Daily Crime News

‘Millions in the UK have no understanding of the meaning of coercive control despite the fact the offence is illegal, according to a new study.’ Full StoryThe Independent, 5th July 2022Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘A “tsunami” of online child abuse is taking place in the UK, the NSPCC has said as it published data showing a more than 80% rise in online grooming crimes being recorded by police over the last four years.’ Full StoryThe Independent, 5th July 2022Source: www.independent.co.uk

The action day on 5 July led to: 39 arrests (9 in France, 18 in Germany, 6 in the Netherlands and 6 in the UK) Three High Value Targets arrested Over 50 location searches  Seizures include over 1200 lifejackets, about 150 rubber boats, close to 50 engines; about EUR 40 000 in cash, firearms, cars and drugs Criminal network taking...

A man and woman have been arrested following searches across Heckmondwike and Dewsbury this morning, as part of a National Crime Agency investigation linked to heroin supply in West Yorkshire. The pair, in their thirties, were arrested at a property on Lyndale Crescent, Heckmondwike, and are suspected of having roles in trafficking heroin from Pakistan, and arranging its onward sale across the UK. They are believed to be part of an organised crime group linked to a number of substantial seizures of heroin since October 2020 at Heathrow Airport. A further property in the Heckmondwike area was searched, along with a further two houses in Birstall and Wakefield. One of the properties is linked to a second man who is wanted in connection to the same conspiracy and is believed to no longer be in the UK.   Officers attending the searches recovered quantities of drugs likely to be cocaine and heroin, as well as drugs paraphernalia and thousands of pounds in cash. Both the man and the woman remain in custody for further questioning. Searches at the properties are ongoing. NCA Operations Manager Nigel Coles, said:  “The drugs trade fuels violence, ruins lives and can devastate communities. “These arrests are part of an ongoing investigation and shows the NCA’s commitment to tackling the trade in Class A drugs from source to consumer.” 05 July 2022

National Crime Agency officers have today joined what is believed to be the biggest ever international operation targeting criminal networks suspected of using small boats to smuggle thousands of people into the UK.

‘A woman was kept in police custody for 36 hours after having a stillbirth because of suspicions she had an abortion after the legal cut-off point, it has been claimed.’ Full StoryThe Independent, 5th July 2022Source: www.independent.co.uk

Specialist media titles like Inside Housing and Grazia risk having their content taken down by tech platforms after failing to secure an opt-out from the Online Safety Bill. The draft law compels tech platforms like Google and Facebook to remove harmful content, but includes protection for bona fide news publishers. However the definition of a … Continue reading "Govt rejects plea for specialist media titles to be exempt from Online Safety Bill" The post Govt rejects plea for specialist media titles to be exempt from Online Safety Bill appeared first on Press Gazette.

More than 130 arrests and identification of over 130 potential victims The action days resulted in over 130 arrests and around 60 additional suspects being identified, as well as more than 100 new investigations being initiated. In total, over 130 possible victims of human trafficking were identified, more than a dozen of them being confirmed as minors. The checks led...

Prison inspectors have called HMP Brixton ‘a prison in trouble’ with prisoners ‘breaking the rules without challenge’ from staff who either ‘did not have high enough expectations or turned a blind eye’.  Staff-prisoner relationships were described as ‘dysfunctional’ and ‘[lacking] professional boundaries’, according to the latest inspection of the category C resettlement prison which has

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 ‘the Act’ has correctly attracted much criticism since it was first introduced as a Bill to the House of Commons in the March of 2021. There are numerous and alarming issues raised for civil liberties raised by this legislation which are beyond the scope of this post (see here for further commentary). Nonetheless, there is one aspect of the Act (which received Royal Assent on 28 April 2022) that can be welcomed: the expansion of the scheme for disregarding convictions or cautions received for historical consensual same-sex sexual activity.

Applications welcome from 4 July 2022 for suitably qualified legal aid practitioners to become independent peer reviewers.

The long-running dispute is over how much criminal barristers are paid for legal aid work.

Police officers who tasered a black social worker after he was stopped in his vehicle lied in statements to justify their use of force, the High Court has been told. Edwin Afriyie is currently suing the City of London Police for assault and misfeasance in public office, alleging that he was unlawfully handcuffed and Tasered.

Four gang members from Sheffield have been sentenced for a range of crimes of violence, as well as drugs and firearms offences, at Sheffield Crown Court today (29 June.)

The CBA (@TheCriminalBar) retweeted:New: At least 700 court cases were disrupted by the first two days of a barristers’ strike, and the number is expected to rise as the action continues across England and WalesThe walk-out was for 2 days this week, but will be for 3 next week, 4 the nextindependent.co.uk/news/uk/home-n…- Lizzie Dearden (@lizziedearden)10:47 - Jun 30, 2022

A man from Wolverhampton has agreed to pay the National Crime Agency £110,000 following a Civil Recovery and Tax investigation into his property dealings.

More than 500 subpostmasters are to get an interim payment from the government worth around £40,000 each.

A Cambridgeshire man will spend longer in prison for rape and child sex offences

Victims, members of the public and the media will be able to ask for a parole hearing to be heard in public for the first time, following law changes being made today (30 June 2022).

Met police, in need of special measures for first time since founding in 1829, is not the only force where intervention is deemed necessaryA record six police forces are currently judged as failing so badly that they need special help as a furious political row erupted over the placing of Scotland Yard into special measures.Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary confirmed on Tuesday that the Metropolitan police had been placed into special measures as it waits for a new commissioner to reverse plunging public confidence. Continue reading...

The Commissioner has started gathering the latest information from all police forces under his jurisdiction on their use of overt surveillance camera systems.

The CPS today vows to use football banning orders to those convicted of online hate crime connected to the game and prevent them from attending matches.

This consultation seeks views on amendments to the Code of Practice issued by the Attorney General for England and Wales and Advocate General for Northern Ireland under section 377A of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA).

Anyone caught piloting a boat carrying migrants in the Channel could face life behind bars from today, as part of the biggest overhaul of the asylum system in decades.

New powers are amongst other measures in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act coming into force today.

Welshman extradited from Ireland sentenced for involvement in illegal sheep meat operation  Sunday World

The survey, which has been set up by the Mayor’s Office for Policing And Crime (MOPAC) and the Met, will capture the views and experiences of victims of crimes in London and use them to improve the level of support and care all victims of crime in the capital receive. The Mayor and the Met are calling on all victims of serious crime in London to complete the anonymous survey to help deliver vital improvements in the support provided to victims of domestic abuse, hate crime, sexual violence, robbery, burglary, and any other form of violent crime .

Drivers who kill could now face life sentences as part of changes coming into force this week.

Statutory guidance on the provisions in the Offensive Weapons Act 2019.

Landmark reforms to better protect the public and make our streets safer come into force today (28 June).

CCTV footage captures arriving vehicles laden with waste and then leaving empty.

Director of Manchester pizza takeaway who fraudulently claimed £20,000 Bounce Back Loan has been jailed for 2 years.

Transforming the support offered to victims of crime so more stay engaged with the justice process is key, the CPS has said today, as independent research into victims’ needs and expectations is published.

Seeking nominations for Honorary Queen’s Counsel.

Yet the tide is turning: crimes against the environment are increasingly drawing attention as climate change has become crucial in the agenda of policy makers.   Europol’s new threat assessment Environmental Crime in the Age of Climate Change offers the most comprehensive intelligence picture to date on this criminal phenomenon in the EU.   For the purpose of this threat...

Equality impact assessment undertaken in relation to the carriage of Tasers by special constables.

The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has referred another case relating to the Post Office Horizon IT scandal for appeal due to concerns about bugs, errors and defects in the Horizon computing system that may have led to the original conviction. Nalini Joshi, a former sub-postmistress, applied to the CCRC in June 2021 after the

The series of strikes over a legal aid funding row comes amid a huge backlog of cases in the crown courtsCriminal barristers in England and Wales begin a series of strikes over legal aid funding on Monday. We explain why they are striking and what the impact is likely to be. Continue reading...

The CBA says the offer of a 15% uplift in fees is insufficient and is calling for a 25% rise to make up for years of funding cutsCriminal barristers in England and Wales are to begin a strike over legal aid fees on Monday, as they warn the profession is facing an “existential crisis” because of inadequate funding.The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) said the offer of a 15% uplift in fees, which was the minimum increase recommended by the criminal legal aid review (Clar), is insufficient after swingeing cuts – and will not apply to the backlog of 58,000 cases in crown courts. Continue reading...

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-619460…- The CBA (@TheCriminalBar)22:29 - Jun 26, 2022

Liberty hails decision that prior independent authorisation is needed for people’s communications dataThe security and intelligence services must acquire “prior independent authorisation” to obtain people’s communications data from telecom providers, a civil rights campaign group has said, after it won a high court challenge.Liberty hailed a “landmark victory” and said two judges ruled it was unlawful for MI5, MI6 and GCHQ to obtain individuals’ communications data from telecom providers without having prior independent authorisation during criminal investigations. Continue reading...

A Response to: Prison education: a review of reading education in prisons

After outrage over case of Child Q, force asks IOPC to examine incidents involving children aged 14-17The Metropolitan police have referred another eight cases of strip-searches of children for independent investigation.There was outrage over the case of Child Q, a 15-year-old black girl who was strip-searched at school while menstruating, without an appropriate adult being present. The police apologised and a local council report said the child’s treatment was in part the result of discrimination. Continue reading...

‘The Law Commission of England and Wales have today published a paper asking for views on the need and options for regulating remote driving on public roads.’ Full StoryLaw Commission, 24th June 2022Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Max Hill QC, has today supported the review into legislation to ensure more money can be returned to victims of crime. Giving evidence at the House of Lords Fraud Act 2006 and Digital Fraud Select Committee earlier today, the Director highlighted the limitations of the current compensation legislation, and recommended the government consider court powers to reimburse victims with any additional funds that are recovered.  

Ike Ekweremadu is said to have arranged the transport of a boy to the UK for organ-harvesting.

A Merseyside drug dealer who supplied millions of pounds of cocaine and amphetamine has been jailed for 29 years.

Two brothers from the Bradford area have agreed to pay the National Crime Agency approximately £4.3 million following a civil recovery investigation into their multi-million pound property portfolio.

A former Greater Manchester police officer has been sentenced for attempting to rape a woman in Lancashire in April this year.

A 24-year-old man has been sentenced today at Manchester Crown Court for damaging the Glade of Light memorial in Manchester.

The Financial Conduct Authority will pursue a re-trial of Stuart Bayes and Jonathan Swann for insider dealing offences. This follows the Court’s decision on 25 May 2022 to discharge the jury after they were unable to reach a verdict following an eight-week trial at Southwark Crown Court. The court set the date of 11 September 2023.

Court reporters have raised concerns about transparency of the justice system in the context of the wider roll-out of virtual courts, in a new study about media reporting during the pandemic. In the wake of the March 2020 lockdown, physical court rooms were closed and journalists had to adapt to covering virtual or ‘remote’ courts.

Cambridgeshire police labelled as 'requiring improvement' at investigating crime and responding to the public in official report  Peterborough Telegraph

A crime group who conspired to supply huge amounts of class A and B drugs have been jailed at Cardiff Crown Court.

Now 31, woman tells of shying away from teaching jobs because of criminal record checks flagging up minor incidentThousands locked out of jobs because of mistakes in youth, campaigners sayNatasha* was 16 when she was reported to the police while standing outside a fish and chip shop with a noisy group of friends.She had never been in trouble before but there was a local ban on teenagers gathering in big groups. She was one of a handful who did not run away in time. Continue reading...

Tributes paid to retired barrister Peter Clement, 57, who was last seen walking alone on trail on 15 MayA retired British barrister is feared to have died in Seychelles after going missing on a jungle hike.Peter Clement, 57, who was reportedly on holiday to celebrate his retirement, was last seen walking alone on the 12-mile Grande Barbe trail on Silhouette Island on 15 May. Continue reading...

