Prosecutors to press on with manslaughter cases despite Kiena Dawes verdict – The Guardian

‘The not guilty verdict in the trial of a man accused of driving a young mother to suicide will not deter future manslaughter charges, with more such prosecutions already in the pipeline, a senior prosecutor has said.’

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The Guardian, 19th January 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ryan Wellings jailed after partner Kiena Dawes took her own life – The Guardian

‘A violent and controlling “monster” who subjected his late partner, Kiena Dawes, to repeated assaults, bullying and belittling has been jailed for six and a half years.’

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The Guardian, 16th January 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Kiena Dawes: The complex question at case’s heart – BBC News

‘At the heart of the trial had been a complex legal question – can an abuser be held criminally responsible for the death of a victim who has taken their own life?’

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BBC News, 17th January 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The Court of Protection and deprivation of liberty of those under 18 – Mental Capacity Law and Policy

‘The President of the Family Division has set out public-facing Practice Guidance (January 2025) for cases transitioning from the National DOL List (“NDL”) to the Court of Protection. The Practice Guidance is based on the internal guidance used by judiciary and court staff with respect to such cases, which was referred to in the October 2023 NDL national listing protocol guidance.’

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Mental Capacity Law and Policy, 13th January 2025

Source: www.mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.org.uk

Mental Health Bill – Joint Committee on Human Rights call for evidence – Mental Capacity Law and Policy

‘The Joint Committee on Human Rights is undertaking scrutiny of the Mental Health Bill to assess its compatibility with international and domestic human rights standards. The Committee has a call for evidence closing on 24 January 2025.’

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Mental Capacity Law and Policy, 12th January 2025

Source: www.mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.org.uk

Coroner issues warning about antidepressants after suicide of royal’s husband – The Guardian

Posted January 13th, 2025 in coroners, inquests, media, mental health, news, royal family, suicide by sally

‘A coroner has issued a warning about the effects of antidepressants prescribed by a Buckingham Palace doctor to the son-in-law of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent before his suicide.’

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The Guardian, 10th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Father who set himself alight on indefinite jail term refused hospital care as family loses hope – The Independent

‘A father who has developed paranoid schizophrenia and psychosis in prison after serving almost 13 years for stealing a phone will not be transferred to a secure hospital, his devastated family has learnt.’

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The Independent, 3rd January 2025

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Father who killed newborn son gets hospital order – BBC News

Posted December 17th, 2024 in children, families, homicide, hospital orders, mental health, news, sentencing by tracey

‘A man who killed his three-week-old baby while suffering from the onset of a severe psychotic illness has been given a hospital order.’

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BBC News, 16th December 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Court of Protection Update – December 2024 – Local Government Lawyer

‘Emily Price analyses two recent Court of Protection cases that concerned the treatment of long-term relationships.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 13th December 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Providing support for children with complex needs – Local Government Lawyer

‘Alex Ruck Keene KC (Hon) examines a recent High Court case concerning the Mental Health Act, “detainability,” and judicial scrutiny (and the real underlying problems of children with complex needs).’

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Local Government Lawyer, 13th December 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Mental health trust could lose its licence – BBC News

Posted December 10th, 2024 in homicide, hospital orders, hospitals, licensing, mental health, news, reports by tracey

‘NHS England says the mental health trust that treated the killer who carried out the Nottingham attacks must attend monthly progress meetings to discuss improvements or face losing its licence.’

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BBC News, 10th December 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Are anonymity orders involving protected parties in peril? – 7BR

Posted December 5th, 2024 in anonymity, children, elderly, mental health, news, reporting restrictions by tracey

‘The very detailed judgment citing the extensive caselaw in this area in the case of PMC (a child by his mother and litigation friend FLR) v A Local Health Board on 22nd November 2024 [2024] EWHC 2969 (KB) could have very important implications for what solicitors should do when issuing proceedings and particularly those proceedings involving protected parties.’

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7BR, 29th November 2024

Source: www.7br.co.uk

Judge rejects application by local authority for declaration in dispute between council and health board over responsibility for care of 15 year old – Local Government Lawyer

‘A High Court judge has rejected a local authority’s application for a declaration from the court that because a vulnerable young person was detainable under the provisions of the Mental Health Act 1983, the court did not have jurisdiction to grant a Deprivation of Liberty (DoL) order pursuant to the inherent jurisdiction.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 25th November 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Widow of gambling addict lambasts watchdog’s failure to investigate suicides – The Guardian

Posted November 22nd, 2024 in bereavement, gambling, inquests, mental health, news, ombudsmen, suicide by sally

‘The widow of a man who took his own life after becoming addicted to gambling says more people will die because the regulator is refusing to investigate suicides linked to the addiction.’

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The Guardian, 21st November 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

An update on the law of infanticide: a review of cases over the past 20 years by the Cambridge Pro-Bono Project – Doughty Street Chambers

‘Under Section 1(1) of the Infanticide Act 1938 a woman may be charged with infanticide or raise it as a defence to murder under Section 1(2). It is a significant piece of legislation that can only be committed by a woman against her biological child which must be under 12 months old, and arises in circumstances where she is accused of causing the death of the infant by wilful act or omission at a time when the “the balance of her mind was disturbed by reason of her not having fully recovered from the effect of giving birth to the child or by reason of the effect of lactation consequent upon the birth of the child.”’

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Doughty Street Chambers, 11th October 2024

Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk

Children case law update: November 2024 – Local Government Lawyer

‘Sarah Hutchinson summarises recent Family Division rulings on an application by a father for a boy subject to a care order to be circumcised, and an application by an NHS for permission for NG feeding and restraint in respect of a 12-year old girl with anorexia nervosa.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th November 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Capacity and civil proceedings – Local Government Lawyer

‘Holly Tibbits examines new recommendations from a working group of the Civil Justice Council on determining capacity to litigate in civil proceedings.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th November 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Man detained under Mental Health Act after two fatal stabbings in Manchester – The Guardian

Posted November 18th, 2024 in detention, mental health, murder, news by tracey

‘A man in his 20s has been arrested on suspicion of a double murder after two men were fatally stabbed in Manchester. The 23-year-old suspect has been detained under the Mental Health Act after being assessed by medical professionals, Greater Manchester Police said on Sunday evening.’

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The Guardian, 17th November 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Mental Capacity Report – November 2024 – 39 Essex Chambers

‘Mental Capacity Report – November 2024’

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39 Essex Chambers, 1st November 2024

Source: www.39essex.com

Health, Welfare and Deprivation of Liberty Report – November 2024 – 39 Essex Chambers

Posted November 14th, 2024 in chambers articles, Court of Protection, medical treatment, mental health, news by tracey

‘In the Health, Welfare and Deprivation of Liberty Report: anticipatory declarations; systemic failure in considering PDOC patients, and the CQC and DoLS.’

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39 Essex Chambers, 1st November 2024

Source: www.39essex.com