This is an extract from an article that appeared in The Independent on the 16th May 2013. Criminal suspects who have been arrested should not normally be named until they are charged, the Home Secretary has said. In a letter to the recently formed professional standards body, the College of Policing, Theresa May said she [...]
Home Secretary say criminal suspects who have been arrested should not normally be named until they are charged
May 17, 2013 from Leave a Comment
Article in The Times on the dangers of generating false claims of abuse
May 16, 2013 from Leave a Comment
There is an excellent article in the Times (subscription required) dated 10th May 2013 concerning the potential for false claims of abuse being made by those who had an association with Jimmy Saville (or any other celebrity or person). Well Worth reading.
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 [...]
Proposed reforms to Rehabilitation of Offenders Act criticised – Halsbury’s Law Exchange
May 3, 2013 from Leave a Comment
This article by Lucy Corin appears on the Halsebury Law Exchange website here Imagine you are a middle-aged man with a young family looking to change career to work as a primary school teacher. When you were 12 you took a chocolate bar from a shop. You learnt a salutary lesson and never repeated this [...]
Three in four believe those accused of sexual assaults should be granted anonymity.
May 2, 2013 from Leave a Comment
In an exclusive a poll in the The Independent (2nd May 2013) 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 have their identities protected until they [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
FACT contributes to Radio 5 Live debate
March 12, 2013 from Leave a Comment
FACT members might like to hear FACT’s contribution to the Radio 5 Live perspective on the DPP comments regarding the investigation of sexual offences. You can access here (for a short while) http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01r186b Fast Forward to 2:23:00
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 [...]
Jimmy Saville: A Report for the Director of Public Prosecutions by Alison Levitt Q.C.
January 13, 2013 from Leave a Comment
Jimmy Saville: A Report for the Director of Public Prosecutions by Alison Levitt Q.C. Extracted below is the the reports introductory summary and the conclusion. For a full understanding of the issues you should read the whole report (here) Introductory Summary This case concerns four allegations that the late Jimmy Savile indecently assaulted girls and [...]
FaceBook ordered to remove details of a person conviction of sexual offences
December 19, 2012 from Leave a Comment
In an unusual judgement A Court in Northern Ireland orders FaceBook to remove from its site a page entitled ”Keeping Our Kids Safe From Predators” in which a convicted pedophile is named. See XY v Facebook Ireland Ltd [2012] NIQB 96 (30 November 2012)
Court rules that details of sex abuse allegations against parent must be disclosed
October 2, 2012 from Leave a Comment
The Court of Appeal has ordered the the disclosure of serious allegations made against a parent by an anonymous third party in contact proceedings. In doing so, it has demonstrated the correct approach to balancing the many different human rights considerations involved. For a full report see uk human rights blog by 1 Crown Office Row [...]
Anonymity rules comes into force
October 2, 2012 from Leave a Comment
Members of the public, the media and the police are to be banned from next automatically naming teachers in cases of alleged abuse. The power, enshrined in the 2011 Education Act, has been introduced to protect innocent teachers against malicious claims from pupils and parents, but critics fear that the legislation has gone too far and [...]
Teachers accused of crime have legal right to anonymity up to point of being charged with an offence
November 27, 2011 from Leave a Comment
Teachers accused of crime are given lifelong anonymity A Press release issued by the PA on the 17 November 2011 states Proposals to give lifelong anonymity to teachers accused of committing criminal offences against children at their schools have become law after the Education Act 2011 received Royal Assent. It means that teachers have become [...]
People could be given the power to find out from the police if a new partner has a history of domestic violence
October 27, 2011 from Leave a Comment
People could be given the power to find out from the police if a new partner has a history of domestic violence under new government proposals. The idea is similar to Sarah’s Law which allows parents in England to ask police if someone who has contact with their child is a sex offender. Another idea up [...]
Lawyer and top author demand anonymity for accused teachers
September 19, 2011 from Leave a Comment
This item appeared on the Yorkshire Post web site here A campaign for an overhaul of the law to grant anonymity to teachers accused by pupils ahead of court cases has been launched by a lawyer who has joined forces with an international best-selling author. The call for the so-called Bill’s Law has been named [...]
Calls for police officers to face open hearings
July 3, 2011 from Leave a Comment
Calls have been made for police officers to face public disciplinary hearings in line with doctors, nurses and teachers, after it emerged 48 officers in Wales have faced secret misconduct hearings in the past three years. The hearings, revealed following Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to Wales’ four police forces, were all held behind closed [...]
Chief Constable calls for ban on naming people who have been arrested
June 30, 2011 from Leave a Comment
This item has been copied from the BBC website here The media should be banned from naming people when they are arrested, the head of British Transport Police has said. Chief Constable Andy Trotter said “catastrophic damage” could be done to personal lives, even if people were not charged or eventually cleared. A recent parliamentary [...]
Lord Black warns against giveing teachers anonymity
June 18, 2011 from Leave a Comment
This story appeared in the Daily Mail newspaper on 15th June 2011 Lord Black of Brentwood warned that the measures would have frightening implications for the welfare of vulnerable children and Press freedom in this country Plans to grant anonymity to teachers accused of mistreating pupils were branded ‘unprecedented, unnecessary and unworkable’ by a leading [...]
New education bill will give protection for teachers falsely accused by pupils
January 28, 2011 from 1 Comment
This article by Kate Loveys appeared in the Daily Mail on the 27th January 2011 New education bill will give protection for teachers falsely accused by pupils Teachers are to be granted anonymity when pupils make allegations against them, which will only be lifted if a charge is made. The proposals are set out in [...]