‘No evidence’ of CCTV data breach – BBC News

“The Information Commissioner’s Office says it has not seen evidence which suggests that most CCTV systems are breaching its own code of practice.” 

Full story

BBC News, 31st May 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Increase in anti-terror targets – BBC News

Posted June 1st, 2007 in news, stop and search, terrorism by sally

“Counter-terror police have recorded a 37% increase in “suspicious reconnaissance” of potential targets in the first four months of 2007″ 

Full story

BBC News, 31st May 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Teachers reluctant to frisk pupils for knives – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 1st, 2007 in news, offensive weapons, school children, teachers by sally

“Teachers gave warning last night that they would not be prepared to use new legal powers to search pupils for weapons without their consent because of the risks involved.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 1st June 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Stalking victims given anonymity – BBC News

Posted June 1st, 2007 in anonymity, domestic violence, electoral register, harassment, news by sally

“New voting legislation is set to come into effect which will allow victims of stalking and domestic violence to keep their names off the electoral roll.”

Full story

BBC News, 1st June 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Action not jail’ for paedophiles – BBC News

Posted June 1st, 2007 in child abuse, news, sexual offences by sally

“Some child sex offenders should be encouraged to seek treatment rather than be sent to prison, the police’s child protection chief says.”

Full story

BBC News, 1st June 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Rethink use of restraint on young offenders, urges coroner – The Guardian

Posted June 1st, 2007 in news, young offenders by sally

“A coroner called yesterday for an urgent review of the use of restraint on young offenders after a jury returned a suicide verdict on a vulnerable 14-year-old who hanged himself with his shoelaces at a privately-run secure unit.”

Full story

The Guardian, 1st June 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Review of Small Chambers – The Bar Council

Posted May 31st, 2007 in barristers by sally

“The Chairman of the Bar, Geoffrey Vos QC, has initiated a review of small chambers to identify areas where the Bar Council can provide assistance.  A working party has been established led by Nicholas Green QC and Ingrid Simler QC.” 

Full story

The Bar Council, 31st May 2007

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

SRA delays controversial education reforms – Legal Week

Posted May 31st, 2007 in news by sally

“Controversial plans to widen entry to the legal profession face a setback after the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) announced today (31 May) that it had delayed piloting the new-look system until 2008.”

Full story

Legal Week, 31st May 2007

Source: www.legalweek.com

New provision in the Violent Crime Reduction Act – Wired-GOV

Posted May 31st, 2007 in news by sally

“A new power for the police to enter and search a registered sex offender’s home, to assess the risk they pose to our communities, was today welcomed by Home Secretary John Reid.”

Full story

Home Office press release, 31st May 2007

Source: www.wired-gov.net

Judges define scope of McKinnon appeal – The Register

Posted May 31st, 2007 in news by sally

“Accused Pentagon hacker Gary McKinnon’s final appeal against extradition edged forward on Tuesday after judges defined the two points that might merit consideration by the Law Lords.”

Full story

The Register, 31st May 2007

Source: www.theregister.co.uk

Daily Telegraph Law Reports, 31st May 2007

Posted May 31st, 2007 in law reports by sally

Charman v. Charman

Ceredigion CC v. Jones

Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis v. Kay

In the matter of Gorringe

C plc v. P & Anr

Yewbelle Ltd. v. London Green Developments Ltd. & Anr 

Daily Telegraph, 31st May 2007 

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Please note the Daily Telegraph Law Reports are only available online for one week.

The judge with children at heart – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 31st, 2007 in family courts, judges, special report by sally

“Nick Crichton takes children into care. Sitting as a full-time judge at the specialist family proceedings court in central London, he knows there is little chance that mothers will get their children back once the local authority has put them into long-term fostering or adoption.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 31st May 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Prisons ‘could be full within two weeks’ – The Independent

Posted May 31st, 2007 in news by sally

“Ministers are holding emergency meetings as the jail population threatens to rise out of control.”

Full story

The Independent, 31st May 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk  

The Big Question: Why are our prisons so overcrowded, and how can we tackle the crisis? – The Independent

Posted May 31st, 2007 in prisons, special report by sally

“Jails in England and Wales could be full within a fortnight. The increase in numbers of offenders being locked up appears relentless, with the prison population reaching a record high of 80,846 this week. That includes about 400 who are housed at great expense in police cells and a further handful held in court cells.”

Full story 

The Independent, 31st May 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

BAILII: Recent decisions

Posted May 31st, 2007 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Charman v Charman [2007] EWCA Civ 503 (24 May 2007)

Ford-Camber Ltd. v Deanminster Ltd & Anor [2007] EWCA Civ 458 (24 May 2007)

Experience Hendrix LLC v Purple Haze Records Ltd & Ors [2007] EWCA Civ 501 (24 May 2007)

KR (Iraq) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2007] EWCA Civ 514 (24 May 2007)

Framlington Group Ltd & Anor v Barnetson [2007] EWCA Civ 502 (24 May 2007)

Howard De Walden Estates Ltd & Anor v Les Aggio & Ors [2007] EWCA Civ 499 (24 May 2007)

Hooper v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2007] EWCA Civ 495 (24 May 2007)

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Sampson & Ors, R. v [2007] EWCA Crim 1238 (25 May 2007)

Tirnaveanu, R v [2007] EWCA Crim 1239 (24 May 2007)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Bunney v Burns Anderson Plc & Anor [2007] EWHC 1240 (Ch) (25 May 2007)

High Court (Commercial Court)

Abu Dhabi Investment Company & Ors v H Clarkson & Company Ltd & Ors [2007] EWHC 1267 (Comm) (25 May 2007)

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

Signet Partners Ltd v Signet Research & Advisory SA & Ors [2007] EWHC 1263 (QB) (24 May 2007)

Source: www.bailii.org

Bunney v. Burns Anderson plc and another; Cahill v. Timothy James & Partners Ltd. – WLR Daily

Posted May 31st, 2007 in financial services ombudsman, law reports by sally

Bunney v. Burns Anderson plc and another; Cahill v. Timothy James & Partners Ltd. [2007] EWHC 1240 (Ch.) 

The Financial Services Ombudsman did not have the power to make a direction under s 229(2)(b) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 that would require a respondent to make a money award exceeding the statutory cap provided in the Ombudsman scheme rules.”

WLR Daily, 25th May 2007

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

A million debtors face court action – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 31st, 2007 in consumer credit, debts, news by sally

“Up to a million households struggling with rising living costs and lured by offers of easy credit will face court action over their debts this year.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 31st May 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Regina v. McNee; Regina v. Russell, Regina v. X – Times Law Reports

Posted May 31st, 2007 in law reports, sentencing by sally

Sentencing judge can consult tariff

Regina v. McNee; Regina v. Russell; Regina v. X

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

“Although when imprisoning a defendant to a discretionary life sentence, the sentencing judge was not obliged to have regard to the minimum tariffs for mandatory life sentences set our in Schedule 21 to the Criminal Justice Act 2003, it was not wrong to do so.”

The Times, 31st May 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Regina (Bancoult) v. Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (No. 2) – Times Law Reports

Posted May 31st, 2007 in Chagos Islands, judicial review, law reports, royal prerogative by sally

Abuse of executive power over Chagos Islanders

Regina (Bancoult) v. Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (No. 2)

Court of Appeal

“The use of orders in council to frustrate a ruling of the court in order to prevent the return of Chagos Islanders to their homeland was an unlawful abuse of power by the executive government.”

The Times, 31st May 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Proposals to create judicial powers to manage conflict of interest and capacity issues in very high cost cases – Ministry of Justice

Posted May 31st, 2007 in conflict of interest, consultations, delay, trials by sally

“This consultation invited comments on proposals to give trial judges in VHCCs the power to order the withdrawal of representation where there was a conflict of interest or lack of capacity on the part of defence representatives, such that it could impede the efficient progress of the trial. The summary of responses outlines the conclusions reached on the options and how we intend to proceed.”

Proposals to create judicial powers to manage conflict of interest and capacity issues in high cost cases [CP R 17/06]

Source: www.justice.gov.uk