Stop and search: the controversial police power – BBC News

‘Stop and search is a controversial police power to stop, question and search a person who is suspected of doing something illegal, including carrying drugs.’

Full Story

BBC News, 7th December 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Court of Appeal to hear facial recognition technology challenge – Law Society’s Gazette

‘A Cardiff resident who lost a High Court challenge over police deployment of automated facial recognition technology has been given permission to take his case to the Court of Appeal.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 20th November 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Account ForfeitureOrder Notices – The Administrative Method – Drystone Chambers

‘The idea behind Account Forfeiture Order Notices is that it makes it easier for law enforcement to forfeit recoverable property, or property that is to be used in unlawful conduct, without going to court. The powers should only be used where there is no likelihood that the forfeiture will be objected to. Although these seem simple provisions there are a lot of possible issues, such as the length of notice, who and how it is served, if it is reasonable to serve one in the first place, and if forfeiture occurs, if it can be set aside by an aggrieved party at a later date.’

Full Story

Drystone Chambers, October 2019

Source: drystone.com

Government consults on new police powers to criminalise unauthorised encampments – Home Office

‘The government will launch a consultation on proposals to give police new powers to arrest and seize the property and vehicles of trespassers who set up unauthorised caravan sites.’

Full press release

Home Office, 3rd November 2019

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Police may have used ‘dangerous’ facial recognition unlawfully in UK, watchdog says – The Independent

‘Facial recognition technology may have been used unlawfully by police, a watchdog has warned while calling for urgent government regulation.’

Full Story

The Independent, 1st November 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

When “maybe” isn’t good enough: orders for production of journalistic material – Panopticon

Posted October 30th, 2019 in disclosure, evidence, investigatory powers, media, news, police by sally

‘The efforts of the Beeb in the Divisional Court have clarified the conditions to be satisfied before a Court can require journalistic material be produced in criminal cases.’

Full Story

Panopticon, 29th October 2019

Source: panopticonblog.com

Stop and search up by almost a third in England and Wales – The Guardian

‘The number of stop and searches carried out by police officers in England and Wales has increased by 32% in a year, official figures have shown.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 24th October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK and US sign landmark Data Access Agreement – Home Office

‘Home Secretary Priti Patel last night (Thursday 3 October) signed an historic agreement that will enable British law enforcement agencies to directly demand electronic data relating to terrorists, child sexual abusers and other serious criminals from US tech firms.’

FUll press release

Home Office, 4th October 2019

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

British police to demand data from US tech giants directly after delays to paedophile investigations – The Independent

‘British police and intelligence agencies will be able to demand suspects’ social media data directly from American technology giants under a new agreement signed with the US government. The Home Office said the landmark agreement would speed up investigations into alleged terrorists, paedophiles and serious criminals.’

Full Story

The Independent, 4th October 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Facial Recognition Technology: High Court gives judgment – UK Human Rights Blog

‘R (Bridges) v Chief Constable of South Wales Police and Secretary of State for the Home Department [2019] EWHC 2341 (Admin). The High Court has dismissed an application for judicial review regarding the use of Automated Facial Recognition Technology (AFR) and its implications for privacy rights and data protection.’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 12th September 2019

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

The implications of ‘bulk hacking’ – Henderson Chambers

‘Corporate Crime analysis: Matthew Richardson, barrister at Henderson Chambers, examines the concept of ‘bulk hacking’ by intelligence services and some of the legal implications, in light of the latest judicial review challenge by Liberty.’

Full Story

Henderson Chambers, 9th August 2019

Source: www.hendersonchambers.co.uk

Lip-reading CCTV will have people ‘cupping hands over their mouths’ in street, warns surveillance watchdog – Daily Telegraph

‘People will be left “cupping their hands over their mouths” in the street if new lip-reading CCTV is not reined in, the Government’s surveillance watchdog has warned. Tony Porter, the Surveillance Camera Commissioner, said in future people would have to guard their conversations from prying cameras in the same manner as football managers on live TV, unless ministers act to regulate emerging intrusive technologies.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 27th August 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Monitoring of mobile phones – rights groups challenge police – The Guardian

‘The refusal by police forces to disclose whether they are exploiting covert surveillance technology to track mobile phones is to be challenged at a tribunal next week.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 20th August 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Courts to get anti-knife crime powers with Asbo-style orders for children as young as 12 – The Independent

‘Courts will be given extra powers to impose rules and curfews on anyone aged 12 or over who may be carrying a knife, the Home Office has announced. The Asbo-style powers, called knife crime prevention orders (KCPOs), are civil orders that can be imposed on people who the courts believe pose a threat to the public through the use of a bladed weapon. The powers will be introduced as part of the Offensive Weapons Act, which is attempting to tackle knife crime and serious violence.’

Full Story

The Independent, 18th August 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

NCA freezes £100m suspected to be from corruption overseas – The Guardian

‘More than £100m suspected to have been imported to the UK from bribery and corruption overseas has been frozen following a court order obtained by the National Crime Agency.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 14th August 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Metropolitan Police ‘making excuses’ over report into Carl Beech investigation – Daily Telegraph

‘Scotland yard has claimed it cannot publish the unredacted report into its handling of Operation Midland because to do so could reveal covert policing methods and help criminals.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 31st July 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Liberty loses high court challenge to snooper’s charter – The Guardian

‘The human rights group Liberty has lost its latest high court challenge against the government’s mass surveillance powers.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 29th July 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Police may have broken law during Carl Beech investigation – ex-judge – The Guardian

‘A retired high court judge, whose review found a catalogue of failings in Scotland Yard’s £2.5m inquiry into false claims about a VIP paedophile ring made by a former nurse, says the police may have broken the law during their investigation.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 30th July 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Child covert intelligence lawful, says the High Court – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted July 23rd, 2019 in children, human rights, investigatory powers, news, privacy, young persons by sally

‘In rejecting the claim of Just for Kids Law, Mr Justice Supperstone affirmed that the legal framework for deploying juvenile covert human intelligence sources (JCHIS) was lawful and adequately safeguarded the child’s welfare.’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 22nd July 2019

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Stop and search is discriminatory, so why is it on the rise? – The Guardian

‘The first stop and search Jamal ever experienced was when he was 11 years old. Now, at 24, he has been stopped numerous times. Most recently, a stop became aggressive and he was hit in the face with handcuffs, but was charged and convicted with assaulting an officer. There is little evidence stop and search works in combating violent crime, but critics say it disproportionately targets young black men.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 12th July 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com