Sentence review bid made for Sara Sharif’s father – BBC News
‘The Solicitor General has decided to appeal against the sentence passed on Sara Sharif’s father as “unduly lenient.”‘
BBC News, 20th January 2025
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: news
Keir Starmer orders public inquiry into Southport attack – The Guardian
‘Keir Starmer has ordered a public inquiry into the failings that allowed an “extremely violent” teenager to murder three young girls in one of the worst attacks on children in recent UK history.’
The Guardian, 20th January 2025
Source: www.theguardian.com
Sacked rogue officers could be reinstated and owed backpay if Met Police loses legal challenge, chief warns – The Independent
‘Rogue officers who were sacked over allegations of domestic and sexual abuse could be reinstated and owed thousands in backpay if the Metropolitan Police loses a High Court challenge over vetting rules, a senior officer has warned.’
The Independent, 17th January 2025
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Why employers must review their employment contracts after 31.12.2024: Legality of clawback clause – EIN Blog
‘As of 31 December 2024, the Home Office introduced significant updates to its guidance for sponsors of Skilled Workers and Temporary Workers. These changes explicitly prohibit employers from passing specific sponsorship costs onto workers, reinforcing compliance requirements for sponsors. This article explores the key updates, legal implications, and best practices for employers to protect their business and sponsor licence.’
EIN Blog, 20th January 2025
Source: www.ein.org.uk
Service of documents – post and deemed service – Nearly Legal
‘D’Aubigny v Khan & Anor (2025) EWCA Civ 11. This is the Court of Appeal judgment. The central issue was whether service by post of a gas safety certificate, EPC and How to Rent Guide was deemed service under i) Section 7 Interpretation Act 1978, ii) the tenancy agreement, or iii) otherwise. The circumstances were that the tenant denied receipt of the documents, such that a subsequent section 21 notice, which was received, was invalid.’
Nearly Legal, 19th January 2025
Source: nearlylegal.co.uk
New UK Procurement Act procedures offer greater flexibility – OUT-LAW.com
‘The Procurement Act 2023 provides greater flexibility, replacing existing procurement procedures with a new competitive flexible procedure (CFP).’
OUT-LAW.com, 17th January 2025
Source: www.pinsentmasons.com
Cassandra Somers-Joce and Joe Tomlinson: When Are Public Bodies Legally Required to Proactively Collect Data? – UK Constitutional Law Association
‘In a recent Administrative Court decision, the Secretary of State for the Home Department was found to be in breach of the Public Sector Equality Duty (the “PSED”), contained in s.149 of the Equality Act 2010, due to failing to collect and monitor statistical equality data relating to the provision of asylum accommodation to vulnerable individuals. The judgment in R (DXK) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2024] EWHC 579 (Admin) (“DXK”) builds upon a developing line of cases which have found that the duty to have ‘due regard’ under the PSED may require a decision maker to proactively obtain information, rather than simply to consider existing information. It also provides an interesting exploration of the relationship between the circumstances in which the PSED will require the collection of information by a public body decision maker, and the common law duty of inquiry.’
UK Constitutional Law Association, 20th January 2025
Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org
Post Office scandal “shows that privilege needs urgent reform” – Legal Futures
‘The Post Office inquiry shows that legal professional privilege (LPP) presents “significant problems of principle and practice” and needs urgent reform, leading academics have argued.’
Legal Futures, 20th January 2025
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Next steps to tackle child sexual exploitation – Home Office
‘Home Secretary Yvette Cooper gave an update on the actions the government will take to protect young people from sexual abuse and grooming gangs.’
Home Office, 16th January 2025
Source: www.gov.uk
In depth: Class action bandwagon checked – Law Society’s Gazette
‘This autumn, it will be exactly 10 years since the Consumer Rights Act ushered in a new class action regime by allowing opt-out collective proceedings over infringements of competition law. The landscape has certainly changed: according to the Class Representatives Network, set up in 2023 by former financial ombudsman and high-profile class representative Walter Merricks CBE, 44 claims under the new regime have so far been filed to the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT).’
Law Society's Gazette, 19th January 2025
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Jailed solicitor’s ex-wife is subject of SFO’s first unexplained wealth order – Law Society’s Gazette
‘The Serious Fraud Office has been granted its first unexplained wealth order to recover a £1.5m Lake District property owned by the ex-wife of convicted solicitor Timothy Schools.’
Law Society's Gazette , 20th January 2025
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Prince Harry versus newspapers: This is the one that matters – BBC News
‘Unless there is a sudden and staggering plot twist, Prince Harry’s legal battle against British tabloids for allegedly unlawfully intruding into his life reaches its most important moment on Tuesday when his claims against The Sun and the long-closed News of the World, come to trial.’
BBC News, 19th January 2025
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Abuse report care pupils felt like ‘troublemakers’ – BBC News
‘Former pupils at a residential school caring for vulnerable young people have said they were ignored when reporting claims of abuse.’
BBC News, 20th January 2025
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Drill rapper who killed schoolboy Jimmy Mizen recalled to prison – The Independent
‘A drill rapper who killed the schoolboy Jimmy Mizen has been recalled to prison after “shamelessly boasting about his violent crime”, the Probation Office said.’
The Independent, 17th January 2025
Source: www.independent.co.uk
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.’
The Guardian, 19th January 2025
Source: www.theguardian.com
Private conversations and standards of propriety: DPP v Cobban – Journal of Media Law
‘This comment considers the decision of the Divisional Court in DPP v Cobban, looking at the application of s 127 of the Communications Act 2003 and the compatibility with Articles 8 and 10 of the ECHR. The comment argues that the decision is significant in imposing a criminal restriction to uphold standards of propriety in relation to a closed conversation between consenting adults. The comment also questions whether the reach of the decision can be limited to a context that involves police officers. The decision points to the limited protection of expression rights and highlights the ongoing problems of s 127 in applying a standard of gross offence in a speech crime.’
Journal of Media Law, 10th January 2025
Source: www.tandfonline.com
Teenager in neo-Nazi satanist group jailed for encouraging suicide online – The Independent
‘A 19-year-old who was part of a neo-Nazi satanist group has been jailed for six years for encouraging girls to die by suicide and self-harm, as well as possession of a document for terrorist purposes.’
The Independent, 16th January 2025
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Privacy law and the dead – a reappraisal – Journal of Media Law
‘Privacy is regarded as a fundamental right that is protected in multiple and varying ways. This cannot be said for privacy of the dead. This article considers the importance of post-mortem privacy and reviews the law of privacy and post-mortem privacy in England and Wales including under the ECHR. It also considers medical confidentiality and whether common arguments that pertain to the dead (e.g. organ donation, burial, testamentary dispositions and posthumous copyright) lend support to post-mortem privacy arguments. This article introduces the concept of post-mortem privacy as envisioned by Harbinja and Edwards, and discusses whether the dead can be legal rights holders with a focus on the Interest Theory of rights. This allows for the discussion of post-mortem theories and harm. It concludes by supplementing Donnelly and McDonagh’s theories on ante-mortem anxiety and Davey’s theory on chilling effects with the jurisprudence of the ECHR to create a new legal right.’
Journal of Media Law, 6th January 2025
Source: www.tandfonline.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.’
The Guardian, 16th January 2025
Source: www.theguardian.com
