Daily Crime News

The findings of the CPS review for completed prosecutions in June under the Coronavirus Act and Health Protection Regulations - and a running total for all cases since March 2020 - are detailed in the table below.

By section 1 of the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 (c. 52) (“the Act”), the Secretary of State may designate as a sports ground requiring a safety certificate under that Act any sports ground which, in the Secretary of State’s opinion, has accommodation for more than the specified number of spectators.

Government has no plans to reimburse costs for operating video remand hearings from custody suites.

Boris Johnson suggested 'left wing criminal justice lawyers' act against the public interest.

Terrence McArthur, 67, has been sentenced to nine years' imprisonment at Exeter Crown Court for the manslaughter of his 14-day-old daughter in 1976.

Panel member Sian Flynn - who joined the Board 15 years ago - discusses some of the common misconceptions around parole and explains the reality of being a Parole Board member.

Steven Bouquet has been jailed for more than five years after he killed nine cats in night attacks.

It is “impossible for solicitors to leave their practising certificates at home completely” when it comes to behaviour in their personal lives, the president of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has said. The post SDT chief defends role in policing solicitors’ personal conduct appeared first on Legal Futures.

The government’s ‘discriminatory’ crackdown on crime will ‘compound discrimination and divide communities’, the human rights campaign group Liberty has said. The plans, which, according to Liberty, could ‘funnel young people into the criminal justice system’, include the permanent expansion of controversial stop-and-search powers – proven to have a disproportionate impact on ethnic minorities – and

Plans to create ‘road user hierarchy’ are part of £338m package to boost cycling and walking across BritainChanges to the Highway Code, including putting pedestrians at the top of a new “road user hierarchy”, have been announced by the UK transport secretary.The proposed changes, which are due to receive parliamentary approval in the autumn, will also give pedestrians priority at junctions as well as raising further awareness about the dangers of speeding. Continue reading...

There were 19 deaths in or following police custody last year with 12 of that number of fatalities having been restrained, according to the latest figures from the police watchdog. The Independent Office for Police Conduct also recorded that there have been 92 other deaths following contact with the police, however deaths are only included

The Lord Chief Justice, in concurrence with the Lord Chancellor, has announced the appointment of four Presiding Judges. Mrs Justice Tipples has been appointed to the Midland Circuit where she will succeed Mr Justice Jeremy Baker. Mr Justice Goose has been appointed to the Northern Circuit where he will succeed Mr Justice Dove. Mr Justice

Device was found by a member of the public and could be accessed without a password.

Hard drives at Autonomy offices were destroyed the same month CEO Lynch quit, extradition trial was told  The Register

The government’s law and order crackdown displays the performative cruelty that Priti Patel has made her own It is not difficult to see why Boris Johnson’s first post-isolation photo op was to appear alongside the home secretary, Priti Patel, and talk tough about crime. Ministers are keen to wrench the political argument towards a post-Covid domestic agenda. Yet there are fierce internal arguments in government about public spending, taxes, health and social care. What better way, meanwhile, to signal a return to supposed political normality than to reprise that old Conservative favourite, a dose of law and order?There is also an immediate reason for that choice. July’s opinion polls have not been as good for the Tories as those of the spring. The lead over Labour, which was often double-digit in June, is mostly in single figures now, and was down from 13 points to four in YouGov’s survey last weekend. The decline of the earlier vaccine bounce seems to coincide with the messy ending of England’s Covid restrictions. A crime crackdown is a way of reassuring the voters that, whatever the appearance otherwise, the government really is in control. Continue reading...

These Regulations amend the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 (S.I. 2001/3998) (“the Regulations”) and the Misuse of Drugs (Designation) (England, Wales and Scotland) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/704) (“the Order”).

The Insolvency Service is seeking information from postmasters who believe they may have been wrongly made bankrupt due to the Horizon IT system.

Grieving parents of two young women killed by their ex-boyfriends launch a new film to step up their campaign for justiceA new campaign film keeps the pressure on the Ministry of Justice to change the minimum sentence for domestic murder. The Changes That We Can Make features Carole Gould and Julie Devey, two mothers who have been campaigning since February 2020 on behalf of their daughters, Ellie and Poppy.Sixth-form student Ellie Gould, 17, was murdered by her ex-boyfriend, Thomas Griffiths, on 3 May 2019. Quantitative trading analyst Poppy Devey Waterhouse, 24, was murdered by her ex-boyfriend, Joe Atkinson, on 14 December 2018. Though these were frenzied attacks involving multiple injuries, and the killers tried to hide their crimes, the guidelines for murder sentencing meant that both received less than 20 years in prison. Atkinson got 16 years; Griffiths got 12 and a half years. Continue reading...

