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

Concern police will be able to ‘strong-arm’ NHS to hand over patient data under new plans – The Independent

‘Police forces will be able to “strong-arm” NHS bodies into handing over confidential patient data under planned laws that have sparked fury from doctors’ groups and the UK’s medical watchdog.’

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The Independent, 17th October 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Deceived activist Kate Wilson wins tribunal against Met Police – BBC News

‘An activist who was deceived into a relationship with an undercover police officer has won a tribunal case for breaches of her human rights.’

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BBC News, 30th September 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Cressida Dick: Tech giants make it impossible to stop terrorists – BBC News

‘The Metropolitan Police commissioner has accused tech giants of making it harder to identify and stop terrorists.’

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BBC News, 12th September 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Civil liberties groups demand ban of use of facial recognition technology by police – Local Government Lawyer

‘Liberty, Privacy International and 29 other organisations have called for Parliament to ban the use of live facial recognition technology (LFRT) by the police and private companies.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 31st August 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Police powers: detention and custody – House of Commons Library

Posted August 20th, 2021 in custody, detention, investigatory powers, mental health, news, parliament, police by sally

‘This Commons Library briefing paper describes police detention powers and outlines a recent history of their reform. It also describes the police custody estate.’

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House of Commons Library, 19th August 2021

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

New police CCTV use rules criticised as bare bones – BBC News

‘A proposed code of practice covering police use of live facial recognition in England and Wales has been criticised by human rights groups.’

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BBC News 17th August 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Research Briefing: Police powers: detention and custody – House of Commons Library

‘This Commons Library briefing paper describes police detention powers and outlines a recent history of their reform. It also describes the police custody estate.’

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House of Commons Library, 3rd August 2021

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

Rape victims still face police phone trawl, says commissioner – BBC News

‘Proposals for England and Wales mean people who claim to have been raped will still face pressure to hand over their phones to police and prosecutors, says the victims’ commissioner.’

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BBC News, 17th July 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK introducing three laws that threaten human rights, says UN expert – The Guardian

‘Boris Johnson’s government is introducing three pieces of legislation that will make human rights violations more likely to occur and less likely to be sanctioned even as averting climate catastrophe depends on these rights, the UN special rapporteur for human rights and the environment has said.’

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The Guardian, 24th June 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Longer jail terms and stricter monitoring as new terror laws gain Royal Assent – Ministry of Justice

‘The biggest shake-up of terrorist sentencing and monitoring in decades has been granted Royal Assent today (29 April 2021) – giving the courts, police and security services greater powers to protect the public.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 29th April 2021

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Landmark report calls for stop-and-search filming – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Police officers should switch on body-worn cameras whenever they think they might need to stop and search someone, in order to help rebuild trust in the community, the government’s Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities has told the prime minister in a landmark report.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 12th April 2021

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Alexandra Wilson examines the Court of Appeal ‘Encrochat’ judgment: A, B, D & C v Regina [2021] EWCA Crim 128 – 5SAH

‘The Court of Appeal (“the Court”) were asked to determine whether evidence obtained from the EncroChat application (“the EncroChat material”) can be admitted in evidence in criminal proceedings, or whether it is excluded by the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (“the 2016 Act”).’

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5SAH, 25th March 2021

Source: www.5sah.co.uk

MI5 undercover agent policy held lawful – UK Human Rights Blog

‘In Privacy International & Ors v Secretary of State for Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs & Ors [2021] EWCA Civ 330, the Court of Appeal held that the policy which authorises officers of the Security Service (MI5) to run undercover agents who participate in the commission of criminal offences is lawful.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 26th March 2021

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Policing bill: What are the new powers to ‘manage’ protests? – The Independent

Posted March 15th, 2021 in bills, demonstrations, investigatory powers, news, police, sentencing by tracey

‘Governments of whatever party seem to come up with a new “law and order” bill almost every year, and these often turn into great caravans of minor legal changes, many of which are uncontroversial. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which will be debated by MPs on Monday and Tuesday, is the latest of its kind – and it has suddenly become intensely topical because of the debate over the policing of the vigil for Sarah Everard on Saturday.’

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The Independent, 15th March 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk