SRA under fire for ignoring ‘legal intimidation’ tactics – Law Society’s Gazette

‘An MP yesterday criticised the Solicitors Regulation Authority for failing to sanction lawyers who were facilitating “legal intimidation” on behalf of a Russian warlord. Lloyd Hatton, a member of the all-party anti-corruption parliamentary group, said regulators were allowing lawyers to be used as “hired guns” by rich and powerful clients.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 7th March 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

‘Revenge porn’ abusers allowed to keep devices with explicit images – The Guardian

‘Perpetrators of “revenge porn” offences are being allowed to keep explicit images of their victims on their devices, after a failure by prosecutors to obtain orders requiring their deletion.’

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The Guardian, 22nd February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Taxi drivers “operating” within an area – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 19th, 2025 in licensing, local government, news, prosecutions, taxis by tracey

‘A council has been ordered to pay the costs of an “improper” prosecution of a private hire operator. Matt Lewin explains why.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 18th February 2025

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Bits of interest – Nearly Legal

‘A couple of brief notes on things of interest.’

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Nearly Legal, 16th February 2025

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

CPS updates deaths in custody legal guidance – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted February 3rd, 2025 in Crown Prosecution Service, death in custody, news, police, prosecutions by tracey

‘Stephen Parkinson, Director of Public Prosecutions, said: “Criminal prosecutions brought against police officers for actions taken in the course of their duties are extremely rare and these decisions are only made after careful consideration of all the relevant evidence and circumstances.’

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Crown Prosecution Service, 31st January 2025

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

How Are Health And Safety Offences Prosecuted In England And Wales? – 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square

Posted January 15th, 2025 in chambers articles, health & safety, local government, news, prosecutions by tracey

‘Tanveer Qureshi has written an informative article on health and safety offences prosecuted in England and Wales.’

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4-5 Gray’s Inn Square, 9th January 2025

Source: www.4-5.co.uk

Prosecutors publish updated ‘deception as to sex’ guidance – Crown Prosecution Service

‘Updated prosecution guidance, which clarifies the law on when deceiving someone or failing to disclose birth sex could affect consent in rape cases, has been published today by the Crown Prosecution Service.’

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Crown Prosecution Service, 13th December 2024

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Ealing comedy. Getting statutory nuisance very wrong – Nearly Legal

Posted December 16th, 2024 in local government, magistrates, news, nuisance, prosecutions by tracey

‘Ferko v Ealing Magistrates Court & Ors (2024) EWHC 2592 (Admin). This was an appeal by case stated to the High Court from a decision of Ealing Magistrates Court on a statutory nuisance/section 82 Environmental Protection Act 1990 prosecution. It is also a remarkable illustration of just how wrong the Magistrates can get such a prosecution, as well as being a helpful primer to constituent elements of an EPA prosecution case.’

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Nearly Legal, 15th December 2024

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

CPS sets out Action Plan to tackle disproportionality in charging decisions – Crown Prosecution Service

‘An ambitious plan to tackle racial disproportionality and safeguard fair prosecution decision-making for all has been published today by the Crown Prosecution Service.’

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Crown Prosecution Service, 28th November 2024

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Domestic abuse cases rarely convicted, data shows – BBC News

Posted November 28th, 2024 in domestic violence, news, police, prosecutions, statistics by sally

‘Fewer than half of domestic abuse cases in England and Wales end up as police-recorded crimes, and most of these do not lead to a prosecution, government figures suggest.’

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BBC News, 27th November 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Law firm’s poor work did not undermine rapist’s conviction – Legal Futures

‘The Court of Appeal has upheld the safety of a man’s conviction for rape despite the Legal Ombudsman criticising his solicitors’ poor conduct of the case.’

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Legal Futures, 25th November 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Why didn’t police prosecute ‘brutal’ abuser linked to Church of England? – BBC News

‘John Smyth’s death in 2018 meant an “appalling abuser” associated with the Church of England escaped justice for crimes stretching back decades. Smyth used his role in a Christian charity to assault over 100 children and young men – and the Archbishop of Canterbury resigned after being criticised in a scathing report earlier this month. Now, an advocate for the victims of John Smyth tells the BBC the police were not “sufficiently curious” when told about him.’

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BBC News, 17th November 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Council prosecutes pair after finding licensed taxi business used unlicensed taxi driver – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 12th, 2024 in licensing, local government, news, prosecutions, taxis by tracey

‘Two men have been prosecuted by Lichfield District Council after licensing officers caught a licensed taxi company handing business to a driver without a taxi licence.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 11th November 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Only one in 10 sexual assault survivors in England and Wales would report crime again, survey shows – The Guardian

Posted November 12th, 2024 in mental health, news, police, prosecutions, rape, sexual offences, statistics, victims by tracey

‘Rape victims in England and Wales have echoed the message of Gisèle Pelicot in France that “shame belongs to perpetrators, not them”, in the largest ever survey of rape and sexual assault survivors, according to the government’s key adviser on the crime.’

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The Guardian, 12th November 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Police watchdog lead defends Chris Kaba decision – BBC News

‘The man who led the investigation into the shooting of Chris Kaba has defended the decision that led to a firearms officer being unsuccessfully tried for murder.’

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BBC News, 4th November 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Crown Prosecution Service launches Go Prosecute – a brand-new barrister development programme – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted October 30th, 2024 in barristers, Crown Prosecution Service, news, pilot schemes, prosecutions by tracey

‘Go Prosecute, a brand-new development programme for newly qualified barristers to gain invaluable prosecution experience, has been launched by the Crown Prosecution Service.’

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Crown Prosecution Service, 28th October 2024

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Lucy Letby: police and CPS handling of case raises new concerns about convictions – The Guardian

‘When the public inquiry into the crimes of the former nurse Lucy Letby opened in Liverpool last month its chair, Lady Justice Thirlwall, dismissed concerns about the safety of the convictions as “noise”. The judge cautioned that questions being raised were increasing the distress of parents whose children had died or been harmed.’

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The Guardian, 10th October 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Crime victims in UK fight ‘devastating’ practice that stops appeal after a case is dropped – The Guardian

‘A “draconian” practice that stops crime victims challenging last-­minute decisions to drop their cases is leading to miscarriages of justice and must urgently be reformed, campaigners say.’

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The Guardian, 21st September 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

CPS twice did not prosecute Fayed over sex abuse claims – BBC News

‘The Crown Prosecution Service has said that it twice considered bringing charges against ex-Harrods owner Mohammed Al Fayed but concluded there was no realistic prospect of a conviction.’

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BBC News, 22nd September 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Women ‘disheartened’ by UK decision to halt Harvey Weinstein charges – The Guardian

‘Women who were key to exposing the disgraced Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein have told of their frustration at the decision by UK prosecutors to discontinue two indecent assault charges against him.’

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The Guardian, 15th September 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com