UK firms face up to threat of domestic abuse as more staff work from home – The Guardian

Posted August 14th, 2020 in coronavirus, domestic violence, employment, families, news, victims by sally

‘Companies offering training for staff and support including paid leave and emergency accommodation.’

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The Guardian, 13th August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Prosecution strategies in AR cases (1) – Counsel

‘A two-part series from Laura Hoyano and John Riley modelling investigation and prosecution strategies in cases of abusive relationship offending. Part one of this worked case example shows the typical challenges, tactics to surmount them, and the need for innovative thinking.’

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Counsel, August 2020

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Windrush Lawyers: ‘The Government Is Placing Boulders In The Way Of Justice’ – Each Other

‘It has been more than a year since the government launched its scheme to compensate victims of the Windrush scandal, and at least five applicants have died before receiving a penny. EachOther speaks to Windrush lawyers about the “boulders” being placed in the way of justice and what needs to be done.’

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Each Other, 6th August 2020

Source: eachother.org.uk

Shirley Oaks: Care home survivors call for mandatory reporting of abuse – BBC News

‘Survivors of prolonged abuse while in the care of Lambeth Council have called for the failure to report abuse in children’s homes to be made a crime.’

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BBC News, 31st July 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Court rejects JR over LASPO post-implementation review – Litigation Futures

‘The High Court has rejected a judicial review that argued the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) failed to carry out an adequate review of the impact of the LASPO reforms on those with asbestos-related diseases.’

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Litigation Futures, 3rd August 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Rape victims are being badly let down by prosecutors. They need justice – The Guardian

‘The utterly shameful level of convictions in England and Wales is down to the CPS dropping so-called “weak” cases.’

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The Guardian, 31st July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Grime artist Solo 45 jailed for 24 years for multiple rapes – The Guardian

Posted July 31st, 2020 in imprisonment, news, rape, sentencing, sexual offences, victims by sally

‘The grime artist Solo 45, whose real name is Andy Anokye, has been jailed for 24 years for holding four women against their will and raping them repeatedly.’

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The Guardian, 30th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

British trafficking victim sues Priti Patel alleging abuse of personal data – The Guardian

‘A British victim of trafficking is bringing a case against the home secretary, Priti Patel, arguing that her department unlawfully accessed personal information including details of her intimate thoughts.’

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The Guardian, 30th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Manchester Arena Inquiry challenge dismissed – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The High Court has today handed down judgment in R (EA and Anor) v Chairman of the Manchester Arena Inquiry [2020] EWHC 2053 (Admin) refusing permission for judicial review to a group of survivors who unsuccessfully sought core participant status in the forthcoming inquiry into the Manchester Arena bombing attacks. A full legal analysis of the decision will follow. This article provides a summary of the judgment and its context.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 30th July 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

What challenges do rape victims face in getting cases to court? – The Guardian

‘Rape prosecutions and convictions have halved in three years, prompting concerns that the offence is effectively being decriminalised. These are some of the challenges rape victims face in getting their cases to court.’

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The Guardian, 30th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

CPS unveils five-year blueprint to boost rape convictions – The Guardian

Posted July 30th, 2020 in Crown Prosecution Service, news, prosecutions, rape, victims by sally

‘The Crown Prosecution Service has launched a new strategy to tackle tumbling rates of charging and prosecution for rape, following sustained criticism that the service is failing victims of sexual assault.’

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The Guardian, 30th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Family courts carry out ‘state sanctioned abuse’ of domestic abuse survivors by letting perpetrators see children, commissioner warns – The Independent

‘Family courts are responsible for “state-sanctioned abuse” of domestic abuse victims as they allow violent parents to torment their ex-partners through the legal process, London’s victims commissioner has warned.’

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The Independent, 22nd July 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Christopher Kapessa river death: No prosecution decision upheld – BBC News

‘A 14-year-old boy who pushed a boy, 13, into a river before he died will not be prosecuted, a review has concluded.’

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BBC News, 20th July 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

One in 70 recorded rapes in England and Wales led to charge last year – The Guardian

‘Fewer than one in 70 recorded rapes resulted in a charge last year, as tens of thousands of victims did not support demands from police and prosecutors and withdrew from the process.’

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The Guardian, 17th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Police officer had sex with domestic violence victims while on duty, watchdog finds – The Independent

Posted July 16th, 2020 in complaints, domestic violence, news, police, victims by tracey

‘A police officer had sex with two domestic violence victims while on duty and used the force’s computer systems to track down two other women and send them texts of a sexual nature, the police watchdog has found.’

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The Independent, 15th July 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

We are facing the ‘decriminalisation of rape’, warns victims’ commissioner – The Guardian

Posted July 14th, 2020 in criminal justice, news, prosecutions, rape, victims by tracey

‘Rape has effectively been decriminalised as a result of a collapse in prosecutions that has allowed many offenders to escape justice, according to the victims’ commissioner for England and Wales.’

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The Guardian, 14th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘More and more’ victims dropping out of prosecutions as court backlog mounts during coronavirus – The Independent

Posted July 14th, 2020 in coronavirus, criminal justice, delay, news, prosecutions, victims by tracey

‘“More and more” victims are dropping out of court cases as delays mount amid an increasing backlog, a leading expert has warned. Dame Vera Baird, the victims’ commissioner for England and Wales, told The Independent changes to hearings caused by the coronavirus pandemic were partly to blame.’

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The Independent, 14th April 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

The 4 Principles Applicable to Telephone Disclosure by Giles Bridge – Broadway House Chambers

‘You are the witness to or the victim of a crime. The police officer says that they need you to hand over your mobile phone. The officer says it will be examined and all of the contents may be downloaded. The officer cannot say when you will get your phone back. There is a long backlog of phones waiting to be downloaded, it could be a couple of months. It’s your phone, you really rely upon it. Like most people, your average screen time has rocketed during lockdown. There is so much detailed and very personal information on that phone. You ask the officer, ‘Do you really need to take my phone?’ You are very reluctant to hand it over. The officer says, if you do not hand it over the case probably will not go any further. Discussions like this take place every day across the United Kingdom.’

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Broadway House Chambers, 29th June 2020

Source: broadwayhouse.co.uk

Inquest into Stephen Port’s victims set to begin in new year – The Guardian

‘Families of the victims of serial killer Stephen Port have been assured that everything possible will be done to ensure the long-awaited inquests into their deaths go ahead in the new year despite the coronavirus pandemic.’

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The Guardian, 10th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Manchester Arena Survivors lose bid for role in public inquiry – Local Government Lawyer

Posted July 10th, 2020 in inquiries, judicial review, news, terrorism, time limits, victims by sally

‘A group of survivors of the terror attack at the Manchester Arena in 2017 have a lost a legal bid to be given “core participants” status at the public inquiry into the bombing.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 9th July 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk