Louise Smith death: Covid-19 restrictions ‘could have prevented appropriate support’ – BBC News

‘A teenager killed in a “sexually-motivated” murder did not receive appropriate support after reporting being raped, a review has found.’

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BBC News, 25th January 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judge married to Tory grandee refuses to recuse herself in ex-MP case – Legal Futures

Posted January 24th, 2022 in families, judges, news, parliament, rape, recusal, sexual offences by sally

‘A High Court judge married to a senior Conservative politician refused to recuse herself from dealing with a contact dispute that involved a disgraced ex-Tory MP, it has emerged.’

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Legal Futures, 24th January 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Dispute with priest threatens to mire Oxford college in scandal – Financial Times

Posted January 24th, 2022 in Christianity, compensation, employment, harassment, news, sexual offences, universities by sally

‘The head of one of Oxford university’s grandest colleges has indicated that he will agree to step down after a long-running dispute in a deal that includes a £1.5m pay-off and the settlement of a sexual harassment claim against him.’

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Financial Times, 21st January 2022

Source: www.ft.com

Barry Bennell abuse claim falls on limitation and vicarious liability – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted January 20th, 2022 in child abuse, news, sexual offences, sport, vicarious liability by sally

‘TVZ and Ors v Manchester City Football Club Ltd [2022] EWHC 7 (QB). Barry Bennell was a football coach who sexually abused a number of boys in the 1980s. He is serving a sentence of 34 years imprisonment and, at the age of 68, is likely to die in jail. The Claimants in this case were his victims. Mr Justice Johnson described each as a ‘remarkable’ men, courageously giving evidence and some waiving their rights to anonymity determined to do everything they could to encourage others to come forward and ensure Bennell was prosecuted and, ultimately, convicted. The issue in this case was not the veracity of their account – the judge made is explicitly clear they were believed and the Defendant did not question the fact the abuse had occurred. The dispute was whether civil liability attached to Manchester City football club for the abuse committed by Bennell. There were two fundamental hurdles for the Claimants: limitation and vicarious liability. On the particular facts, the court found that they failed to overcome both.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 19th January 2022

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Jail for police officer who tried to meet girl, eight, and had indecent images – The Independent

‘A police officer who was caught trying to arrange the abuse of an eight-year-old girl and accessed indecent images of a vulnerable teenager has been jailed for eight years and four months.’

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The Independent, 12th January 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Bristol strip club ban ‘will put dancers in danger’ – BBC News

Posted January 12th, 2022 in consultations, local government, news, sexual offences, women by sally

‘Closing strip clubs in Bristol will push the sex industry underground and put dancers “into more danger”, a woman who works one of the venues says.’

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BBC News, 11th January 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Bennell victims to appeal after losing High Court case against Manchester City – The Independent

Posted January 11th, 2022 in appeals, child abuse, news, sexual offences, sport, victims by sally

‘Eight men who were abused by paedophile Barry Bennell more than 30 years ago have said they will appeal after losing a High Court case against Manchester City.’

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The Independent, 10th January 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Barry Bennell: Men lose case against Manchester City over abuse – BBC News

Posted January 10th, 2022 in child abuse, children, employment, news, sexual offences, sport, vicarious liability by sally

‘Eight men who sued Manchester City after saying they were abused by paedophile Barry Bennell more than 30 years ago have lost a High Court fight.’

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BBC News, 10th January 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lord Ahmed: Former peer guilty of child sex offences – BBC News

Posted January 6th, 2022 in attempts, child abuse, news, rape, sexual offences by sally

‘A former Labour peer has been found guilty of sexual offences against two children in the 1970s.’

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BBC News, 5th January 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Barry Bennell: Victim secures settlement from holiday park – BBC News

‘A man groomed by paedophile Barry Bennell while on holiday at Butlin’s has secured a five-figure settlement from the company’s previous owners.’