This is a pivotal moment, and it will take much more than the Home Office’s proposals to bring about lasting changeAfter the shocking murders of Sarah Everard, Bibaa Henry, Nicole Smallman and many other women in the past year, the government has finally published its latest strategy to prevent violence against women and girls. We’ve had similar strategies in place in England since 2009, but the latest one has been delayed by over a year. It comes at a pivotal moment, in which the shared experiences of being a woman or girl – of being followed, harassed, assaulted and having freedoms curtailed because of the threat of men’s violence – has led to outpourings of anger and protests on the street.The Home Office’s public call for evidence to inform its new strategy drew more than 180,000 responses, the vast majority after it reopened following Everard’s murder. It comes after last month’s government rape review, which carried an apology for the shamefully low rates of prosecutions, and the release of an Ofsted review that found that sexual harassment has become normalised in schools and colleges. Continue reading...

Admission comes amid growing complaints of bullying among the judiciary.

This rapid literature review finds evidence of varied bail conditions in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzani

He allegedly used controlling behaviour, including kicking his ex-girlfriend out of his hotel room naked.

Major report on remote hearings in the family court reveals widespread concern and challenges.

Long-term issues overlain with stress and isolation of Covid have set scene for ‘eruption’, charities sayCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageExperts and charities have raised the alarm about rising youth violence in the UK and say it could erupt over the summer, aggravated by Covid lockdowns, mental health problems and months out of education. Overstretched youth services lack the funding and resources needed to tackle the problem and are bracing themselves for a surge in violence similar to that seen when lockdown was lifted last year, according to Kayleigh Wainwright, the director of collective action at the national charity UK Youth. Continue reading...

We will be evaluating a live web chat service on our training website from Monday 26 July to Friday 22 October.

‘The Supreme Court has unanimously dismissed an appeal which considered whether treatment throughout a 55 day period in solitary confinement of a then 15-year-old appellant in Feltham Young Offenders’ Institution constituted a violation of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.’ Full StoryUK Human Rights Blog, 22nd July 2021Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

‘Leeds District Magistrates Court erred by deeming an application frivolous and refusing to state a case for the opinion of the High Court, a judge has ruled.’ Full StoryLocal Government Lawyer, 22nd July 2021Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Press Gazette has written to the Government consultation on new legislation to counter state threats, expressing its concern that journalists would be treated like spies and so punished for sensitive stories. Home Secretary Priti Patel (pictured) has asked for views on the Government’s proposed reforms to the Official Secrets Act, responding to recommendations put forward … Continue reading "Press Gazette's submission to Government consultation on Official Secrets Act reforms" The post Press Gazette's submission to Government consultation on Official Secrets Act reforms appeared first on Press Gazette.

An inquiry into the leak of CCTV footage that led to Matt Hancock’s demise as health secretary is not about investigating The Sun or journalists, the Information Commissioner has said. Hancock resigned from the Cabinet after footage published by the newspaper showed him kissing aide Gina Coladangelo in his departmental office, in breach of Covid-19 … Continue reading "Information Commissioner says Matt Hancock CCTV leak investigation 'not about Sun or its journalists'" The post Information Commissioner says Matt Hancock CCTV leak investigation 'not about Sun or its journalists' appeared first on Press Gazette.

‘The Pegasus Project is an international collaborative reporting project led by the French nonprofit organisations Forbidden Stories and Amnesty International, in conjunction with 16 media outlets worldwide, including The Guardian. Journalists worked to uncover the extent to which governments infringed upon the privacy rights of individuals by surveilling their digital devices for years.’ Full StoryEach

Isaac Jacobson, 51, from Salford, was serving a 7-year disqualification undertaking but ran a phoenixed company.

An investigation by the Bulgarian General Directorate for Combating Organised Crime (Главна дирекция Борба с организираната престъпност), the Hellenic Police (Ελληνική Αστυνομία) and the Hungarian National Police (Magyar Rendőrség), supported by Europol and Eurojust, led to the dismantling of an organised crime group involved in migrant smuggling. The leaders of the gang were arrested during the recent action day.   Results from 21 July 2021:

Miscarriage of justice campaigners are threatening the Lord Chancellor with legal action for refusing to intervene in the courts blocking of joint enterprise appeals. In a letter before action shared with the Justice Gap, Joint Enterprise Not Guilty By Association (JENGBA) are challenging the ‘continuing failure’ of Robert Buckland to respond to recommendations from the

Sections 1 to 8 of, and Schedule 1 to, the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007 (c. 6) (the “2007 Act”) provide for trial on indictment without a jury (“the non-jury trial provisions”). Section 9(1) of the 2007 Act provides that the non-jury trial provisions expire at the end of the period of two years beginning with the day on which section 1 of the 2007 Act comes into force (“the effective period”). Section 1 came into force on 1st August 2007. Section 9(2) enables the Secretary of State to extend the effective period by order. Section 9(3)(b) provides that the effect of such an order is to extend the effective period for two years beginning with the time when the effective period would end but for the order.

The Lord Chancellor yesterday described CILEX lawyers as some of the most impressive lawyers he has seen and said the country needed more judges from their ranks. The post We need more judges with CILEX backgrounds, says Buckland appeared first on Legal Futures.

Mike Lynch: UK extradition treaty doesn't rely on any facts  BBC NewsTech Tycoon Lynch Loses U.K. Extradition Fight Over HP Deal  BloombergMike Lynch can be extradited to US, rules UK court  Financial TimesUK court rules Autonomy's Lynch can be extradited to face US charges  Reuters UKBritish businessman Mike Lynch faces extradition to US  The GuardianView Full Coverage on Google News

Thousands of records from the popular shotgun and rifle sales site Guntrader were posted to the dark web.

These Regulations, which apply to England only, amend the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 (“the 2014 Regulations”) for the purposes of preventing, detecting and controlling the spread of infections, specifically in response to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Victims’ commissioner for England and Wales criticises CPS’s ‘woeful’ performance as prosecutions drop 26% in a yearThe Crown Prosecution Service must be held to account for its continued “betrayal” of rape victims, the victims’ commissioner of England and Wales has said, as new figures revealed rape prosecutions had fallen to another record low.Dame Vera Baird said the CPS’s “woeful” performance was at “the root of the problem”, after the organisation’s annual figures showed that the number of cases that reach court dropped by more than a quarter in 2020-21. There were 1,557 prosecutions in England and Wales in 2020-21, down 25.9% from 2,102 prosecutions in 2019-20. Continue reading...

Three men who violently attacked a man on New Years Day have had their prison terms increased

A 34-year-old man has been sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment at Caernarfon Crown Court for multiple sexual offences including three offences of rape of a child.

Charities, trade unions and belief groups among coalition, which is also attacking judicial review billAn “unprecedented” coalition of more than 220 organisations has attacked proposed changes to the Human Rights Act and judicial review as a threat to freedom and justice.The judicial review and courts bill, published on Wednesday, introduces restrictions on challenges to government decision-making in the courts, while a review of the Human Rights Act has yet to be published, but there are fears it will lay the path for its dilution. Continue reading...

Subpostmasters wrongly convicted of offences during an IT scandal are to receive interim compensation.

‘Unsolicited sending of obscene images should be made illegal through the creation of a new offence of cyberflashing, a UK government-commissioned review recommended.’

This Order brings certain drugs under the control of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (c. 38). Article 2(2) of this Order brings three benzodiazepines, being the compounds known as flualprazolam, flunitrazolam and norfludiazepam, under control as Class C drugs under that Act.

Study identifies need for 'clear, public policies' around how people can access justice data.

Her Majesty's Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) has today 22 July issued a report following their Inspection of the operation of CPS and Serious Fraud Office (SFO) Proceeds of Crime Divisions.

The government admits it was wrong to say the double killer would not be on the sex offenders register.

The joint head of a law firm’s prison law department has agreed to be struck off after making legal aid claims for prison visits which never took place. The post Solicitor struck off for “reckless” prison legal aid claims appeared first on Legal Futures.

Report comes after year of crises including the rape and murder of Sarah Everard by a serving Met officerPolice must be tougher in vetting new officers to stop another Wayne Couzens joining the service, the chief police watchdog has said.Sir Tom Winsor, the chief inspector of constabulary, spoke after a year in which policing suffered a string of crises, the worst of which saw Couzens, then a serving Metropolitan police officer, rape and murder Sarah Everard, 33, after kidnapping her in a London street. Continue reading...

Dame Vera Baird says radical action needed, as lack of support leaves victims without confidence they will see justiceChronic underfunding of the criminal justice system has left victims facing a “bleak” picture, the victims’ commissioner for England and Wales has warned.Dame Vera Baird said radical action was needed to improve the justice system, with a lack of support for victims of crime and long delays leaving many victims – particularly rape victims – lacking the confidence that they would receive justice. Continue reading...

Lord Chancellor, the Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, gave a keynote speech at Policy Exchange about the government’s approach to reform of Judicial Review.

‘Twitter, Facebook and Instagram have become littered with memes purporting to identify the player, who has not been charged.’ Full StoryDaily Telegraph, 20th July 2021Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

A man has had his sentence increased following an intervention by the Solicitor General

A 55-year-old convicted murderer was today sentenced to 25 years' imprisonment for sexual offences against two children in Manchester in the 2000s.

Two 18-year-olds are accused of stealing items which would allow people into the Euros final.

This call for evidence was reopened at 6pm on 12 March to further collect views from those with lived experience of, or views on, crimes considered as violence against women and girls. It is open to all genders. It previously ran for 10 weeks from 12:15am on 10 December 2020 to 11:45pm on 19 February 2021.

The document is the new strategy covering the government’s plan to tackle violence against women and girls for 2021 to 2024.

Information for prisons and other prescribed places of detention on coronavirus (COVID-19).

Statutory Instruments that relate to the Criminal Procedure Rules.

One-day suspension ordered for MPs who wrote to senior judges before hearing in sexual assault caseSeveral Conservative MPs will be temporarily suspended from the Commons and told to apologise after being found to have tried to influence a judge presiding over the trial of a former colleague for sexual assault.The one-day ban from parliament was handed down by the standards committee to backbenchers Sir Roger Gale, Theresa Villiers and Natalie Elphicke – the then partner of Charlie Elphicke, who was given two years in prison after being found guilty of three counts of sexual assault. Continue reading...

Justice Secretary Keith Brown says low Scottish conviction rates suggest more needs to be done to help victims.

A new strategy for England and Wales comes amid concern about rape convictions and abuse in schools.

Passenger locator forms and mandatory tests will not be routinely reviewed in England, a union confirms.

Under hate crime legislation the courts must pass increased sentences where prosecutors evidence that offences either demonstrate or have been motivated by hostility towards a person’s race, religion, disability, transgender identity or sexuality. Below are examples of hate crime cases recently prosecuted by CPS North East, each of which resulted in a conviction and an uplifted sentence.

Below are some examples of Domestic Abuse cases successfully prosecuted by CPS North East in June 2021, notwithstanding the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic.

Cleveland Police is close to minimum levels of staff, the area's police federation chairman says.

Greater Manchester Police arrested the player last FridayHe is on police bail pending further inquiriesA Premier League footballer has been arrested on suspicion of child sexual abuse offences. The player was arrested last Friday and interviewed by police before he was released on bail.In a statement, Greater Manchester Police said: “Officers arrested a man on Friday 16 July 2021 on suspicion of child sex offences. He is on police bail pending further inquiries.” Continue reading...

‘In Episode 147 Emma-Louise Fenelon speaks to Rachel Francis and Joanna Fleck about their book Vicarious Trauma in the Legal Profession.’ Full StoryLaw Pod UK, 19th July 2021Source: audioboom.com

The Post Office Horizon scandal will probably have come to the attention of most lawyers over the last 12 months. There are a number of significant issues other than legal that surround the scandal, and Paul Marshall of Cornerstone Barristers, Gray’s Inn, succinctly summarises them in a lecture he gave at the University of Law The post The Post Office Horizon scandal: the law says computers are reliable appeared first on Internet Newsletter for Lawyers.

A security guard who worked illegally at a Cardiff shelter housing vulnerable women has been convicted after failing to attend court for a second time.

A progress update on implementation of the government response to Dame Elish Angiolini's independent review of deaths and serious incidents in police custody.

Journalists could be treated like spies for reporting on matters of public interest under planned reforms to the UK’s  Official Secrets Act. The move has caused alarm at a time when press freedom is seen as being under attack in the UK following the raid by the Information Commissioner to find The Sun’s Matt Hancock-scoop … Continue reading "UK journalists could be jailed like spies under proposed Official Secrets Act changes" The post UK journalists could be jailed like spies under proposed Official Secrets Act changes appeared first on Press Gazette.

The current regulatory approach to lawyers’ ongoing competence needs to change, the Legal Services Board has concluded, with assessments such as spot checks likely to be part of the reform. The post Stronger rules on ongoing competence move step closer appeared first on Legal Futures.

Fully vaccinated critical workers to be able to leave self-isolation in exceptional circumstances under new plans to prevent serious disruption to vital public services.

‘Article 31 of the 1951 Refugee Convention is concerned with “refugees unlawfully in the country of refuge.” ‘ Full StoryHouse of Commons Library, 15th July 2021Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

Reporting of accidents at work to the HSE: builder receives prison sentence for failure to report serious incident at construction site resulting in amputation  Lexology

A 67-year-old man from north Wales has been convicted at Caernarfon Crown Court of 14 offences spanning nearly three decades.

‘The Court of Appeal has cleared 12 more former subpostmasters who were wrongly convicted of offences during the Post Office Horizon scandal.’ Full StoryBBC News, 19th July 2021Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Law Society says trainees under different qualification regimes should be paid the same.

These Rules amend the Civil Procedure Rules 1998 (S.I. 1998/3132) by—

Half of people entering prison could have some form of neurodivergent condition including autism, brain injury and learning difficulties which impacts their ability to engage, according to a new report by three criminal justice inspectorates which highlights ‘serious gaps’ in support. In the foreword to the new report, Charlie Taylor, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons,

Katie Hopkins - a far-right British commentator - bragged about plans to break isolation rules.

Information and guidance about visiting prisons in England and Wales.

Guidance for families and friends of people in prison in England and Wales during the coronavirus pandemic.

These Regulations amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel) (Scotland) Regulations 2020. They exclude passengers who have departed from, or transited through mainland France (including Corsica), from status as “eligible vaccinated arrivals” within the meaning of regulation 2A of those Regulations, who would have been exempt from certain requirements imposed by the Regulations.

Case brought by local government officer had no prospect of success, judge rules.

These Regulations correct an error in the commencement provisions of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Self-Isolation) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2021. The effect is to ensure that the amendment made by regulation 2(2)(a) of those Regulations (which provides that the exemption from the duty to self-isolate for the purpose of posting Coronavirus tests is extended to include tests for antibodies) comes into force on 19th July 2021.

Cressida Dick backs Hendon methods, despite leaked documents and internal sources revealing alarming incidents and poor applicantsThe head of the Metropolitan police, Cressida Dick, has been forced to defend recruitment standards as leaked documents reveal cases of violent disorder, cheating and dishonesty among trainees at Britain’s biggest police force.The incidents relate to recruits at the Met’s main training centre and will raise concerns about its ability to provide an effective service as sources within the force allege declining standards for trainees as recruitment has been ramped up. Continue reading...

The fights outside the Euro 2020 final and the Daniel Morgan inquiry are just the latest controversies to hit the force. But Cressida Dick is confident of serving a second term as its chiefBeaming broadly as she faced the Prince of Wales in a gilded chamber at St James’s Palace, Cressida Dick was about to achieve another career high. A police officer of 38 years, she appeared exhilarated last Wednesday when receiving a damehood in recognition of her public service.But storm clouds routinely follow the chief of Scotland Yard, and for Dick, more than most. Continue reading...

FoI responses suggest home secretary did not consult Police Federation and did not have data on modern slaveryPriti Patel is under fresh pressure after being accused of appearing to have misled parliament on proposed powers to crack down on protests and, separately, issuing a statement on her asylum bill that does not seem to be supported by evidence.Both interventions from the home secretary were used to justify some of the most controversial aspects of her bills on policing and the asylum system, which have both been criticised as either undemocratic or cruel. Continue reading...

Police release images of 10 men sought for violence, disorder at Euro 2020 final  Reuters

Fans have ‘questions to answer’, says Met, as two 18-year-olds are arrested for allegedly helping people get past securityPolice have released images of 10 men being sought in connection with violence and disorder at the final of Euro 2020.After two men were arrested earlier on Saturday for allegedly enabling people without tickets to enter Wembley stadium during last Sunday’s final, the Metropolitan police issued the images and an appeal for help identifying fans “who we think have questions to answer”. Continue reading...

This review synthesises evidence on the role of gender in SOC with regard to gender norms, participation and prevention

A paedophile who preyed on vulnerable young people for 20 years, grooming them and then sexually abusing them, has been convicted of rape, indecent assault and indecency with children.

Judge says demonstration was ‘peaceful’ but impacted Murdoch, Mail, Telegraph and Standard titlesSix Extinction Rebellion protesters on trial for blockading the printing press of some of the UK’s biggest newspapers have been found guilty.The activists appeared at St Albans magistrates court on Friday accused of obstructing the highway outside Newsprinters printing works in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, on 4 September 2020. Continue reading...

Six Extinction Rebellion protesters on trial for blockading the printing press of some of the UK’s major newspapers have been found guilty. The activists appeared at St Albans Magistrates’ Court on Friday accused of obstructing the highway outside Newsprinters printing works in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, on 4 September 2020. Judge Sally Fudge convicted the defendants, saying … Continue reading "Extinction Rebellion protesters found guilty as printing press blockade meant £1m newspaper losses" The post Extinction Rebellion protesters found guilty as printing press blockade meant £1m newspaper losses appeared first on Press Gazette.