Victims of rape have only 1.4 per cent chance of the case being solved, new figures show – Daily Telegraph

‘Theft and rape are among ten offences where the chances of cases being solved has fallen to below one in 50 or two per cent, the lowest rates on record, an analysis of new Home Office figures reveals.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 27th July 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

New Victims’ commissioner sparks row with prosecutors as she says policy of taking rape victims’ phones is being used to discredit them – Daily Telegraph

‘The new Victims’ Commissioner has sparked a row after accusing prosecutors and police of taking “irrelevant” personal information from rape victims’ phones that discredits them.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 24th July 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Capacity to consent to sexual relations: obscurity illuminated? – Transparency Project

‘The intimate life of a woman, who is known to the public only by the initials NB, is the subject of a case in the Court of Protection which attracted headlines earlier this year. A further judgment has recently been published, following an interim judgment published in May.’

Full Story

Transparency Project, 23rd July 2019

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

‘Rape cases dropped’ over police phone search demands – BBC News

‘Rape and sexual assault complainants say police have stopped investigating their cases after they refused to reveal up to seven years of phone data.’

Full Story

BBC News, 23rd July 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

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

Facial recognition trials should stop, MPs say – The Independent

Posted July 19th, 2019 in bills, facial mapping, forensic science, news, police, privacy by sally

‘Police forces must stop using facial recognition technology until a legal framework for its use is set up, MPs have said.’

Full Story

The Independent, 19th July 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Transgender man who gave birth loses high court privacy ruling – The Guardian

‘The first transgender man to give birth and seek to be called the child’s father has lost a high court case to protect his privacy despite warning that he and his child could be victimised and bullied as a result.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 16th July 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

BA faces record £183m fine over data breach – The Guardian

‘British Airways is set to be fined more than £183m by the Information Commissioner’s Office over a customer data breach, the company said.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 8th July 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Police face calls to end use of facial recognition software – The Guardian

‘Police are facing calls to halt the use of facial recognition software to search for suspected criminals in public after independent analysis found matches were only correct in a fifth of cases and the system was likely to break human rights laws.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 3rd July 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Watchdog criticises ‘chaotic’ police use of facial recognition – The Guardian

‘Police forces are pushing ahead with the use of facial recognition systems in the absence of clear laws on whether, when or how the technology should be employed, a watchdog has said.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 27th June 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Rape victims may not report attacks because of ‘intrusive’ phone demands, watchdog warns – The Independent

‘Rape victims may not report attacks because of “intrusive” demands for their mobile phones and personal records, a report has warned. Baroness Newlove, the outgoing victims’ commissioner for England and Wales, said there had been a “breakdown in confidence between victims of sexual violence and the criminal justice system”.’

Full Story

The Independent, 27th June 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Mike Gordon: Privacy International, Parliamentary Sovereignty and the Synthetic Constitution – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘The case of R (Privacy International) v Investigatory Powers Tribunal is the latest in a series of high profile judicial engagements with the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty. The case concerned the legal status of s.68(7) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, and in particular, whether this provision constituted a successful attempt to oust the jurisdiction of the High Court to hear challenges to the decisions of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal by judicial review.’

Full Story

UK Constitutional Law Association, 26th June 2019

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Revenge porn and ‘cyber-flashing’ laws go under review – The Guardian

‘Victims of revenge porn may be given automatic anonymity in court under a government-initiated review of online harassment that could recommend criminalising “cyber-flashing” and “deepfake” images.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 26th June 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Data collection leads to discrimination and self-censorship, MPs told – The Guardian

‘Widespread data collection practices lead to self-censorship and discrimination even though most users are not fully aware of how much their privacy is being infringed, a parliamentary committee has been warned.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 19th June 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Online pornography checks for under-18s ‘face new delay’ – BBC News

Posted June 20th, 2019 in children, delay, EC law, internet, news, notification, pornography, privacy, young persons by sally

‘An age-check scheme designed to stop under-18s viewing pornographic websites is expected to be delayed for a second time. The changes – which mean UK internet users may have to prove their age – were due to start on 15 July after already being delayed from April 2018. While the government has not officially confirmed the postponement, it is expected to announce on Thursday that the date will be pushed back again. The reason for the delay is not clear.’

Full Story

BBC News, 20th June 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Legal challenge launched against decision not to prosecute man who filmed woman naked – The Independent

‘Campaigners have launched a judicial review to challenge the decision not to prosecute a man who secretly filmed a sleeping naked woman.’

Full Story

The Independent, 18th June 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Fingerprint case highlights importance of biometric policies and consent – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 13th, 2019 in fingerprints, news, privacy, unfair dismissal by sally

‘An unfair dismissal case has highlighted the need for companies to update policies and procedures and to obtain full consent before using biometric data in the workplace.’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 11th June 2019

Source: www.out-law.com

MI5 engaged in ‘extraordinary and persistent illegality’ whilst handling personal data, High Court hears – Daily Telegraph

‘MI5 has been unlawfully holding people’s data collected through surveillance or hacking programmes, the high court has been told.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 11th June 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Police demanded rape victim’s phone and medical records despite identifying attacker by DNA – The Independent

‘Police demanded the mobile phone and personal records of a woman who was raped by a stranger eight years ago – even after identifying her attacker using DNA evidence.’

Full Story

The Independent, 10th June 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Facial recognition tech: watchdog calls for code to regulate police use – The Guardian

‘The information commissioner has expressed concern over the lack of a formal legal framework for the use of facial recognition cameras by the police. A barrister for the commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, told a court the current guidelines around automated facial recognition (AFR) technology were “ad hoc” and a clear code was needed.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 23rd May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com