Undercover policing: MPs demand reforms – BBC News

Posted March 1st, 2013 in families, investigatory powers, news, police, select committees by sally

“Abuses connected with undercover police activities show that an urgent review is
needed of laws covering such work in England and Wales, MPs have said.”

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BBC News, 1st March 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Whistleblowers and press ‘threatened by proposed new police powers’ – The Guardian

Posted February 14th, 2013 in consultations, investigatory powers, media, news, police, whistleblowers by sally

“The government is proposing to make it easier for the police to seize confidential material from journalists, it emerged on Wednesday night. Legal experts warned that the plans risked trampling on long-standing protections from the state.”

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The Guardian, 13th February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

iPhone used to bring child sex attacker William Walker to justice – BBC News

“A tattooist who raped a child has been jailed after his victim recorded a
conversation with him 20 years later.”

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BBC News, 11th February 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

AKJ and others v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and another; AJA and others v Same and others – WLR Daily

AKJ and others v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and another; AJA and others v Same and others [2013] EWHC 32 (QB); [2013] WLR (D) 49

“An intimate sexual relationship instigated by an undercover police officer with a member of the public for the purposes of obtaining information fell within the scope of ‘personal or other relationship with a person’ for the purposes of section 26(8) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 so that, by section 65, the Investigatory Powers Tribunal had exclusive jurisdiction to hear a claim brought against the police under the Human Rights Act 1998.”

WLR Daily, 18th January 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Regulators warned over covert surveillance of businesses thought to be selling age-restricted products to children – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 4th, 2013 in codes of practice, investigatory powers, news, privacy, young persons by sally

“Enforcement bodies have been warned about disproportionately invading traders’
privacy when carrying out checks over the way age-restricted products are sold.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 1st February 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Undercover police damages cases to be heard in secret – BBC News

“Women who say they were tricked into sexual relationships with undercover police
officers will have their cases heard in secret, a judge has ruled.”

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BBC News, 17th January 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judge to rule on whether police spy case should be held in open – The Guardian

“A high court judge is due to announce on Thursday morning whether police chiefs have won a controversial case involving undercover spies they infiltrated into political campaigns.”

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The Guardian, 17th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Police DNA sample powers ‘used against gay men’ – BBC News

Posted January 15th, 2013 in DNA, homosexuality, investigatory powers, news, police by sally

“Police powers to force offenders to give DNA samples have been used against gay men convicted of old homosexuality laws, it has been claimed.”

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BBC News, 14th January 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Kinloch v HM Advocate – WLR Daily

Kinloch v HM Advocate: [2012] UKSC 62; [2012] WLR (D) 385

“Since unauthorised police surveillance of a person engaged in criminal activity in public places did not infringe that person’s right to respect for his private life under article 8 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the Lord Advocate, in adducing evidence obtained by means of such unauthorised surveillance at the trial of that person, had not acted incompatibly with his right to a fair trial under article 6(1) of the Convention, and had accordingly acted within his powers under section 57(2) of the Scotland Act 1998, as amended. However, the question whether the police had acted incompatibly with a Convention right was not a devolution issue within paragraph 1(d) of Schedule 6 to the Scotland Act 1998 and therefore could not be determined under the Supreme Court’s devolution jurisdiction.”

WLR Daily, 19th December 2012

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Metropolitan police pays out over flawed rape investigation – The Guardian

Posted December 13th, 2012 in compensation, investigatory powers, London, news, police, professional conduct, rape by sally

“The Metropolitan police has made a landmark compensation payout over a flawed rape investigation by one of its elite Sapphire sexual assault units.”

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The Guardian, 13th December 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Q&A: Communications Data Bill – BBC News

Posted December 11th, 2012 in bills, electronic mail, internet, investigatory powers, news, telecommunications by sally

“The government’s draft Communications Data Bill details plans to increase the amount of data gathered about the web and mobile habits of anyone in the UK.”

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BBC News,

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Snooper’s charter’ faces rough ride through parliament – The Guardian

“Civil liberties are said to have been the political glue that brought the two coalition parties together before the general election, and nothing joined them more strongly than their joint opposition to Labour’s ‘Big Brother’ database.”

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The Guardian, 11th December 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Internet surveillance will save lives, says Theresa May – Daily Telegraph

“Lives will be saved by new internet powers allowing security services and police to snoop on emails, web visits and social networking sites, Home Secretary Theresa May has said.”

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Daily Telegraph, 3rd December 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Judge considers his verdict in women’s legal action over undercover officers – The Guardian

“Judge is considering whether the case of the women who say they were duped into forming long-lasting sexual relationships with undercover officers should be heard in High Court.”

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The Guardian, 26th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Women to sue police over spy relationships – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 19th, 2012 in damages, investigatory powers, misfeasance in public office, news, police by sally

“Women who claim they were tricked into forming intimate relationships with undercover officers from the Metropolitan Police are taking legal action against the force.”

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Daily Telegraph, 19th November 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Update on recent Tribunal decisions part 1: the evolving approach to vexatiousness and manifest unreasonableness – Panopticon

Posted November 5th, 2012 in disclosure, freedom of information, investigatory powers, news, reasons by sally

“In recent months, the major information law issues have involved the government’s vetoing disclosure of the Prince Charles ‘black spider’ letters, its response to the draft new EU Data Protection Regulation, a number of Article 8 decisions concerning police and criminal records and changes to RIPA. On this last point, note that as of last Thursday, local authorities require a magistrate’s approval for authorising directed surveillance.”

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Panopticon, 4th November 2012

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

Noisy neighbours may be protected by new law to stop council snooping – The Guardian

“A new law to stop councils using counter-terrorism powers to snoop on people is thwarting efforts to tackle noisy neighbours, according to environmental health experts.”

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The Guardian, 4th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

This spying bill is against privacy and democracy. And it won’t work – The Observer

“Should the Communications Data Bill become law, it will be an intervention too far from the surveillance state.”

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The Observer, 9th September 2012

Source: http://observer.guardian.co.uk

Public consultation on ‘web snooping’ plans ends – BBC News

Posted August 23rd, 2012 in consultations, electronic mail, internet, investigatory powers, news by sally

“Members of the public have a final chance to have their say on plans to store all their web browsing and social media data for 12 months.”

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BBC News, 23rd August 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

News Corporation directors could face charges for neglect of duties – The Guardian

“Directors within Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation could face corporate charges and prosecution for neglect of their duties, in plans that are being examined by the Crown Prosecution Service.”

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The Guardian, 31st July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk