‘With ever-increasing cutbacks to our legal system, it’s of little surprise that the expensive area of forensic science has been targeted for cost reduction. As such, the introduction of streamlined forensic reporting (SFR) tries to introduce a more cost-effective response to the discovery of forensic material which might link a person to a crime scene.’
Park Square Barristers, 26th March 2015
Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk
‘A man who spent 17 years in prison for attempted rape before having his conviction quashed on the basis of a DNA test is suing the miscarriage of justice watchdog for negligence. It is claimed the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) repeatedly failed to undertake forensic analysis of the victim’s clothing, instead relying on the assurances of the same police force that investigated the case.’
The Independent, 15th March 2015
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘Evidence from an independent forensic scientist will form the centrepiece of a rare election fraud trial opening at the High Court on Monday.’
Daily Telegraph, 1st February 2015
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘A man with a fetish for older women has been jailed for life for the murder of a pensioner in her Cornwall home. Patrick Curran was 27 when he strangled 74-year-old widow Joan Roddam at her home in Delabole, in November 2003.’
BBC News, 27th January 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘The Appeal Court has allowed a Libyan man to proceed with legal action against the British government, despite the government’s claim that the case could damage relations with the United States. Joshua Rozenberg discusses the implications.’
BBC Law in Action, 4th November 2014
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘The major piece of criminal law legislation for 2014 is the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act. It has been brought gradually into force throughout the year.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 3rd November 2014
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘The Rt. Hon. The Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales gave the 2014 CBA Kalisher Lecture on the 14 October 2014.’
Judiciary of England and Wales, 16th October 2014
Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk
‘Expert witnesses are being subjected to greater scrutiny by the criminal courts, despite the government’s refusal to implement safeguards recommended by its own law reform advisers.’
The Guardian, 15th October 2014
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘Lie detector tests monitoring the behaviour of released sex offenders across England and Wales have begun this week, amid calls for the technology to be used more widely in police investigations.’
The Guardian, 8th August 2014
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Regina (Nunn) v Chief Constable of Suffolk Constabulary: [2014] UKSC 37; [2014] WLR (D) 265
‘Where, after a defendant’s trial had ended in his conviction, material came to light which might cast doubt on the safety of the conviction, the prosecutors’ duty of disclosure required him to disclose that material to the defendant, unless there were good reason not to do so, and, where there was a real prospect that further inquiry might reveal such material, to make that inquiry. There was, however, no indefinitely continuing duty on police or prosecutors to respond to whatever inquiries the defendant might make for access to case materials to allow re-investigation.’
WLR Daily, 18th June 2014
Source: www.iclr.co.uk
‘A man serving life in prison for murdering his ex-girlfriend has lost his fight to have forensic exhibits retested.’
BBC News, 18th June 2014
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Supreme Court, 18th June 2014
‘A salesman serving life in prison for murdering his former girlfriend will today find out the result of his Supreme Court fight to have key forensic exhibits retested.’
The Independent, 18th June 2014
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘Lord Leveson has warned against people believing crimes are solved just by forensic scientists and not by people coming forward, like they are on television’
Daily Telegraph, 25th May 2014
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘Cuts in legal aid are creating chaos in the family courts, according to legal experts, who warn that the resulting delays are having a serious impact on the children of warring parents.’
The Guardian, 29th March 2014
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘David Bedingfield of 4 Paper Buildings charts the recent history of scientific research into serious non-accidental head injuries suffered by babies and the response of the family and criminal courts in England and Wales.’
Family Law week, 11th March 2014
Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk
‘A man who spent 17 years behind bars after being wrongly convicted of a sexual assault has been freed by the court of appeal after DNA evidence pointed to another man as the perpetrator.’
The Guardian, 13th December 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘Cases of identical twins being tried for the same crime may never happen again after a scientific breakthrough found there are subtle differences in their DNA.’
Daily Telegraph, 11th December 2013
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“A consultation on strengthening the powers of the Forensic Science Regulator has been launched today.”
Home Office, 8th November 2013
Source: www.gov.uk/home-office
“Technical evidence can sometimes be crucial to judicial decisions and this case shows how dramatic the consequences are for a family if evidence is unreliable. If the respondent in this case had not put probity before its commercial interests, a mother would have been deprived of the care of her child. Hence the importance of publishing the judgment.”
UK Human Rights Blog, 25th October 2013
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
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