How clean is your cash? – Mountford Chambers

‘Fatima Jama examines the Court of Appeal’s decision in R (World Uyghur Congress) v National Crime Agency [2024] EWCA Civ 715, and its implications.’

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Mountford Chambers, 16th July 2024

Source: www.mountfordchambers.com

MI5 does not have to confirm abusive man was a spy – BBC News

‘The security service can continue to neither confirm nor deny whether a man who attacked his girlfriend with a machete was an MI5 agent, judges have ruled.’

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BBC News, 16th July 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The racialised harm of police strip searches – Runnymede Trust

‘Runnymede Trust analysis of new Home Office strip search data shows that Black people are disproportionately strip searched by nearly all police forces in England and Wales. Black children are 6.5 times more likely than white children, and Black adults 4.7 times more likely than white adults, to be strip searched by police.’

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Runnymede Trust, June 2024

Source: cdn.prod.website-files.com

Investigatory powers enhanced to keep people safer – Home Office

Posted April 29th, 2024 in government departments, investigatory powers, news, police by tracey

‘New laws to protect our citizens from threats such as terrorism and child sexual abuse have been passed as part of an update to the Investigatory Powers Act 2016.’

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Home Office, 25th April 2024

Source: www.gov.uk

Thousands of children strip-searched by police in England and Wales last year – The Guardian

Posted April 22nd, 2024 in children, investigatory powers, news, police, race discrimination, statistics by sally

‘More than 60 children a week are being strip-searched by police in England and Wales, with those who are black, Asian or mixed race significantly more likely to be targeted, new figures reveal.’

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The Guardian, 21st April 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Paul F Scott: Spying on Parliamentarians -UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted April 18th, 2024 in interception, investigatory powers, news, parliament, telecommunications by sally

‘The Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill was introduced into Parliament before Christmas, starting in the House of Lords, to which it will shortly return for consideration of Commons amendments. Generally, the progress of the Bill, much of which implements recommendations made by Lord Anderson of Ipswich in his review of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 of June 2023, has been smooth. This post considers an issue which has been the focus of a large portion of the attention the Bill has received during the Parliamentary process – the change being made to the law permitting the surveillance of parliamentarians – and the logic it might be thought to reflect.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 17th April 2024

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Strip searches: Watchdog urges police to be ‘proportionate’ with children – BBC News

Posted March 20th, 2024 in children, investigatory powers, news, police, proportionality, school children by sally

‘Police officers strip-searching children should ensure they act in a sensitive and proportionate way, a watchdog has said.’

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BBC News, 19th March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Police watchdog refuses to back use of stop and search without suspicion – The Guardian

‘The official inspectorate has refused to back police use of powers to stop and search people without suspicion, finding that chiefs cannot explain why black people are 12 times more likely to be targeted.’

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The Guardian, 15th December 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Met Police: Communities traumatised by stop and search – BBC News

Posted October 13th, 2023 in investigatory powers, London, news, police, race discrimination, racism, stop and search by tracey

‘A senior Metropolitan Police officer says stop and search, when done poorly, has traumatised communities in London. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan said the force recognised it needed a “reset”.’

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BBC news, 13th October 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Met police admit overusing powers to strip-search children after IOPC inquiry – The Guardian

‘Scotland Yard has admitted overusing its power to strip-search children after four of its officers were told they would face disciplinary proceedings over allegations that their search of a 15-year-old black schoolgirl known as Child Q was inappropriate and amounted to discrimination owing to her race and sex.’

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The Guardian, 14th September 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Lord Anderson publishes review of Investigatory Powers Act – Home Office

‘Lord Anderson has published his independent review of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016.’

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Home Office, 30th June 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Police urged to use stop and search to save more lives – Home Office

‘Police leaders must make sure their officers are confident to use stop and search powers wherever necessary, to seize dangerous weapons and prevent knife crime.’

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Home Office, 20th June 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Home Office faces legal claims over seizure of asylum seekers’ phones – The Guardian

‘The Home Office faces a wave of legal claims after the UK’s surveillance watchdog found a blanket policy of seizing thousands of asylum seekers’ mobile phones caused “significant harm”.’

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The Guardian, 4th June 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Better protection for rape victims from invasive record requests – Home Office

‘The Home Office will legislate to protect people, including rape victims, from unnecessary requests for personal records.’

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Home Office, 20th January 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

News focus: Big Brother watch – time for intercept evidence to be admissible in court? – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 20th, 2022 in admissibility, encryption, evidence, investigatory powers, news, telecommunications by tracey

‘Intercepts remain inadmissible as evidence, which makes our jurisdiction an outlier. Is it time to allow their use, when this could boost transparency and build public confidence?’

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Law society's Gazette, 20th September 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Patel calls on MPs to back ‘vitally important’ changes to espionage laws – The Independent

‘The UK cannot be “passive in the face of malign covert activity” from hostile states, Home Secretary Priti Patel is expected to say, as she calls on MPs to back “vitally important measures” to overhaul espionage laws and bolster security powers.’

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The Independent, 6th June 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Home Secretary permanently lifts restrictions on police stop-and-search powers – The Independent

‘The Home Secretary is permanently lifting restrictions placed on police in the use of stop-and-search powers as part of the Government’s strategy to tackle violent crime.’

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The Independent, 16th May 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Boost for public safety as four justice bills receive Royal Assent – Ministry of Justice

‘The government delivers on its pledge to protect the public better and restore confidence in the criminal justice system as four major bills became law today (28 April).’

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Ministry of Justice, 28th April 2022

Source: www.gov.uk

Research briefing: Police powers: an introduction – House of Commons Library

Posted October 25th, 2021 in crime prevention, criminal justice, investigatory powers, news, parliament, police by tracey

‘This commons library briefing paper introduces a series on police powers.’

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House of Commons Library, 21st October 2021

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

Is Prevent a waste of time? – Daily Telegraph

‘As the counter-terrorism programme comes under scrutiny again following the killing of Sir David Amess, is it fit for purpose?’

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Daily Telegraph, 18th October 2021

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk