“The government should not tell women what to wear, the home secretary has said, amid ongoing debate over the use of full-face veils.”

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The Guardian, 17th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.com

Muslim woman must remove veil to give trial evidence – BBC News

“A Muslim woman can stand trial wearing a full-face veil but must remove it to give evidence, a judge has ruled.”

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BBC News, 16th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Niqabs in court: should full-face veils be banned? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

“We’re finally up against it now, aren’t we? After years of dancing round the issue, the law is finally called upon to make a specific ruling on the wearing of the niqab. So let’s make sure we know what we are talking about, because without a doubt there will be proponents and opponents alike who seek to interpret the decision (whatever it may be) to suit their cause.”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 16th September 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk