Skippers and boat owners fined £200,000 over black fish scam – The Guardian

Posted January 7th, 2009 in fines, fisheries, news, quotas by sally

“Owners and skippers of six vessels that work out of one of Britain’s most important fishing ports weretoday ordered to pay more than £200,000 for fiddling catch quotas.”

Full story

The Guardian, 6th January 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Homophobic abuse is unlawful regardless of victim’s sexuality, court rules – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 7th, 2009 in harassment, homosexuality, news by sally

“A person does not need to be gay to be protected against homophobic abuse in the workplace, the Court of Appeal has ruled. The ruling extends harassment legislation to situations where someone is teased for being something they clearly are not.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 6th January 2009

Source: www.out-law.com

£6m of sick miners’ awards went to Arthur Scargill’s union – The Times

Posted January 7th, 2009 in compensation, industrial injuries, miners, news, trade unions by sally

“Arthur Scargill’s trade union was paid more than £6 million by a firm of solicitors that deducted the money from compensation awarded to sick miners for industrial disease, a tribunal was told.”

Full story

The Times, 7th January 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Home Office flouted guidelines in 10 ways over knife crime statistics – The Guardian

Posted January 7th, 2009 in crime, news, offensive weapons, statistics by sally

“The early release of knife crime statistics by the Home Office last month flouted new official guidelines in 10 different ways, the UK statistics authority said today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 6th January 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

One in five fear record checks will not protect children – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 7th, 2009 in child abuse, criminal records, news by sally

“One in five people fear a criminal records check will not protect children from being groomed by paedophiles, a poll for the Home Office shows.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 6th January 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Daily Cause List, 6th January 2009

Posted January 6th, 2009 in news by sally

Tuesday 6th January 2009

Source: www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk

Please note only the current day’s list will be accessible.

Hard times spark falling-out of partners in leading law firms – The Times

Posted January 6th, 2009 in law firms, news, partnerships by sally

“Once regarded as secure for life, partners in Britain’s leading law firms are now being presented with a stark choice: prove your worth or leave. Almost 2,000 of them could go.”

Full story

The Times, 6th January 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Photographers criminalised as police ‘abuse’ anti-terror laws – The Independent

Posted January 6th, 2009 in news, police, stop and search, terrorism by sally

“Fury as stop-and-search powers are used to block and confiscate legal pictures.”

Full story

The Independent, 6th January 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Crime maps delivered on internet – BBC News

Posted January 6th, 2009 in crime, internet, news, statistics by sally

“Residents of England and Wales can now access online maps which plot recorded crime in their neighbourhood.”

Full story

BBC News, 6th January 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Recovering drug addict walks free from court after 145 crimes – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 6th, 2009 in drug abuse, news, rehabilitation by sally

“A recovering drug addict who owned up to 145 crimes has walked free from court after a judge ruled his ‘substantial progress’ earned him the right to rehabilitate in freedom.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 5th January 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

EAT rules law firms can force partners to retire – The Times

Posted January 6th, 2009 in law firms, news, retirement by sally

“Law firms will be able to enforce a mandatory retirement age for partners following a landmark ruling that clarifies how age discrimination laws apply to partnerships.”

Full story

The Times, 5th January 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Police ‘encouraged’ to hack more – BBC News

Posted January 6th, 2009 in computer crime, investigatory powers, news, police by sally

“The Home Office has signed up to an EU strategy against cybercrime that ‘encourages’ police across Europe to remotely access personal computers.”

Full story

BBC News, 5th January 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Daily Cause List, 5th January 2009

Posted January 5th, 2009 in news by sally

Monday 5th January 2009

Source: www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk

Please note only the current day’s list will be accessible.

Consultation paper on principles of sentencing for youths – Sentencing Guidelines

Posted January 5th, 2009 in news, sentencing, young offenders by sally

“On Thursday 18 December the Sentencing Advisory Panel issued a consultation paper on the principles that should guide courts when sentencing those under the age of 18 convicted of a criminal offence. This consultation paper follows the recent Panel consultation Overarching Principles of Sentencing, which similarly considered a wide range of issues of general principle relating to the sentencing of adult offenders.”

Consultation paper on principles of sentencing for youths (PDF)

Sentencing Guidelines Council, 19th December 2008

Source: www.sentencing-guidelines.gov.uk

Divorce rate to hit new peak – The Independent

Posted January 5th, 2009 in divorce, news by sally

“Record numbers of couples are expected to end their relationships this month as lawyers report a boom in divorces. The stresses of Christmas and financial pressures brought on by the recession could lead to two million couples seeking legal advice this year, according to law firms.”

Full story

The Independent, 2nd January 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Government clashes again with its own drug advisers about downgrading ecstasy – The Guardian

Posted January 5th, 2009 in drug offences, news by sally

“The government’s drug advisers are to recommend ecstasy be downgraded to a class B drug, in a report due to go before ministers at the end of the month.”

Full story

The Guardian, 5th January 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Courts martial reforms outlined

Posted January 5th, 2009 in courts martial, news by sally

“Prosecutors and military police are to forge closer links as part of a reformed courts martial system.”

Full story

BBC News, 2nd January 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Call to stop ex-ministers cashing in on contacts – The Independent

Posted January 5th, 2009 in news, parliament, remuneration by sally

“Former ministers can exploit loose and ambiguous guidelines on lobbying to cash in ‘with impunity’ on their inside knowledge of Westminster, a Commons committee warns.”

Full story

The Independent, 5th January 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

UK should take in more Guantánamo prisoners to help close camp, says Goldsmith – The Guardian

Posted January 5th, 2009 in news, prisons, terrorism by sally

“Britain should be prepared to accept prisoners from Guantánamo Bay if it would help the US close the camp, Lord Goldsmith, Tony Blair’s former attorney general, said today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd January 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Disabled rights delay criticised – BBC News

Posted January 5th, 2009 in disability discrimination, disabled persons, news by sally

“The UK government has been criticised for failing to bring new rights for disabled people into law.”

Full story

BBC News, 4th January 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk