Legal News Articles
Tier 1 Investor Statement of Changes – “Regulated Investment Accounts” and Restrictions on Investment (27 February 2015)
The Home Office released Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules on 26th February 2015 (HC1025). Read more...
Tier 1 Investor Statement of Changes – “Regulated Investment Accounts” and Restrictions on Investment (27 February 2015)
The Home Office released Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules on 26th February 2015 (HC1025). Read more...
Foreign Students Victimised for TOEIC’s Failures - Duncan Lewis Challenges the Home Office (27 February 2015)
The Educational Testing Service (ETS) received critical media coverage last year when the BBC released a number of video footages, showing test invigilators assisting candidates to cheat on TOEIC papers. The Home Secretary Theresa May made a statement shortly after, saying the BBC’s evidence was “very shocking”. Read more...
Net migration rises again as a result of EU migration (27 February 2015)
Latest figures on net migration show another increase in the number of those coming to the UK compared with the number of those leaving. Read more...
Independent report reveals 63 Stoke Mandeville patients abused by Jimmy Savile (27 February 2015)
An independent report into sexual abuse by celebrity DJ Jimmy Savile has revealed that he abused up to 63 NHS patients at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, where he volunteered and also fund raised for. Read more...
Gang jailed for selling stolen cosmetics on eBay (27 February 2015)
An employee at a cosmetics factory has been jailed after pilfering thousands of pounds worth of beauty products, which were sold on eBay. Read more...
Elephant and Castle “London’s most dangerous junction for cyclists” (27 February 2015)
A survey by insurance company Aviva has found that Elephant and Castle in south London has the highest rate of road traffic collisions involving cyclists in London. Read more...
London bid to become leading centre for Sharia-compliant finance (26 February 2015)
The UK’s under secretary of state at the Foreign Office, Tobias Ellwood, has told The Telegraph^s Middle East Congress that London is bidding to become a leading centre for Sharia law-compliant finance. Read more...
Parents appeal £1.3m settlement to daughter, after family dispute over farm (26 February 2015)
A woman who worked on her parents’ farm free-of-charge for years in the belief she would inherit it has been awarded £1.3 million after taking legal action against her mother and father for her rightful share of the farm Read more...
MP calls for longer prison sentences for repeat drug offenders (26 February 2015)
Figures revealed in response to a Parliamentary question tabled by Conservative MP Philip Davies have revealed that 68% of offenders jailed immediately after sentencing for a drugs conviction have an average of ten previous convictions – including those convicted of offences involving Class A drugs such as heroin and crack cocaine.
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Millions owed under the Proceeds of Crime Act “may never be recovered” (25 February 2015)
The National Crime Agency (NCA) has warned that the £1.3 billion owed by leading crime bosses is unlikely ever to be recovered because most of it has been channelled abroad. Read more...
Study finds NHS dementia diagnosis increases sevenfold, raising fears that some patients are being misdiagnosed (25 February 2015)
Researchers at the University of Sheffield say that concerns over the government’s NHS drive to diagnose more cases of dementia have been realised, with some patients who have depression – or simply have a fading memory due to old age – potentially being misdiagnosed with dementia. Read more...
Care Act may force more elderly people into care homes, says healthcare consultant (25 February 2015)
Healthcare consultants Pinders are warning that the Care Act – which comes into force in April – could send the cost of caring for the elderly rocketing and force many older people out of their own homes and into care homes as a result. Read more...
Nurse calls for “wellbeing education” in schools to prevent mental health conditions going undiagnosed (24 February 2015)
An A&E nurse whose son committed suicide without his family having any inkling that he was suffering from chronic depression is supporting another family’s call for mental health education to become part of the school curriculum. Read more...
DWP tells family of disabled girl to claim DLA from Germany (24 February 2015)
The family of a profoundly disabled girl who requires 24/7 care have been told she is not entitled to care and disability benefits in the UK because her father works in Germany. Read more...
Woman jailed over fake rape claims (24 February 2015)
A mother of four has been jailed after falsely claiming she had been raped in an attempt to gain attention from her mother. Read more...
Government must provide more information about mediation in family cases (24 February 2015)
Leading charity National Family Mediation (NFM) has called on the government to shoulder more responsibility for the lack of information about alternative approaches to settling family disputes. Read more...
US team develops cancer diagnosis pill (24 February 2015)
US researchers at Stanford University in California have developed a pill which they hope may replace biopsies in cancer diagnosis. Read more...
Cycle deaths in London rise to four in first two months of 2015 (23 February 2015)
A 30-year-old woman has become the fourth cyclist to die on London’s roads in 2015, after she was crushed under the wheels of a tipper truck while riding one of the London Mayor’s “Boris Bikes”. Read more...
Appeal Court rules police removing 14-year-old’s clothes did not breach her human rights (23 February 2015)
The Court of Appeal has ruled that police removing the clothes of a 14-year-old girl in custody over fears for her safety did not amount to a breach of the girl’s human rights. Read more...
Baby girl dies after parents accept doctors’ decision to withdraw treatment (23 February 2015)
A baby girl with an aggressive adrenal tumour who was at the centre of a court battle has died after her parents agreed to doctors withdrawing treatment. Read more...
Mental health patients get housing priority under affordable home funding (19 February 2015)
Bidding has started this week on the second phase of a £120 million housing fund made available for affordable housing projects outside London under the Department of Health’s Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund (CASSH). Read more...
Met Police defend record on rape prosecutions (19 February 2015)
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said that figures suggesting fewer men in London are being prosecuted for rape – despite a rise in the number of reported rapes – are “shocking”. Read more...
Met Police defend record on rape prosecutions (19 February 2015)
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said that figures suggesting fewer men in London are being prosecuted for rape – despite a rise in the number of reported rapes – are “shocking”. Read more...
Subsidised childcare scheme sends private nursery costs rocketing, with teachers and nurses “outpriced” (19 February 2015)
A government scheme which enables low-income families access to 15 hours of free childcare a week has had a negative impact on other families accessing affordable childcare because of a shortage in nursery places. Read more...
Woman brain damaged in school swimming lesson wins damages (18 February 2015)
A woman who suffered brain damage after she nearly drowned during a school swimming lesson has won compensation from Essex County Council. Read more...
President of Family Division slams council for removing baby over young father’s links to EDL (18 February 2015)
The President of the Family Division Sir James Munby has criticised Darlington Borough Council for removing a newborn from his father because of the father’s links to the English Defence League (EDL). Read more...
London Mayor extends A&E support services for victims of gang crime (18 February 2015)
London’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Stephen Greenhalgh, has announced a major expansion of a scheme, which offers support to victims of gang crime who end up in A&E departments. Read more...
UK’s first Children’s Mental Health Week launched (17 February 2015)
Children’s Mental Health Week (16-22 February) was launched on Monday – with children’s mental health charity Place2Be releasing a video message from the charity’s Royal Patron HRH Duchess of Cambridge, to raise awareness of children’s mental health. Read more...
NCA head calls for end to illegal banking activity in UK (17 February 2015)
The director general of the National Crime Agency (NCA) Kevin Bristow has said that UK banks must end illegal banking activities such as money laundering and financial fraud, as the crimes could pose a risk to UK national security. Read more...
Home Secretary warns law will change if stop and search is used excessively (17 February 2015)
Home Secretary Theresa May has said that she will change the law if police officers do not stop using “stop and search” powers excessively. Read more...
Rightmove figures suggest buy-to-let investors are stifling property market (17 February 2015)
Online agency Rightmove says that the buy-to-let market is fuelling house prices across the UK – and limiting choice of affordable housing for first-time buyers. Read more...
Indicative Immigration Visa Charges for 2015 to 2016 (16 February 2015)
You may be aware that there is a strong possibility the cost of obtaining an immigration visa will increase in April 2015. Read more...
Children’s mental health “a time bomb” because of cuts to services (16 February 2015)
Mental health campaigners are claiming that cuts in mental health budgets and services have created a “time bomb” for children’s mental health services. Read more...
Armed Forces Mental Health crisis – 28,000 diagnosed with a mental health condition following Iraq and Afghanistan (16 February 2015)
New figures show that 28,000 members of the Armed Forces have been diagnosed with a mental health condition since 2007. Read more...
Mother brutally attacked by jealous ex-fiancé forced to write to him in jail by the court (16 February 2015)
A mother who had her throat cut by her brutal ex-partner has been warned by a judge that she could face imprisonment if she does not write to him in jail and update him about their children. Read more...
Man fighting deportation since 1997 loses latest appeal (16 February 2015)
A man who came to the UK from India as an illegal immigrant nearly 20 years ago has lost the latest round of his appeal to remain in the UK. Read more...
Charity calls for more domestic violence support for women in Wales (16 February 2015)
Charity Welsh Women’s Aid has said there has been a 20% increase in the amount of support given to women who are victims of domestic abuse in Wales. Read more...
Colchester’sfirst council homes for 20 years are ready for tenants (16 February 2015)
Colchester Council has said that the first tenants to move into council homes in the town for 20 years are due to take possession of their new homes. Read more...
Housing Association apologises for disrepair issues (16 February 2015)
A housing association which received a stinging regulatory notice from the Housing & Communities Agency (HCA) has apologised to its tenants for disrepair issues. Read more...
One woman dies and another tells of fears for unborn child after motoring incidents (16 February 2015)
A motorist from Islington in north London is due to appear in court today (16/02/15) after a 29-year-old woman was knocked down and later died from head injuries in Muswell Hill on 31 January. Read more...
High court rules diplomatic immunity from employment law “incompatible” with Human Rights Act (16 February 2015)
The Court of Appeal has ruled that foreign embassies in the UK are breaching the European Convention on Human Rights by claiming they are exempt from Britain’s employment laws. Read more...
MPs call for more data of effects of Legal Aid reforms on access to justice (16 February 2015)
A new report by the cross-party Public Accounts Committee has concluded that the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) introduced civil Legal Aid reforms “without taking account of the potential consequences”. Read more...
Shadow Justice Secretary pledges reform of criminal Legal Aid under Labour government (16 February 2015)
Shadow Justice Secretary Sadiq Khan has said that a Labour government would undertake an immediate review of how Legal Aid for criminal cases is procured – and has accused the coalition government of “making a pig’s ear” of access to justice. Read more...
Police and teenage suspect rescued from mud after police chase (16 February 2015)
The Metropolitan Police has had to send a Marine Support Unit to rescue a teenager who went on the run and ended up stuck in mud on marshland after he absconded from his vehicle when it was stopped by police. Read more...
London Mayor says people have a right to “minimise” tax (16 February 2015)
London Mayor Boris Johnson has said that taxpayers have the right to minimise their tax liability to HM Revenue and Customs – although he accepts that every taxpayer should pay their “fair whack” of tax. Read more...
Rise in interest rates will be gentle, says Bank of England (16 February 2015)
Deputy Governor of the Bank of England Sir Jon Cunliffe has said homeowners should not be fearful that any future interest rate rise would put them under financial pressure, as the base rate is likely to undergo a gentle rise rather than being hiked to excessive levels. Read more...
British CEO whose family is trapped in Ukraine considers legal action in Strasbourg court (16 February 2015)
A British businessman who has been trying for 10 years to obtain UK passports for his wife and sons is pleading with the government to issue them with visas, after his family home in Ukraine was attacked by the pro-Russian Donetsk People’s Republic fighters. Read more...
Gallbladder operation leaves patient in agony after tube on liver is severed (16 February 2015)
A woman who suffered injury as a result of surgical error during a routine gallbladder operation has spoken of how she was left writhing on the floor in agony after surgeons severed a tube leading to her liver. Read more...
Low birth weight linked to higher risk of mental health conditions (13 February 2015)
Researchers at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University in Canada have found that babies with an abnormally low birth weight may have a higher risk for mental health conditions in childhood and adulthood – including ADHD, depression and suicide risk. Read more...
Suspended sentence for paramedic who failed to treat dying man (13 February 2015)
Wolverhampton Crown Court has given a former paramedic an eight-month suspended prison sentence, after he failed to assist a man he saw collapsed on the ground in front of Walsall Manor Hospital in the West Midlands. Read more...
Secure YOIs may increase risk of sexual offending in adulthood (13 February 2015)
A new report by the Howard League for Penal Reform has said that youngsters who spend time in juvenile prisons may become sex offenders as adults as a result. Read more...
Tougher sentencing for child sex offenders and terrorists under Criminal Justice Act (13 February 2015)
The Ministry of Justice has announced that child rapists and terrorists will no longer be eligible for early release halfway through their jail term – and will not be released until it can be proved they no longer pose a threat to the public. Read more...
Costa Concordia verdict may lead to compensation claims by passengers (12 February 2015)
More British passengers who were on board the Costa Concordia cruise ship when it overturned off the coast of Italy in January 2012 are set to claim compensation through the Italian courts, after the captain of the vessel was jailed for 16 years yesterday (11/02/15) for the manslaughter of 32 passengers on board. Read more...
Revenge porn set to become criminal offence (12 February 2015)
Under the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill, revenge porn is set to become a criminal offence in England and Wales once the Bill receives Royal Assent. Read more...
Administrative Court Judgment - Dublin II Regulation: The French ‘Priority Procedure’ & Risk of Refoulement. (11 February 2015)
R (oao) AI v The Secretary of State for the Home Department [2015] EWHC 244 (Admin) (09 February 2015) - This case concerns the decision of the Secretary of State for the Home Department to return the claimant to France, despite being made aware of numerous deficiencies within the French ‘Priority Procedure’; the equivalent to the Detained Fast Track procedure of the United Kingdom. Read more...
NHS patients fear reporting medical negligence will have no effect – or make things worse (11 February 2015)
A culture of fear is preventing NHS patients who receive poor medical care from reporting concerns or making complaints about NHS care, in case it makes the situation worse. Read more...
Keith Vaz criticises injustice in immigration rules for non-EU spouses (11 February 2015)
Home Office Minister for Immigration James Brokenshire has admitted that UK nationals married to non-EU nationals who would like them to be able live in the UK are getting “a raw deal”. Read more...
Number of people trying to enter UK illegally through ports “nearly doubles” in a year (11 February 2015)
The Director of Border Force Sir Charles Montgomery has told a committee of MPs that the number of people trying to enter the UK illegally via Calais and other Channel ports has nearly doubled in the last year. Read more...
Cancer patient who fell ill with sickness and diarrhoea on Cunard cruise considers legal action (10 February 2015)
A throat cancer patient who booked a cruise to recover from cancer treatment was confined to his cabin after developing symptoms of holiday sickness and diarrhoea. Read more...
Woman jailed for £32,000 John Lewis fraud (10 February 2015)
A 55-year-old former nanny has been jailed by Aylesbury Crown Court, after defrauding high street store John Lewis of nearly £33,000 in a con which involved returning clothes for multiple refunds. Read more...
Mother receives supervision order after pleading guilty to child neglect (10 February 2015)
A court in Blackburn has heard how police officers found a three-year-old child alone with a half-empty vodka bottle while the child’s mother slept upstairs with a man who had climbed up the drainpipe of the family’s home. Read more...
West Yorkshire Universal Credit pilot will assess tenants’ preparedness (9 February 2015)
The impact of Universal Credit on social housing tenants and owner-occupiers is being assessed under a pilot scheme in West Yorkshire. Read more...
FOE says new rules on draughty rental homes do not go far enough (9 February 2015)
Friends of the Earth (FOE) has responded to the announcement that private landlords will be compelled to make rental homes more energy efficient, by saying that the new legislation introduced on Thursday (05/02/15) does not go far enough. Read more...
UK border to shift further into Calais by summer (9 February 2015)
The UK Border Force agency is to relocate the UK’s border controls at the Port of Calais, to try and prevent lengthening queues on the approach road where immigrants try and board the lorries to reach England. Read more...
NHS plans to charge overseas patients not entitled to free GP services (9 February 2015)
The Department of Health (DoH) is to launch a pilot scheme in an attempt to recoup the cost of healthcare for migrants in the UK from their home countries. Read more...
Women “disadvantaged” by JSA criteria (9 February 2015)
An independent inquiry coordinated by the Fawcett Society has found that some women are disadvantaged by Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) criteria – especially lone parents, women who are victims of domestic violence and women who have English language difficulties. Read more...
Spurned husband who attacked wife at work denies attempted murder (9 February 2015)
A man who tried to strangle his wife at work has denied and attempted murder charge art Newport Crown Court in South Wales. Read more...
MPs call for change in law to ban police cells as “places of safety” for mental health patients (9 February 2015)
A Home Office report is calling for a change in the law to ban mental health patients being held in police custody suites under the Mental Health Act. Read more...
Ban on unsafe lorries in London (9 February 2015)
The London Mayor and Transport for London have announced that from 1 September this year, lorries without safety measures to protect cyclists will be banned from London’s roads. Read more...
High Court ruling means heart failure patient can sue GP (9 February 2015)
The High Court in London has ruled in favour of a man who suffered serious health impairment after his GP failed to recognise symptoms of heart failure. Read more...
Investigation into ambulance delay in fatal accident in which 16-year-old died (9 February 2015)
An investigation has been launched into why it took an ambulance more than 25 minutes to reach a badly injured teenager whose scooter had been involved in a collision with a car. Read more...
Man sustains head injury after being kicked unconscious by cow (9 February 2015)
The Midlands Air Ambulance was called to attend an incident on Wednesday (04/02/15) in which a man had been kicked unconscious by livestock in Bridgnorth in Shropshire and sustained a head injury. Read more...
Salford council to use £100,000 government funding to help ex-offenders train as drugs counsellors (9 February 2015)
The government has awarded Salford City Council £100,000 which will help train former prisoners who have overcome drug addiction to help families tackle drug issues together. Read more...
Golfer convicted of £26,000 benefit fraud after claiming to be disabled (9 February 2015)
A champion golfer from South Wales has been convicted of benefit fraud after a court heard that he had exaggerated the severity of arthritis to claim a higher rate of disability benefits. Read more...
Woman arrested at Heathrow on suspicion of FGM offences (9 February 2015)
A spokesman for Scotland Yard has confirmed that police arrested a 42-year-old woman at Heathrow Airport on Friday (06/02/15) on suspicion of being about to commit female genital mutilation (FGM) offences. Read more...
South Wales police close “legal high” shop after antisocial behaviour reports (9 February 2015)
Police in Newport, South Wales, have shut down a shop selling legal highs after reports of noise nuisance, intimidation and antisocial behaviour linked to the premises. Read more...
Northumbria Police investigations into sexual offences against women and girls “ongoing” (9 February 2015)
Police in Northumbria say a major investigation into allegations of sexual offences against women and girls is ongoing, after more than 100 victims have come forward. Read more...
Duncan Lewis appoints Sarah Jopling as Director of Family & Childcare (6 February 2015)
Duncan Lewis Solicitors is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Tooting based solicitor Sarah Jopling as a Director of Family & Childcare. Read more...
Duncan Lewis appoints Children Panel Member Michelle Bird as Director of Family & Childcare (6 February 2015)
Leading Legal 500 national law firm Duncan Lewis is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Michelle Bird as a Director of Family & Childcare. Read more...
Duncan Lewis’ Kirsty Richards is appointed Director of Family & Childcare and leads company’s new Barnet Office (6 February 2015)
Kirsty Richards, practising from the company’s Barnet office, specialises in representing parents and children in children care proceedings, including sexual abuse cases and non-accidental injury. She is a member of the Law Society Children Panel and recognised by the Law Society as a specialist Child Care lawyer. Read more...
Public Accounts Committee report calls on HMRC to tackle tax avoidance schemes (6 February 2015)
A report by the government’s Public Accounts Committee has concluded that leading accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) helped hundreds of clients avoid paying corporation tax by setting up a base for companies in Luxembourg. Read more...
Online reporting for non-emergency crimes to help victims “navigate” criminal justice system (6 February 2015)
Home Secretary Theresa May has announced plans for non-emergency crimes to be reported online, which could save the police force around £3.7 million annually. Read more...
Think tank’s report labels NHS reforms as “disastrous” for patient care (6 February 2015)
A report into the health service by think tank the King’s Fund has said that the reorganisation of the NHS had been “disastrous” – and had distracted the health service from patient care. Read more...
MP calls for ban on “designer vagina” cosmetic surgery (5 February 2015)
Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, Keith Vaz MP is calling on a ban on cosmetic surgery involving “designer vagina” procedures.
Read more...
£100,000 fine for waste recycling company, after worker suffers life-changing spinal injuries (5 February 2015)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has successfully prosecuted a waste recycling company, after an employee suffered serious spinal injuries in a work accident. Read more...
Parents may be committing fraud to save money on children’s motor insurance policies (5 February 2015)
Research by comparison website GoCompare.com has revealed that around one-quarter of parents whose child is a new driver are “fronting” a motor insurance policy for them to reduce insurance costs – but potentially may be committing fraud. Read more...
Strasbourg upholds Britain’s right to impose whole-life tariffs (5 February 2015)
The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that UK courts have the right to impose whole-life prison sentences for some of the worst crime committed. Read more...
Legal 500 leading law firm Duncan Lewis appoints Cardiff based Heather Iqbal Rayner as a Director of Housing (4 February 2015)
Duncan Lewis is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Heather Iqbal as a Director of Housing. Read more...
£500 fine for fly tipping in north London (4 February 2015)
A man from Tottenham in north London who was caught fly tipping has been prosecuted and fined a total of £525, after a waste contractor for the local council witnessed him dumping vehicle parts and refuse sacks at a hotpsot for fly tipping in Haringey. Read more...
Police launch week of action on keyless car theft gangs (4 February 2015)
Scotland Yard has launched a week of action against gangs involved in a rising trend of keyless car thefts – with thieves targeting high-value vehicles such as BMWs and Range Rovers, which are then shipped from the UK to Eastern Europe. Read more...
Second cyclist dies this year on London’s roads (4 February 2015)
A second cyclist has been killed in London this year, after a man was crushed by a tipper truck on Homerton High Street on Monday (02/02/15) afternoon – less than three miles from the first fatal cycling accident of 2015. Read more...
MPs vote in favour of technique to create babies from two embryos (4 February 2015)
A woman who lost seven babies to mitochondrial disease had said she is “overwhelmed” by the decision of MPs to allow the creation of babies with DNA from three individuals instead of two parents. Read more...
16-year-old become youngest person to be convicted of revenge porn (3 February 2015)
A 16-year-old boy has become the youngest person to be convicted of revenge porn, after he sold two images of his former girlfriend for a fee. Read more...
Campsfield inspection reveals children held in detention (3 February 2015)
A report by Her Majesty^s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) has revealed that three children were held at immigration detention centre Campsfield House in Oxfordshire – despite a pledge by the coalition government in 2010 to end the detention of children in immigration centres. Read more...
Birmingham company pioneers app to help those with early-stage dementia (3 February 2015)
A Birmingham start-up is developing a mobile app to help people in the early stages of dementia who are experiencing loss of memory. Read more...
NHBC report suggests Affordable Homes Programme may mean fewer homes being built (3 February 2015)
A report by the National House Building Council (NHBC) has found that funding changes could have affected the number of affordable new homes built by housing associations and local authorities in 2014. Read more...
Asbo for 12-year-old who threw dog faeces (3 February 2015)
Stockport Magistrates’ Court has granted an anti-social behaviour order (Asbo) against 12-year-old boy, after ALMO Stockport Homes applied for a court order after he threw dog faeces at a van and kicked a football at local residents’ properties and cars. Read more...
Fire service “needs more investment” to prevent further fatalities among firefighters (3 February 2015)
A study by the University of Stirling in Scotland has concluded that the fire service should receive more investment, rather be subjected to government cuts. Read more...
Company director jailed for part in £6m illegal worker scam (3 February 2015)
Southwark Crown Court has jailed a company director for five years for their role in a £6 million employment scam which exploited illegal migrants to the UK. Read more...
Housing associations must prepare for an ageing population, says think tank (2 February 2015)
A new report by think tank the Smith Institute has said that the UK’s ageing population might cost housing associations an extra £1 million by 2034. Read more...
Father and son jailed for £15,000 fraud targeting the elderly (2 February 2015)
A court has jailed a father and son after they were convicted on charges of defrauding elderly people of large sums of cash. Read more...
“Police should carry Tasers” says Police Federation chief (2 February 2015)
The Head of the Police Federation Steve White has said that all frontline police officers should be offered the opportunity to carry a taser. Read more...
40% increase in London evictions in just two years, says Shelter (2 February 2015)
New research by housing charity Shelter has revealed that more than 31,000 people living in London are under threat of eviction. Read more...
Cuts to children’s mental health services “ a false economy” (2 February 2015)
A group of leading mental health charities has published a letter warning that future budget cuts in mental services are likely to put more lives at risk in a service that is already under-funded, including children’s mental health services. Read more...
Backlash over proposal mental health patients could be treated by overseas staff using Skype (2 February 2015)
A suggestion by Norfolk and Suffolk Mental Health that mental health patients could be treated by cheaper overseas doctors using Skype technology has been condemned by mental health campaigners. Read more...
Operation Pheasant uncovers plight of exploited migrants in eastern England (2 February 2015)
A multi-agency taskforce involving Cambridgeshire Police, Fenland District Council and the UK Border Agency has revealed that since the taskforce was launched in November 2013, a total of 216 cases involving gangmaster activity have been uncovered Read more...
Calls for more “virtual courts” using video and email for defendants and witnesses (2 February 2015)
The publication of a study on cutting costs in the criminal justice system has recommended the introduction of more “virtual courtrooms” for criminal hearings, with defendants, victims and witnesses using video links and email. Read more...
Mother pleads for help with getting her kidnapped daughter back from Libya (2 February 2015)
A mother whose baby daughter was abducted by her estranged husband and taken to live in Libya has written to the Prime Minister and the British Embassy in Libya begging for help in getting her child returned to the UK. Read more...
12-year-old suffers kidney damage after taking over-the-counter children’s medicine (2 February 2015)
The mother of a 12-year-old boy is warning other parents about the dangers of using children’s medications containing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen. Read more...