Walkouts in England and Wales from next week come amid ‘record backlog’ at crown courtsBarristers specialising in criminal law have voted to go on strike in a row over legal aid funding, with several days of court walkouts expected from next week.The Criminal Bar Association (CBA), which represents barristers in England and Wales, announced the industrial action after a ballot of members. Continue reading...

The walkouts begin next Monday in an escalating dispute with the government over funding for trials.

These rules help to ensure that crimes are recorded consistently and accurately.

‘The Bar Council is calling for more funding for the justice system, as it launches a new, live, interactive map of key national and regional data on access to justice across England and Wales.’ Full StoryThe Bar Council, 20th June 2022Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Police safeguarding systems were flawed but a report finds no evidence of a grooming cover-up.

Latest information about procedures rules for magistrates' courts and the Crown Court not replaced by the Criminal or Family Procedure Rules.

The Crown Courts are currently experiencing the worst backlogs ever seen with more than 5,800 victims of serious violent and sexual crime stuck in the system awaiting justice for over a year. According to the latest figures as reported in the Observer, the overall number of cases awaiting trial in the Crown Courts has increased

Exclusive: Support Through Court, which helps people unable to afford lawyers, warns of ‘devastating impact’‘I’m so desperate’: Britons facing court alone who rely on helplineA court support service that helps thousands of people who cannot afford a lawyer is under threat after having its government funding pulled, the Guardian has learned.It comes as the number of people struggling to get justice without a lawyer has soared following swingeing cuts to legal aid in 2013. Continue reading...

And if we’re to continue making progress, ensuring communities across London have trust in our police force is going to be critical. The reality is that a series of appalling scandals have not only exposed deep cultural problems within the Met, but have contributed to an acute crisis of confidence in London’s police force.

The 10 men are all suspected of carrying out "violent and frightening attacks".

This Order brings into operation the revised code of practice (“the Code”) issued under paragraph 6(1) and (4) of Schedule 14 to the Terrorism Act 2000 (c. 11) (“the 2000 Act”) in connection with the exercise by examining officers and review officers of functions conferred on them by the 2000 Act. The Code revises the preceding code of practice to take account of amendments made to paragraph 1(2) and paragraph 2 of Schedule 7 to the 2000 Act, and to other relevant enactments, by the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (c. 36). The amendments to Schedule 7 to the 2000 Act make provision to expand the scope of powers under Schedule 7 so that examining officers will be able to examine and if necessary detain individuals under Schedule 7 away from port and Northern Ireland border areas provided that certain specified conditions as set out in the amended paragraph 2 of Schedule 7 are satisfied. The Code also revises the preceding code of practice to reflect additional minor updates unrelated to the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (c. 36).

This report provides an update on the progress we have made in implementing the Rape Review Action Plan, one year on from its publication.

Stuart Walton was often drunk, abusive and "purposely obstructive" during hoax calls, police say.

We are gathering information about police requests for personal data from third parties, such as the NHS or local authorities, when investigating crimes.

Sharing knife images creates a "culture of fear" and the Met Police should not do it, it is claimed.

An independent group of experts has called for a ‘fundamental reassessment of the policy and practice of sentencing’ in a wide-reaching examination of the treatment of victims and perpetrators of serious crimes. The Independent Commission into the Experience of Victims and Long-Term Prisoners chaired by Bishop James Jones, former head of the Hillsborough Independent Panel, published

A gangland enforcer who launched a horrifying acid attack on a victim and plotted to blind other victims has been sentenced to life behind bars.

Statement by Chanaka Wickremasinghe, UK Legal Adviser at the UN, at the UN Security Council briefing on the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals

Two brothers who used encrypted phones to deal in massive amounts of heroin, amphetamines and cannabis have been jailed.  

Vishaal Vijapura, 28, created a ‘rape list’ with the names of 191 potential victims and used 28 different social media accounts to stalk them.

