This items first appeared on the BBC website here under the headline “Nuns Anne Kenny and Agnes Reville cleared of assault” Agnes Reville and Anne Kenny were cleared of assault charges Two nuns have been cleared of assaulting girls in their care at an approved school in Renfrewshire. Anne Kenny, 79, known as Mother Rosaria, and [...]
Nuns win historic abuse case – police woman accuses investigating officer of unprofessional conduct.
May 22, 2013 from Leave a Comment
Justice Gap newsletter published
May 15, 2013 from Leave a Comment
The May edition of Justice Gap has been published. You can access it here In this months edition there are interesting articles about … JUSTICE GAP WINS LEGAL JOURNALISM AWARD 13/05/2013 The Justice Gap won the legal journalism category at the inaugural Halsbury Legal Awards, in a ceremony that recognised Sir Sydney Kentridge QC as [...]
The UK Supreme Court cuts the compensation awarded to a life-sentence prisoner
May 8, 2013 from Leave a Comment
“The UK supreme court has cut the compensation awarded to a life-sentence prisoner whose original release was delayed from £10,000 to £6,500, in a ruling that will nonetheless lead to payouts for scores of convicted murderers, rapists and other violent prisoners.” Full Story: The Guardian here
Three in four believe those accused of sexual assaults should be granted anonymity
May 8, 2013 from Leave a Comment
This article by Andrew Grice has been extracted from the Independent website here A poll by The Independent finds strong public support for the controversial view that suspects in sex cases should enjoy the same right to anonymity as defendants Three out of four people believe that people accused of rape and other sexual assaults should [...]
Court awards anonymity for victim of libellous “paedophile” allegations
May 3, 2013 from Leave a Comment
The case referred to below appears on UK Human Rights Blog of One Crown Office Row ZAM v CFW & Anor [2013] EWHC 662 (QB) – read judgment The permanent damage that internet publications can inflict is very much the focus of Tugendhat J’s assessment of damages in this case, encapsulated in the memorable description he [...]
Message from David Wood QC – Legal Aid and the Death of Justice
May 1, 2013 from Leave a Comment
Message from David Wood QC – Legal Aid and the Death of Justice ========================= This message appears on the Miscarriages of JusticeUK (MOJUK) News Service ========================= Save UK Justice I need your help. Not your money, or more of your time than you can give, just your help. This is a link to a petition [...]
judge rules that Lord McAlpine’s libel action against Sally Bercow for alleged defamatory tweets will be split into two stages.
April 17, 2013 from Leave a Comment
Lord McAlpine’s libel action against Sally Bercow for alleged defamatory tweets will be split into two stages, a judge has ruled. Lord McAlpine has won the first stage of his libel battle against Sally Bercow, the Commons speaker’s wife, after a high court judge ruled that the trial should be split into two stages. Lawyers for [...]
Dame Julia Macur and Sir Ernest Ryder promoted to the Court of Appeal
April 12, 2013 from Leave a Comment
Two recent appointments to the Court of Appeal include Dame Julia Macur and Sir Ernest Ryder both of whom are family court Judges. Dame Julia Macur, the third woman to join the court of appeal, is a family specialist who has been a high court judge for seven and a half years. Last year, she [...]
Yes, suspects are sometimes innocent – but secret arrests are not the answer
April 12, 2013 from Leave a Comment
In an interesting article in the Guardian (here) Joshua Rosenberg, discusses support from some senior judges that their should be a blanket ban on naming potential defendants in Court cases Senior judges have expressed support for a new system of secret arrests. The proposed blanket ban on naming suspects is supported by chief constables but [...]
Serious consideration to be given to keeping the names of suspects confidential until they are charged
April 9, 2013 from Leave a Comment
The Daily Telegraph report (here) that serious consideration is being given to keeping the names of suspects confidential until they are charged. Britain’s police chiefs are considering proposals that would mean names were only released once someone has been charged with an offence. The plans follow recommendations made by Lord Justice Leveson in his report [...]
Bar Council of England and Wales has produced a 70-page guide to help people represent themselves in court.
April 8, 2013 from Leave a Comment
The Bar Council of England and Wales has produced a 70-page guide to help people represent themselves in court.
Master of the Rolls gives speech on the ‘compensation culture’
April 4, 2013 from Leave a Comment
This post has been extracted from the Judiciary of England and Wales website Compensation culture: Fact or fantasy? Speech by Master of the Rolls 15/03/2013 In my Presidential address I want to examine ‘compensation culture’. This I imagine is something with which W. S. Holdsworth, notwithstanding his truly encyclopaedic knowledge of English law, would have been unfamiliar. [...]
Legal aid is being ruled out of court
April 4, 2013 from Leave a Comment
There is rather glum and disturbing report in the Guardian (here) written by Liz Phillips and published on Saturday 23 March 2013 suggesting that far-reaching changes will effectively prevent anyone earning more than £20,000 a year from obtaining legal aid. From the beginning of April 2013 the chances of getting help with legal bills will be slim. The [...]
Lord Chief Justice calls for research into effects on children of giving evidence in abuse cases
April 3, 2013 from Leave a Comment
According to an article in the Guardian by Owen Bowcott, legal affairs correspondent, published on the 20th March, Lord Judge, the Lord Chief Justice calls for research into effects on children of giving evidence in abuse cases. Research should be carried out into the long-term affects on those who give evidence about sexual abuse when they [...]
The three women fighting to clear their loved ones’ names
March 18, 2013 from Leave a Comment
The three women fighting to clear their loved ones’ names What is it like if your brother or son is convicted of murder when you are convinced they are innocent? Three women who have fought for years to prove their loved ones’ innocence tell their story. Read their stories on Guardian Online here and guardian.co.uk/video.
Government accepts recommendations for new rules for Employment Tribunals
March 18, 2013 from Leave a Comment
The Law Society have announced that the Government is to radically overhaul procedure for Employment Tribunals. Employment tribunals are to become the ‘last resort, not the first port of call’ after the government’s announcement today that it has accepted proposals in a fundamental review of procedure for tribunals. The proposals accepted by the government include new [...]
New CPS report shows that while false allegations must be taken seriously they are relatively rare and are often complex cases
March 13, 2013 from Leave a Comment
Writing in the Guardian (here) Keir Starmer QC, director of public prosecutions and head of the Crown Prosecution Service. says .. The Crown Prosecution Service has come a long way in dealing with cases involving violence against women and girls. In the last year (2011-12) we have seen the conviction rate rise to 73%, delivering the [...]
Solicitors to challenge to Sex Offenders Registration Rules
March 12, 2013 from Leave a Comment
The following Media release has been issued by Quality Solicitors Jordans X v Secretary of State for Home Department March 7, 2013 It has been confirmed that a challenge to the requirement of convicted Sex Offenders to provide details of their bank accounts and credit cards will be heard by the Administrative Court at Birmingham [...]
Media Release: Chris Saltrese responds to DPP’s proposals to review sexual offences programme.
March 12, 2013 from Leave a Comment
The Following media release has been issued by Chris Saltrese, a solicitor specialising in defending allegations of sexual abuse . MEDIA RELEASE CHRIS SALTRESE RESPONSE TO THE DPP’S PROPOSALS TO REVIEW SEXUAL OFFENCE PROSECUTIONS “Case building’ risks case manufacture in historic child abuse” warns defence solicitor. Responding to the DPPs proposals to increase prosecutions for alleged [...]
Prosecutor demands overhaul of sexual abuse investigations
March 12, 2013 from Leave a Comment
This article first appeared in the Guardian (here) on 6th March. Keir Starmer warns justice system cannot afford ‘another Savile moment’ and announces panel to review historic complaints Sweeping changes to the way alleged sex offenders in England and Wales are investigated must be introduced in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal and other child exploitation [...]
Compulsive liar jailed after 11 false rape claims in decade
March 12, 2013 from Leave a Comment
This article was first published in the Daily Telegraph (here) on 26th February Elizabeth Jones, 22, admitted she lied about the latest rape allegation because she “did not like” the man she accused of attacking her, Southampton Crown Court was told. Her latest victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested and questioned [...]
Rape suspects ‘should not be named’
February 18, 2013 from Leave a Comment
The Chairman of the Bar Council says Rape suspects ‘should not be named’ however senior criminal barrister says the plan would curb stigma of false accusations but campaigners fear it will lead to fewer convictions Further information on this story can be found Rape suspects ’should not be named’ – The Guardian BBC News – Sex [...]
Criminal Cases Review Commission – better the devil you know? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange
February 18, 2013 from Leave a Comment
The Halsbury Law Exchange have published an article titled “Criminal Cases Review Commission – better the devil you know?” which discusses various opinions about the efficacy of the CCRC following the Governments call for evidence as part of a series non-departmental triennial reviews. The triennial review is part of the Coalition’s much-trumpeted “bonfire of the [...]
Innocent Network UK publishes its findings on the workings of the CCRC
February 6, 2013 from Leave a Comment
Review of Criminal Cases Review Commission to reveal how innocent victims of wrongful convictions can still be failed Click here to download INUK’s Report on the Reform of the CCRC. Click here for University of Bristol Press Release A review of the Criminal Cases Review Commission’s (CCRC) effectiveness as the only gateway back to the [...]
A breach of human rights: Court of Appeal rules CRB check law must go
February 5, 2013 from Leave a Comment
This item by Paul Peachey appeared in the Independent on 29th January A major overhaul of the criminal records regime could be required after three judges ruled that the current system breached human rights. [See judgement here] The Court of Appeal today said that a blanket requirement for some job seekers to supply details of [...]