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BBC News, 5th January 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Law Commission to review the trial process for sexual offences – Law Commission

Posted January 4th, 2022 in criminal procedure, evidence, Law Commission, news, rape, sexual offences by sally

‘The Law Commission has today [17 December 2021] launched a project to review how evidence is used in prosecutions of sexual offences, and to counter misconceptions about sexual harm (“rape myths”).’

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Law Commission, 17th December 2021

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Pardons extended to all abolished same-sex crimes – BBC News

Posted January 4th, 2022 in homosexuality, news, pardons, sexual offences by sally

‘More people will be eligible for a pardon for historical criminal convictions relating to homosexual activity, the government has said.’

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BBC News, 4th January 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Dewsbury couple jailed after police child sex offences sting – BBC News

‘A sex offender caught trying to meet children in an undercover police sting has been jailed for 12 years.’

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BBC News, 20th December 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judge calls for ban on drunken Royal Naval parties after jailing sailor for raping colleague – The Independent

Posted December 17th, 2021 in alcohol abuse, armed forces, imprisonment, judges, news, rape, sexual offences, victims by michael

‘A judge has said there should be a ban placed on parties involving “excessive drinking” in the Royal Navy after a sailor was jailed for raping a female colleague following a party at a hotel. ‘

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The Independent, 16th December 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Vicarious liability for sexual abuse again: Hugh Kennedy – Law & Religion UK

Posted December 16th, 2021 in clergy, news, Scotland, sexual offences, teachers, trusts, vicarious liability by sally

‘In Hugh Kennedy against (First) The Right Reverend Paul Bonnici, (Second) The Right Reverend James Warren Cuthbert Madden and (Third) Denis Alexander [2021] ScotCS CSOH 106, the pursuer brought an action for personal injury as a consequence of alleged sexual and physical abuse which, he averred, he had suffered while he was a boarder in the mid-1970s at Fort Augustus Boarding School. The school, which was run by a Benedictine community, had closed nearly 30 years ago, the trust associated with the community’s Abbey had been wound up some ten years ago and the then trustees may have been discharged. The trustees at the material time were all dead. The pursuer averred that, nevertheless, the then trustees had held indemnity insurance in respect of his claim and he sued the two surviving trustees for the purposes of meeting his claim from the trust estate comprised of the (presumed) right of indemnity under that insurance [1]. He claimed that the third defender, Denis Alexander, a monk and teacher at the school, had been his principal abuser and that he had also been abused by two lay teachers, both now dead [2]. In July 2021, Alexander had been convicted inter alia of lewd and libidinous conduct against the pursuer [4] and sentenced to four years and five months imprisonment.’

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Law & Religion UK, 14th December 2021

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

‘Determined’ Carlisle paedophile jailed in vigilante snare – BBC News

Posted December 14th, 2021 in child abuse, news, sexual grooming, sexual offences, telecommunications by sally

‘A “determined paedophile” who sent sexual messages to what he thought was a 14-year-old girl has been jailed.’

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BBC News, 14th December 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Rape victims with minor criminal convictions blocked from financial compensation – The Independent

Posted December 14th, 2021 in compensation, criminal records, news, rape, sexual offences, victims by sally

‘Hundreds of sexual assault and rape victims with minor criminal convictions are being denied financial compensation, The Independent can reveal.’

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The Independent, 13th December 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Serious sexual offender sentenced to 32 years after being found guilty of 158 offences – Crown Prosecution Service

‘An online blackmailer who forced children to engage in sexual activity and sold that material on has been sentenced to 32 years today (10 December 2021) at Birmingham Crown Court.’

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Crown Prosecution Service, 10th December 2021

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Ex-Tory minister Andrew Griffiths raped his wife, family court judge finds – The Independent

‘A former Conservative minister has been found to have raped and physically abused his wife by a family court judge who considered evidence at a private trial.’

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The Independent, 10th December 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Rape ‘scorecards’ reveal CPS will miss prosecution targets – The Guardian

‘Rape “scorecards” published for the first time reveal that the Crown Prosecution Service will miss performance targets dictated by the government after a collapse in prosecutions for the crime.’

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The Guardian, 9th December 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com