An IT fraudster has been imprisoned today (14 June 2022) for profiting by more than £1m from selling software which allowed criminals to dupe people into divulging personal banking information.

Below are some examples of Domestic Abuse cases successfully prosecuted by CPS North East in May 2022.  The defendant was convicted of breaching a restraining order by attending his ex-partner’s address and knocking on the windows. He was sentenced to 16 weeks’ imprisonment. 

Prisoners vulnerable to addiction, mental health issues or homelessness will no longer be released on Fridays under new plans to cut reoffending and make streets safer.

Two members of an organised crime group that ran one of the largest amphetamine factories ever found in the UK have been jailed.

Ex-Radio 1 DJ who arranged the sexual abuse of children in the Philippines will spend longer in prison

Law Commission publishes options for holding companies to account for misconduct.

Six out of 10 cases in the magistrates courts are being held in secret in order to clear the backlog in the courts. An investigation by the Daily Telegraph has found that up to 40,000 cases a week are being heard behind closed doors by a single magistrate, without the defendant appearing in court. Such cases,

These Regulations, in regulation 2, bring into force three provisions in Chapter 1 of Part 3 of the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022 (c. 10) (“the Act”), which relate to financial sanctions.

Two drivers who were literally driving ‘hands free’ had a nasty shock when they realised they'd been caught on camera by police officers patrolling in one of National Highways’ unmarked HGVs.

Law Commission review of corporate criminal liability in England and Wales also criticised by campaignersLaw Commission proposals to make directors more accountable for economic crimes at the companies they oversee have been condemned as a “thundering disappointment”.MPs from the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on anti-corruption and responsible tax criticised the proposals for England and Wales, published on Friday, as “unambitious, uninspired and insipid”, saying the Law Commission had excluded essential changes that would have made it easier to punish companies and directors for failing to prevent money laundering. Continue reading...

A man suspected of supplying equipment used to produce illegal drugs linked to a spike in drug-related deaths in Scotland has been arrested, alongside three others, as part of a National Crime Agency investigation.

Four members of an organised crime group that ran one of the largest amphetamine factories ever found in the UK have been convicted of drugs offences.

This consultation seeks views on the draft statutory guidance on the Serious Violence Duty, which will be issued by the Secretary of State under section 19 of the PCSC Act 2022.

A 44-year-old man has become the fourth Portsmouth dock worker to be charged with drug importation offences as part of a National Crime Agency investigation.

Two brothers have appeared in court charged with raping and sexually assaulting three young girls, following an investigation by officers working on the National Crime Agency’s Operation Stovewood.

A consultation on the unspent convictions eligibility rule of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012.

As a result of the Mayor’s relentless focus on tackling violent crime and its underlying causes, and the hard work of police officers and youth workers across the capital, the level of knife crime and violence affecting young people in London has been decreasing since before the pandemic. 1 The Mayor believes violent crime is still far too high and is warning today that the cost of living crisis, which is impacting huge numbers of Londoners and some of the most vulnerable groups in our society, could jeopardise the progress that’s been made.

This memorandum provides an updated post legislative assessment of the Fraud Act 2006 for submission to the ‘House of Lords Select Committee on the Fraud Act 2006 and Digital Fraud’.

Gawain Fallows has received an increased prison sentence under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme

A total of 61 individuals were arrested for their involvement in this criminal operation, including five officers from the Civil Guard, one from the National Police and one from customs, who were identified thanks to the collaboration with Europol and Eurojust.  These arrests follow an 18-month long investigation into two criminal gangs, known as ‘Clan de Tanger’ and ‘Clan del...

The Metropolitan Police failed to consult youth violence experts on a ‘large-scale’ profiling scheme scouring social media sites to collect children’s personal data in an attempt to prevent gang crime. Project Alpha was launched by the Met in June 2019 with funding from the Home Office, with the aim of intelligence-gathering through social media. This

Jail time for protesters who create and occupy tunnels.

Two people have been sentenced for recruiting drivers to smuggle migrants in vans.

A drugs supplier has been jailed for 15 years in a National Crime Agency investigation.