BBC mini series Criminal Justice paints a distorted picture of the criminal justice system – The Bar Council

Posted June 30th, 2008 in criminal justice, media, press releases by sally

“Tonight the BBC airs the first episode in its five part drama series Criminal Justice. The series shows the experience of a young man falsely accused of a crime and his journey through the criminal justice system. The character, Ben Coulter, is first a police suspect, later a defendant and then a prisoner.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 30th June 2008

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

New rules ‘risk carers shortage’ – BBC News

Posted June 30th, 2008 in care workers, immigration, news, Wales by sally

“Many foreign staff working in care homes in Wales are facing uncertainty because of new work permit guidance, a BBC Wales investigation has found.”

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BBC News, 30th June 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Credit union rules ‘to be eased’ – BBC News

Posted June 30th, 2008 in credit unions, news by sally

“The government is to unveil an initiative to help people, especially those on low wages, beat the credit crunch, the BBC has learned.”

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BBC News, 30th June 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Under 14s ‘should not be locked up’ – The Independent

Posted June 30th, 2008 in children, criminal responsibility, news by sally

“Children under 14 should not be held criminally responsible and should never be locked up for their crimes, according to a scathing report.”

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The Independent, 30th June 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Woman ‘assaulted’ by UK security guards during forced removal – The Independent

Posted June 30th, 2008 in assault, deportation, news by sally

“The Government is investigating claims that a 26-year-old asylum-seeker from Cameroon was so badly assaulted during her forced removal on a British Airways flight that she has to use a wheelchair.”

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The Independent, 30th June 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Jacqui Smith pressured to intervene in police race row – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 30th, 2008 in news, police, race discrimination by sally

“Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, is being pressured to intervene in a race row after chief constables were accused of ignoring an inquiry into discrimination against Muslim officers.”

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Daily Telegraph, 30th June 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Move to change inheritance law – The Guardian

Posted June 30th, 2008 in inheritance tax, news by sally

“An attempt will be made this week to change the law so that elderly siblings who have lived together for many years are subject to the same inheritance tax laws as married couples and civil partners.”

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The Guardian, 30th June 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Fatal new year party that led to Lords ruling on anonymity – The Guardian

Posted June 30th, 2008 in anonymity, special report, witnesses by sally

“It was 9am on New Year’s Day in Hackney, east London, and still party time. A flat in an unremarkable side street had been rented by two Ethiopians for the festivities.

Six years later, that double murder is at the centre of the current storm over anonymity of witnesses which has prompted the justice secretary, Jack Straw, to introduce an emergency bill on the subject which will be rushed through the Commons next week.”

Full story

The Guardian, 30th June 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

TV’s legal fictions don’t do the profession justice – The Guardian

Posted June 30th, 2008 in courts, criminal justice, media, special report by sally

“Most people’s knowledge of the English legal system comes from watching TV drama. In most states of the US, trials are televised. Viewers see what actually goes on in a courtroom, including the functions and conduct of the judges and lawyers. Here, a modest scheme to televise some proceedings (though not criminal trials) seems to have been quietly dropped. So the main avenue for describing our legal system is through fiction: novels, films and – the most important in terms of the numbers reached – television.”

Full story

The Guardian, 30th June 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

FBI ready to demand detailed logs of Britons’ internet and travel habits – The Observer

Posted June 30th, 2008 in data protection, internet, news, terrorism by sally

“The EU is close to finalising an agreement with the US that would allow the FBI to see the internet browsing habits and credit card histories of UK citizens.”

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The Observer, 29th June 2008

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk

Peter Hain interviewed by police over £100,000 ‘hidden’ campaign donation – The Times

Posted June 30th, 2008 in elections, news, political parties by sally

“Peter Hain, who resigned from the Cabinet over allegations that he had failed to register political donations, has been interviewed by police, The Times has learnt.”

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The Times, 30th June 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

MPs prepare for battle over 10p tax losers and costlier cars – The Times

Posted June 30th, 2008 in news, taxation by sally

“Reforms of income tax and vehicle tax will come under further scrutiny this week, to the embarrassment of the Government, as backbenchers and opposition MPs push for significant amendments.”

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The Times, 30th June 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Judges scorn American-style sentencing to control prison overcrowding – The Times

Posted June 30th, 2008 in news, prisons, sentencing by sally

“Plans for an American-style sentencing ‘grid’ to control prison numbers appear doomed because of overwhelming opposition from the judiciary.”

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The Times, 30th June 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Psychiatrist who released killer patient is suing for compensation – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 28th, 2008 in mental health, news, psychiatrists by sally

“A psychiatrist is suing her employer for £300,000 compensation because she was ‘humiliated’ and made to stop work after she released a mental patient who fatally stabbed a retired banker the next day.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 28th June 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted June 28th, 2008 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Anwoir & Ors, R. v [2008] EWCA Crim 1354 (27 June 2008)

High Court (Chancey Division)

Football Association Premier League Ltd & Ors v QC Leisure & Ors [2008] EWHC 1411 (Ch) (24 June 2008)

Astall & Anor v Revenue & Customs [2008] EWHC 1471 (Ch) (27 June 2008)

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

Buckley & Ors v Yates Wine Lodges Ltd & Anor [2008] EWHC 1408 (QB) (27 June 2008)

Green v Westleigh Properties Limits [2008] EWHC 1474 (QB) (27 June 2008)

High Court (Commercial Court)

Kamidian v Holt (On Behalf of Certain Underwriters At Lloyd’s) & Ors [2008] EWHC 1483 (Comm) (27 June 2008)

High Court (Technology and Construction Court)

TJ Brent Ltd & Anor v Black & Veatch Consulting Ltd [2008] EWHC 1497 (TCC) (13 June 2008)

Source: www.bailii.org

Recent Statutory Instruments – OPSI

Posted June 28th, 2008 in legislation by sally

The Commissioner for Older People in Wales (Amendment) Regulations 2008

The European Parliament (House of Lords Disqualification) Regulations 2008

The Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) (No.2) Order 2008

The Plastic Materials and Articles in Contact with Food (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008

The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Collective Investment Schemes) (Amendment) Order 2008

The Industrial Training Levy (Reasonable Steps) Regulations 2008

The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Investigative Powers of Prosecutors in England, Wales and Northern Ireland: Code of Practice) Order 2008

Source: www.opsi.gov.uk

Is it legal to shoot pigeons? – BBC News Magazine

Posted June 28th, 2008 in birds, special report by sally

“Animal welfare activists have complained to Wimbledon organisers and the police over the culling of pigeons. Is it against the law for marksmen to take out the feral birds?”

Full story

BBC News Magazine, 26th June 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Mother jailed for abandoning son – BBC News

Posted June 28th, 2008 in child neglect, news, perverting the course of justice, sentencing by sally

“A woman who left her two-year-old son alone for the weekend has been jailed for 18 months.”

Full story

BBC News, 27th June 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Couple jailed after leaving girl to die in ‘filth and squalor’ – The Guardian

Posted June 28th, 2008 in child neglect, homicide, news, sentencing by sally

“A judge today questioned a decision by prosecutors not to pursue a murder charge against a mother who left her three-year-old daughter to die from malnutrition in her bedroom.”

Full story

The Guardian, 27th June 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Midwives: Law on breastfeeding must be widened – The Independent

Posted June 28th, 2008 in breastfeeding, news by sally

“Midwives and maternity groups are urging the Government to extend a new law to give mothers the legal right to breastfeed babies more than six months old in public.”

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The Independent, 28th June 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk