Facebook’s Instagram ‘failed self-harm responsibilities’ – BBC News

‘Children’s charity the NSPCC has said a drop in Facebook’s removal of harmful content was a “significant failure in corporate responsibility”.’

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BBC News, 19th November 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

More Likely Than Not: The Civil Standard of Proof Applies to All Short-Form and Narrative Conclusions at Inquests – Ropewalk Chambers

Posted November 19th, 2020 in coroners, inquests, news, standard of proof, suicide, Supreme Court, verdicts by sally

‘By a majority of three to two, the Supreme Court has held that the standard of proof for findings of suicide and unlawful killing at an inquest is the balance of probabilities: R (Maughan) v Her Majesty’s Senior Coroner for Oxfordshire [2020]
UKSC 46.’

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Ropewalk Chambers, 16th November 2020

Source: www.ropewalk.co.uk

Supreme Court lowers standard of proof for inquests – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 17th, 2020 in coroners, inquests, news, standard of proof, suicide, Supreme Court, verdicts by sally

‘The Supreme Court has today lowered the standard of proof for all conclusions in inquest proceedings, including unlawful killing and suicide, in a decision that could have wide-reaching implications for the recording of deaths in England and Wales.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 13th November 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Case Comment: R (on the application of Maughan) v HM Senior Coroner for Oxfordshire [2020] UKSC 46 – UKSC Blog

Posted November 17th, 2020 in coroners, inquests, news, suicide, Supreme Court, verdicts by sally

‘The Supreme Court has given judgment in R (on the application of Maughan) v HM Senior Coroner for Oxfordshire [2020] UKSC 46, a case dealing with the applicable standard of proof for reaching a narrative verdict of suicide or unlawful killing. A detailed case preview by my colleague Tim James-Matthews is available here, as a useful starting point for the issues arising in the appeal. By a 3-2 majority (with Lady Arden giving the leading judgment), the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, holding that the applicable standard of proof is the civil standard (i.e. the balance of probabilities). Lord Kerr gave the dissenting judgment, with which Lord Reed agreed: they would both have allowed the appeal.’

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UKSC Blog, 16th November 2020

Source: ukscblog.com

Case Law Update: Lancashire County Council v G (Unavailability of Secure Accommodation) [2020] EWHC 2828 (Fam) – Parklane Plowden Chambers

‘Mr Justice MacDonald authorised the deprivation of liberty of a vulnerable 16-year-old girl, G, under the inherent jurisdiction. The court was left with no real choice but to authorise the deprivation in circumstances where the only placement that could be located was neither secure nor regulated. Mr Justice MacDonald was troubled with the situation, and questioned whether he was simply being forced by mere circumstance to make an order irrespective of welfare considerations rather than exercising the courts’ welfare jurisdiction.’

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Parklane Plowden Chambers, 6th November 2020

Source: www.parklaneplowden.co.uk

New Judgment: R (on the application of Maughan) v Her Majesty’s Senior Coroner for Oxfordshire [2020] UKSC 46 – UKSC Blog

‘By a majority the Supreme Court has dismissed this appeal concerning the standard of proof, or degree of conclusivity, required for the determination of the result of an inquest into a death where the question is whether the deceased committed suicide.’

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UKSC Blog, 13th November 2020

Source: ukscblog.com

Maughan: Suicide and Unlawful Killing Conclusions in Inquests – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The Supreme Court has now issued its judgment in this important case for Coroners and inquests dealing with the standard of proof to be applied where the death might have been caused by suicide or unlawful killing.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 13th November 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Family of mentally ill single mother accuse DWP of failing to protect her – The Guardian

‘The family of a severely mentally ill woman who died after being without disability benefits for several months have accused the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) of failing to safeguard her.’

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The Guardian, 5th November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Sex offence case ‘failings’ by military prosecutor – BBC News

‘A military prosecutor has been accused of serious failings in his handling of sexual assault and rape cases.’

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BBC News, 21st October 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Inquest into suicide of gambling addict will explore if UK state failed him – The Guardian

‘The parents of a gambling addict who killed himself have said government bodies “do not want to know what killed a perfectly happy and healthy 24-year-old” who was hooked on “products licensed by the state”.’

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The Guardian, 25th September 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Report raises alarm over police detention of vulnerable suspects in England and Wales – The Guardian

‘Police officers detained and interviewed hundreds of thousands of vulnerable suspects last year in England and Wales in breach of mandatory safeguards, according to the body that sets standards for those who support vulnerable adults in police custody.’

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The Guardian, 28th September 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Manchester Arena Inquiry: Hearings begin into terror attack – BBC News

Posted September 8th, 2020 in explosives, inquiries, news, suicide, terrorism by sally

‘Several people raised suspicions about the Manchester Arena suicide bomber in the minutes before he killed 22 people.’

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BBC News, 17th September 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Call for parliament to review assisted dying law in England and Wales – The Guardian

Posted August 26th, 2020 in assisted suicide, families, inquiries, news, statute law revision, suicide by sally

‘Relatives of people who have brought legal cases on assisted dying are for the first time making a joint appeal for an inquiry into the current law in England and Wales, saying there is an overwhelming case for change.’

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The Guardian, 25th August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Caroline Flack took her own life amid fears of prosecution, inquest rules – The Guardian

‘Caroline Flack took her own life after learning she would be prosecuted for allegedly assaulting her boyfriend, following a long struggle with “fluctuating mental health” that was exacerbated by the stress of fame, a coroner has found.’

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The Guardian, 6th August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

DWP to increase support for vulnerable claimants after series of suicides – The Guardian

‘The Department for Work and Pensions is to overhaul its safeguarding systems following a series of high-profile failures in which mentally ill claimants took their own lives after having their benefits cut off by welfare officials.’

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The Guardian, 22nd July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Parents of student who killed herself launch legal action against University of Bristol – The Guardian

‘The parents of a student with severe social anxiety who took her own life on the day she was scheduled to face “the ordeal” of an important oral test have launched legal proceedings against her university, claiming she was the victim of negligence and disability discrimination.’

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The Guardian, 20th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Alarm over five suicides in six days at prisons in England and Wales – The Guardian

Posted May 28th, 2020 in coronavirus, death in custody, mental health, news, prisons, statistics, suicide by sally

‘Five suicides have been recorded in prisons in England and Wales in just six days, the Guardian understands, fuelling fears that a highly restrictive regime in place to combat the spread of the coronavirus is having a devastating impact on inmates.’

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The Guardian, 28th May 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Lady in the Lake’ murder: Gordon Park’s conviction upheld – BBC News

‘Three senior judges have rejected a posthumous appeal against the conviction of Gordon Park, the so-called “Lady in the Lake” killer.’

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BBC News, 1st May 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

R (Carole Smith) v HM Assistant Coroner for North West Wales: Causation, admitted failings and what to record in the Record of Inquest – Parklane Plowden

‘On 7 April 2020, judgment was handed down in R (Carole Smith) v HM Coroner for North West Wales [2020] EWHC 781 (Admin). The case has important repercussions as to the relevance of admitted failures to Coroners’ conclusions and the extent of what should be recorded in the Record of Inquest (‘ROI’).’

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Parklane Plowden, 21st April 2020

Source: www.parklaneplowden.co.uk

Multiple failures contributed to death of Dean George at HMP Swansea – Garden Court Chambers

Posted March 27th, 2020 in chambers articles, death in custody, inquests, news, prisons, suicide by sally

‘The inquest into the self-inflicted death of Dean George in HMP Swansea concluded yesterday, with the jury identifying multiple critical failures that contributed to his death on 10 April 2016.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 17th March 2020

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk