Curry house owner jailed after falsely claiming £41,000 benefits which wife spent on designer clothing – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 12th, 2014 in benefits, fraud, news, sentencing by sally

‘Mohammed Chowdhury claimed he only worked 16 hours a week as a waiter but owned an Essex tandoori restaurant which made £400,000 a year.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 12th May 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Barnes (as former Court Appointed Receiver) (Appellant) v The Eastenders Group and another (Respondents) – Supreme Court

Barnes (as former Court Appointed Receiver) (Appellant) v The Eastenders Group and another (Respondents) [2014] UKSC 26 (YouTube)

Supreme Court, 8th May 2014

Source: www.youtube.com/user/UKSupremeCourt

City fraud cases on brink of collapse in growing row over legal aid cuts – The Guardian

‘The biggest City fraud cases since the crash of 2008 are close to collapsing because of the government’s cuts to legal aid. The refusal of barristers to work at the government’s new low rates has already led to Judge Anthony Leonard throwing out charges against five men accused of conning investors out of their savings by selling them land at grotesquely inflated prices.’

Full story

The Guardian, 10th May 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Serious fraud trial abandoned because of cuts to legal aid for defence representation – UK Human Rights Blog

‘A judge has halted a serious fraud trial after defendants claimed they could not get adequate representation because cuts to legal aid, and as a result they would not get a fair trial under common law or Article 6 of the Convention. This case could be the first of a number of reversals following the government’s legal aid reforms with seven further trials due to start before September 2015 involving 28 defendants in similar positions.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 6th May 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Top police officer blames £11,000 crime spree on brain injury – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 6th, 2014 in crime, fraud, news, personal injuries, police by tracey

‘A senior police officer who carried out a series of frauds on high street stores and travel companies blamed her crime spree on a brain injury as she was jailed for two and a half years.’

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Daily Telegraph, 6th May 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Postman took millions meant for City firms – BBC News

Posted May 6th, 2014 in fraud, news, postal service, sentencing, theft by tracey

‘Ajaz Budi, 33, wept uncontrollably as he was sentenced at the Old Bailey for stealing cheques ranging from £50 to £110,000 at Mount Pleasant, London.’

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BBC News, 2nd May 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Operation Cotton – what next? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

‘When does the same Government that decides to prosecute someone have an obligation to ensure that that individual has representation? That was the question that HHJ Leonard had to answer at Southwark Crown Court on 1 May 2014. The case is called “Operation Cotton” and, as the argument proceeded, featured five legally aided defendants. The argument got more media attention this week than it perhaps otherwise would because the legally aided defendants were represented by Alexander Cameron QC, who happens to be the brother of the Prime Minister (Cameron QC was acting for free, which his brother would surely applaud as an example of the “Big Society” in action).’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 1st May 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Barristers’ legal aid rebellion ‘risks collapse’ of top fraud cases – The Guardian

Posted May 2nd, 2014 in barristers, budgets, fees, fraud, legal aid, news, trials by tracey

‘A series of high-profile fraud prosecutions are at risk of collapse after a crown court judge halted a trial because specialist barristers are refusing to represent defendants in protest at 30% cuts in legal aid fees.’

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The Guardian, 1st May 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Serious fraud trial halted amid legal row – BBC News

Posted May 1st, 2014 in barristers, fraud, legal aid, legal representation, news, trials by sally

‘A judge has halted a serious fraud trial after defendants claimed they could not get adequate representation because of cuts to legal aid.’

Full story

BBC News, 1st May 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Women in burial and fraud case must repay £90,000 – BBC News

‘Two women who were jailed after burying a man in a garden and claiming his benefits have been ordered to repay almost £90,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act.’

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BBC News, 28th April 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lawyer steals £134,000 from clients to fund ‘obsession’ with younger woman – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 29th, 2014 in fraud, news, sentencing, solicitors, theft by sally

‘Solicitor who stole from his clients to fund attraction to younger woman sentenced to prison.’

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Daily Telegraph, 28th April 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Woman who said she had agoraphobia but led ‘globetrotting lifestyle’ jailed – The Guardian

Posted April 24th, 2014 in benefits, fraud, news, sentencing, social services by tracey

‘A woman who claimed she was trapped at home in the UK by agoraphobia but in fact led a lavish globetrotting lifestyle has been jailed for falsely claiming benefits.’

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd April 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judge condemns ‘ludicrously low’ sentencing powers as benefits cheat jailed – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 24th, 2014 in benefits, fraud, judges, news, sentencing, social services by tracey

‘A judge condemned her own sentencing powers as “ludicrously low” as she ordered a woman who fraudulently claimed £40,000 in benefits to repay the money at a rate of £10 a week and said it was unlikely the total would ever be recovered.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 23rd April 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Public and private law wrongs are not the same – Court of Appeal – UK Human Rights Blog

‘ Tchenguiz v. Director of the Serious Fraud Office [2014] EWCA Civ 472, 15 April 2014. This judgment is a neat illustration of how important it is to keep the concepts of public law and private law unlawfulness separate – they do not necessarily have the same legal consequences.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 15th April 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Fraudster jailed for £4m boiler room scam – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 15th, 2014 in conspiracy, fraud, news, sentencing by tracey

‘John Curtin, one of five conspirators convicted for their roles in a £4 million boiler room scam, was jailed for three years yesterday. The 38 year old was the last of the five conspirators to be jailed. Brian James O’Brien, Lynne Jane D’Albertson, James Py and Damien Rodney Smith were sentenced in 2012.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 15th April 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Paul Schmidt jailed for neglecting elderly mother – BBC News

‘A man has been jailed for 20 months for neglecting his elderly mother and defrauding her of thousands of pounds.’

Full story

BBC News, 7th April 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

R v O’Brien (Appellant) – Supreme Court

R v O’Brien (Appellant) [2014] UKSC 23 (YouTube)

Supreme Court, 2nd April 2014

Source: www.youtube.com/user/UKSupremeCourt

Fraudster spent 20 years pretending to be a barrister and brain surgeon – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 2nd, 2014 in barristers, forgery, fraud, news by sally

‘Serial conman Amir Saleem was eventually caught out when he successfully represented a client in court and won, despite having no legal qualifications.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 1st April 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Facebook status used to catch Exeter benefits cheat – BBC News

Posted March 17th, 2014 in benefits, fraud, internet, news, sentencing by tracey

‘A married benefits cheat who swindled £65,000 by claiming she was a single mother was caught after investigators checked her Facebook status, Exeter Crown Court has heard.’

Full story

BBC News, 14th March 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

G4S repays UK government £108.9m after tagging scandal – BBC News

‘Troubled security firm G4S has agreed to repay £108.9m plus tax to the UK government after overcharging on contracts to tag offenders.’

Full story

BBC News, 12th March 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk