‘More than 1,500 people seek asylum in the UK on sexuality grounds every year.
The Home Office’s decision on whether to grant or refuse it depends on whether the interviewer finds the asylum-seeker’s account authentic and believable – but each interviewer may have his or her own assumptions about what an authentic and believable account should look like.’
BBC News, 26th February 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Two recent cases have required the High Court and Court of Appeal to consider in detail the use by local authorities of different powers contained in the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (“ASBCPA”) to limit or prevent protests that have contained a strong religious or moral element. To what extent are the courts prepared to sanction the use of these powers in relation to types of activities that perhaps would not immediately spring to mind when the words “anti-social behaviour” are heard? The answer, in two words, is “very prepared”, judging by the decisions in the cases of Dulgerhiu v London Borough of Ealing [2019] EWCA Civ 1490 and Birmingham City Council v Asfar [2019] EWHC 3217 (QB).’
UK Police Law Blog, 27th January 2020
Source: ukpolicelawblog.com
‘Homophobic hate crimes in London have increased by 55% in five years, prompting calls for changes to the law. Latest figures show there were 3,111 hate crimes based on sexual orientation in the 12 months up to October. Shaun Bailey, the Conservative candidate for mayor of London, called for new laws and tougher sentencing for homophobic attacks.’
BBC News, 10th January 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Reynhard Sinaga is thought to be the UK’s most prolific rapist ever. For several years, until he was caught in 2017, he preyed on young men enjoying a night out.’
BBC News, 6th January 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘A man convicted of 159 sex offences and said to be Britain’s most prolific rapist can be identified for the first time after the end of his latest trial.’
BBC News, 6th January 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘A 16-year-old boy has been sentenced for an attack on a female couple on a London bus.’
The Independent, 19th December 2019
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘Three teenagers have been jailed for numerous robberies and assault of men who had been enticed via one of the largest social media dating apps, Grindr.’
Crown Prosecution Service, 11th December 2019
Source: www.cps.gov.uk
‘A British Falklands war veteran has been given his medals back and received an apology from the Ministry of Defence after being forced out of the navy over his sexuality.’
The Guardian, 10th December 2019
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Legal action is being launched in a dispute between the National Theatre and a group of lesbian claimants.’
Daily Telegraph, 8th December 2019
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘Birmingham City Council v Afsar & Ors [2019] EWHC 3217 (QB) was a claim by the Council for injunctions to restrict street protests about Anderton Park Infant and Junior School and to prohibit online abuse of teachers at that school.’
Law & Religion UK, 2nd December 2019
Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com
‘A 17-year-old boy has been sentenced to a four-month youth rehabilitation order for his part in the harassment and intimidation of two women on a late-night London bus in an incident which became the focus of concerns about the targeting of LGBTQ+ people.’
The Guardian, 29th November 2019
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘A high court judge has said activists protesting against LGBT equality lessons had “grossly misrepresented” what was being taught to children as he ruled that they would be permanently banned from demonstrating directly outside a Birmingham primary school.’
The Guardian, 26th November 2019
Source: www.theguardian.com
The draft Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) Regulations 2019 (“the Regulations”) was the first item of the secondary legislation within the Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration etc) Act 2019 (“the Act”) to achieve the necessary approval of both Houses under the affirmative resolution procedure. It was also the last item of debated business before parliament was dissolved on 6 November. Through section 2(2) of the Act the regulations were subject to a “sunset clause” which required them to be in force by the end of December, and as such, only limited time was available for its scrutiny and approval; this left a number of items of unfinished business, and these are summarized below.
Law & Religion UK, 18th November 2019
Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com
‘A jury will look at whether “prejudice” played a part in how police initially treated the deaths of serial killer Stephen Port’s victims, a coroner has ruled.’
Daily Telegraph, 15th November 2019
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘In R (ota Z) v LB of Hackney & Agudas Israel Housing Assoc Ltd [2019] EWCA Civ 1099, the court considered a challenge to the housing policies of a charitable provider of social housing in Hackney. Accommodation was allocated by the Housing Association only to members of the Orthodox Jewish community in the Stamford Hill area of London. The Divisional Court found that ‘there are very high levels of poverty and deprivation [amongst the Orthodox community], with associated low levels of home ownership … there is a strong correlation between the evidenced poverty and deprivation and the religion’. It also found that the arrangements for allocating housing which placed Orthodox Jews in a primary position to enable them both to avoid the disadvantages and to meet the needs. This would be unlawful discrimination under the Equality Act 2010 unless there was an appropriate exception.’
Littleton Chambers, 21st October 2019
Source: www.littletonchambers.com
‘City council asks high court for permanent exclusion zone around Anderton Park primary.’
The Guardian, 14th October 2019
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Two years ago the “Turing law” was passed to right a historic injustice by pardoning gay men convicted in the past because of their sexuality. But fewer than 200 living people have had their convictions wiped out so far. What’s going wrong?’
BBC News, 30th September 2019
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘A christian campaigner will this week challenge a High Court ruling, which he believes bans anyone from criticising on social media teaching by staff at a primary school at the centre of a row over LGBT relationships.’
Daily Telegraph, 11th September 2019
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘Fewer people are being prosecuted for homophobic hate crimes despite rising numbers of potential victims coming forward, figures suggest.’
BBC News, 11th September 2019
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
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