Legal News Articles
Environment Agency considers prosecution for angler caught without licence who gave false details (20 May 2016)
The Environment Agency says that enforcement officers have arrested an angler in Stoke-on-Trent, after he gave false details and tried to leave the scene. Read more...
Justice Secretary welcomes recommendations of review into prison education (20 May 2016)
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has published a comprehensive plan to transform the standard of education in prisons, after the publication of a report by Dame Sally Coates. Read more...
Bakery fined £45,950, after worker suffers partial amputation of finger (20 May 2016)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has successfully prosecuted a Wiltshire bakery, after an employee was seriously injured on an inadequately guarded powered bowl mixer. Read more...
Home Secretary tells Police Federation that standards and training must be consistently applied in policing (19 May 2016)
Home Secretary Theresa May has told the Police Federation Conference 2016 that developing minimum training and standards for certain specialist roles – and giving the College of Policing responsibility for enforcing those standards through a system of national accreditation – would deliver higher standards for specialist investigators, including for domestic abuse and child sexual abuse.
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Governors given “unprecedented freedom” to implement prison reform programme (19 May 2016)
The Queen’s Speech has announced the biggest shake up of the prisons system since Victorian times – with prison governors given unprecedented freedom to ensure prisoners receive better education. Read more...
Counter-terrorism and anti-corruption measures announced in Queen’s Speech (19 May 2016)
The Queen’s Speech has set out how the government will tackle radicalisation which leads to terrorism, in a number of measures announced that would also tackle corruption, money laundering and tax evasion.
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New legislation will speed up adoption (19 May 2016)
The Queen’s Speech has announced that a bill will be introduced to ensure that children can be adopted by new families without delay – as well as improving the standard of social work and opportunities for young people in care in England. Read more...
Director of London restaurant disqualified for financial and food hygiene breaches (18 May 2016)
The director of an Indian restaurant has been disqualified as a director for six years, after failing to account to HMRC and breaching food and hygiene regulations. Read more...
Warwickshire County Council supports Mental Health Awareness Week this week (17 May 2016)
Warwickshire County Council is supporting Mental Health Awareness Week, which runs from 16th to 22nd May. Read more...
Investigatory Powers Bill will help support multi-agency effort in tackling serious organised crime, says Home Secretary (17 May 2016)
Theresa May has told the Serious and Organised Crime Exchange 2016 that, at the time she took over the role of Home Secretary in 2010, not enough had been done to build capabilities, intelligence and networks to tackle serious organised crime. Read more...
Suspended sentence and Community Order for fly tipping (17 May 2016)
Wirral Magistrates’ Court has sentenced a local man convicted of fly tipping to three months in prison, suspended for 12 months, after an earlier hearing in April had been adjourned for probation reports. Read more...
Counterfeit trader ordered to repay £100,000 under POCA (16 May 2016)
Birmingham City Council has prosecuted A Birmingham businessman for offences under the Trade Marks Act 1994, relating to the possession of counterfeit goods – including designer clothing, headphones, tobacco and cosmetics, for the purpose of selling them to customers. Read more...
Bank Holiday Environment Agency crackdown nets 396 illegal anglers across the Midlands (16 May 2016)
The Environment Agency has said that a crackdown on illegal fishing launched over the May Bank Holiday resulted in 396 anglers being caught fishing legally at 29 locations across Staffordshire, Warwickshire and the West Midlands. Read more...
£120,000 fine for leaseholders and landlords who put tenants’ lives at risk (16 May 2016)
Barnet Council has successfully prosecuted the leaseholders and landlords of a ten-flat property in Golders Green, after finding they had put the lives of up to 20 people at risk. Read more...
Rotherham Council supports Dementia Awareness Week from 15 May (16 May 2016)
Rotherham Council is encouraging the public to support Dementia Awareness Week by taking part in free Dementia Friends sessions run by the Alzheimer’s Society. Read more...
Wirral Council launches campaign in support of Foster Care Fortnight (16 May 2016)
Wirral Council is launching a campaign focusing on finding foster families for teenagers to mark national Foster Care Fortnight, which starts on Monday 16 May. Read more...
Immigration Bill receives Royal Assent (16 May 2016)
The Immigration Bill has received Royal Assent, introducing a series of reforms to further crack down on illegal migration. Read more...
Prison recruitment event sees ex-offenders gaining employment with local businesses (16 May 2016)
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has said that local businesses attended an event at HMP Ford on Thursday (12/05/16), to help them discover how employing ex-offenders can help meet their need for specialist skills in the employment market. Read more...
Oxfordshire County Council welcomes findings of report into child care and CSE services (16 May 2016)
Oxfordshire County Council has welcomed the findings of an inspection into local organisations’ work to protect children from abuse and neglect. Read more...
Hiding or interfering with evidence in NHS safety investigations “should be made an offence” (16 May 2016)
A report by the independent Expert Advisory Group (EAG) has said there is room for improvement for investigation capability throughout the NHS. Read more...
Camden Council invites mental health patients to share experience of services (16 May 2016)
Camden Council is inviting residents to share their experiences of the mental health services provided by Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust. Read more...
New Act will see house building process streamlined (16 May 2016)
The Housing and Planning Act has received Royal Assent, paving the way for more people buy their own home and get houses built faster. Read more...
Insolvency Service publishes official data on director misconduct (16 May 2016)
The Insolvency Service has published official statistics detailing enforcement outcomes achieved in the year to March 2016 – revealing that more than 1,200 company directors were disqualified and 131 companies were wound up in the public interest in 2015-2016. Read more...
Treasury publishes reasons why EU membership benefits UK’s financial services sector (16 May 2016)
HM Treasury research has shown that membership of the EU benefits the UK’s financial services jobs – with access to the EU Single Market being “a significant factor” in the UK becoming a major global financial centre. Read more...
Selby District Council prosecutes former resident for Housing Benefit fraud (16 May 2016)
Selby District Council has prosecuted a former Selby resident for benefit fraud, after an application for Housing Benefit was found to contain a false statement. Read more...
MHRA alerts GPs over digital device used to assess risk of heart disease (16 May 2016)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is investigating a digital calculator used by GPs to assess the potential risk of heart disease in patients. Read more...
Report into mistreatment at Medway results in enhanced monitoring at STCs (13 May 2016)
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has published the findings of the Medway Improvement Board, as well as its response to the report’s recommendations. Read more...
MoJ announces consultation on proposals to tackle corporate fraud (13 May 2016)
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has announced that new proposals to crack down on economic crimes such as fraud and money laundering are to be considered later this year. Read more...
Court of Appeal judgment removes bureaucracy from small house building projects (12 May 2016)
Housing Minister Brandon Lewis MP has welcomed a Court of Appeal judgment, which restores a government policy to build more homes on small sites. Read more...
Jail for former solicitor who provided unlawful immigration advice (12 May 2016)
A former solicitor who provided unlawful immigration advice has been jailed.
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Change in reporting of mental health statistics for Armed Forces (12 May 2016)
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced that, following consultation on a proposed reduction in the frequency of reporting of Official Statistics on mental health in the UK Armed Forces, in the future mental health statistics for veterans will be published biannually, rather than quarterly. Read more...
MoD announce veterans will be given access to specialist treatment at Headley Court (11 May 2016)
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has announced that a group of amputee veterans are the first non-serving personnel to attend a clinic at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC) at Headley Court. Read more...
Government urges British business to take action against cyber crime threats (11 May 2016)
Minister for the Digital Economy Ed Vaizey MP is warning British businesses to improve their protection against cyber crime and hacking. Read more...
Court of Appeal doubles sentence of violent rapist (11 May 2016)
The Court of Appeal has quashed the original sentence of a man who imprisoned and raped a woman, after the Solicitor General Robert Buckland QC intervened under the Unduly Lenient Sentences scheme Read more...
Anti-corruption summit a chance to “expose, punish and drive out corruption” (10 May 2016)
The Prime Minister has said that he wants the anti-corruption summit to be an opportunity for world leaders to commit to global action to “expose, punish and drive out corruption in all walks of life”. Read more...
£15m fund made available to fund places of safety for mental health patients (10 May 2016)
The government has opened bidding to fund health-based places of safety to prevent people with mental health conditions being held in police cells. Read more...
£125,000 penalty for plumbing company after worker is killed in fall from height (10 May 2016)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a Birmingham-based plumbing company, after a contractor fell from a roof and was killed. Read more...
Croydon Shared Lives scheme given outstanding CQC rating for mental health and learning disabilities services (9 May 2016)
A Croydon Council-run service that helps adults with learning disabilities, mental health problems and other support needs has been rated outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Read more...
Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service urges people to be “water aware” to prevent drowning (9 May 2016)
Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) has joined with other fire and rescue services across the UK to raise awareness of water safety and the everyday dangers of being near water. Read more...
£4,000 fine for Birmingham builder who fly tipped building rubble (9 May 2016)
Birmingham City Council has prosecuted a local builder who fly tipped large amounts of building rubble in Selly Oak, Birmingham. Read more...
£6,000 fine for demolition company which failed to ensure safety of contractors working at height (9 May 2016)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a Nottinghamshire demolition company for safety failings. Read more...
£2.6m fine for Balfour Beatty after subcontractor is killed (9 May 2016)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted Balfour Beatty Utility Solutions Limited, after a subcontractor working for the company was killed when a trench he was working in collapsed. Read more...
CAMHS single contact pilots offer “improved outcomes for children and their families” (9 May 2016)
Education and Childcare Minister Sam Gyimah has told a meeting at the Anna Freud Centre in London that single contact points in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) can maintain “an open channel of communication” and act as the bridge between a school and CAMHS. Read more...
£2,800 penalty for selling bottle of beer to underage customers (9 May 2016)
Croydon Council’s Trading Standards department has prosecuted a shopkeeper in Thornton Heath, after he sold alcohol to two underage customers Read more...
Prison for two men convicted of defrauding elderly man (9 May 2016)
Preston Crown Court has jailed two men who overcharged an 84-year-old man for gardening work between February 2014 and July 2014. Read more...
District council issues landlords with reminder about new legislation to protect tenants (9 May 2016)
Purbeck District Council in Dorset has issued a reminder to landlords about new legislation which came into force in October 2015.
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Sheffield offers free support to male victims of sexual assault and abuse (9 May 2016)
Sheffield City Council is offering a new service to support men who are victims of sexual assault and abuse. Read more...
Northants Trading Standards issues warning about illegally imported puppies (9 May 2016)
Trading Standards officers in Northamptonshire have issued a reminder to consumers thinking of buying a puppy to be aware of scams involving illegally imported puppies, which might not have been vaccinated for rabies. Read more...
Sefton Council named SEN and Disability Champion 2015/16 (9 May 2016)
Sefton Council on Merseyside has been recognised for its support of young people with additional needs. Read more...
Ealing Council demolishes unauthorised building after Enforcement Notice is ignored (9 May 2016)
Ealing Council has take enforcement action to demolish a large, unauthorised building constructed at the rear of a proposed care home facility in Southall, west London. Read more...
ONS report shows more NI numbers issued to short-term EU visitors (6 May 2016)
A new report from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that an alleged discrepancy between official figures for the number of EU workers coming to the UK and the number of National Insurance numbers (Ninos) issued can be explained by the number of EU workers who come to the UK for a short period only. Read more...
Northamptonshire children’s services “no longer rated inadequate” (6 May 2016)
Northamptonshire County Council has announced that, following a recent Ofsted inspection, children’s services in Northamptonshire have “improved across all areas” and are no longer rated inadequate. Read more...
Kettering Council consults on its homelessness strategy (6 May 2016)
Kettering Council in Northamptonshire has announced a consultation on its Homelessness Strategy 2016-19, which will last until Friday, 3 June 2016. Read more...
Roofing firm prosecuted after worker fractures skull in fall from height (6 May 2016)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a Yorkshire-based roofing firm, after a worker fractured his skull following a fall from height.
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Gang jailed for over 28 years for laundering proceeds of crime (5 May 2016)
Manchester Crown Court has sentenced six people for a total of more than 28 years in jail, after they pleased guilty to a £10 million money laundering scam. Read more...
Croydon Council prosecutes a further ten people for fly tipping and littering cigarettes (5 May 2016)
Croydon Council has prosecuted a further ten people for fly tipping, under the council’s ongoing Don’t Mess With Croydon –Take Pride campaign. Read more...
£118,000 penalty for health trust’s mismanagement of bedrail risks (5 May 2016)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a health trust for inappropriate management of the use of bedrails in hospitals it runs. Read more...
Waverley Borough Council in line for award for new social housing development (5 May 2016)
Waverley Borough Council in Surrey has been named as a finalist in the South East Regional LABC Building Excellence Awards for its social housing development, Whitbourn Mews at Badgers Close in Farncombe. Read more...
Cambridgeshire meets adoption targets for looked after children (5 May 2016)
Cambridgeshire has announced that it is among just four local authorities to have met government timescales in placing children for adoption.
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Government announces funding for UK’s first ever Dementia Research Institute (5 May 2016)
The government has announced that a quarter of a billion pounds has been pledged towards the UK’s first ever Dementia Research Institute (DRI). Read more...
Guildford presses ahead with plans for more affordable homes (5 May 2016)
Guildford Council is to issue a Consultation Statement in May, highlighting the changes made to its revised Local Plan to avert a potential housing crisis. Read more...
Suspended sentence for DIY gas installer who put tenants at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning (4 May 2016)
A barman who illegally installed gas pipes and a gas boiler at a flat has been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for potentially putting lives at risk. Read more...
West Lancashire Borough Council completes second batch of new homes for 20 years (4 May 2016)
West Lancashire Borough Council has announced that an £8 million scheme to revive a housing estate in Skelmersdale has entered its final stages – and the first batch of new homes will soon be available to rent. Read more...
Essex Council welcomes report into looked after children’s mental health services (4 May 2016)
A report into mental health services for looked after children – for which Essex County Council provided written and oral evidence – has found that nearly half of children in care have a diagnosable mental health disorder, with looked after children four times more likely than their non-looked after peers to have a mental health condition. Read more...
Scarborough anglers fined £600 each for fishing without rod licence (4 May 2016)
The Environment Agency has prosecuted two anglers who were caught fishing without rod licences. Read more...
£350 penalty for builder who photocopied father’s Blue Badge parking permit (4 May 2016)
A builder who used a photocopy of a Blue Badge issued to his disabled father has been prosecuted, after a Croydon Council civil enforcement officer spotted the fraudulent copy. Read more...
Islington Council crackdown on letting agencies which flout the law (4 May 2016)
Islington Council’s Trading Standards team is checking that letting agencies inthe borough meet legal requirements – and has warned that agencies which breach the Consumer Rights Act 2015 may face fines. Read more...
£5,400 penalty for operating vehicle-breaking site without a permit (3 May 2016)
The Environment Agency has prosecuted the operator of a waste facility, who ran an end-of-life vehicle treatment facility without the necessary environmental permit. Read more...
Nottinghamshire anglers prosecuted by the Environment Agency for illegal fishing (3 May 2016)
The Environment Agency has prosecuted two men from Nottinghamshire for fishing without a rod licence. Read more...
Portsmouth library launches “Shelf Help” scheme offering mental health books free to young people (3 May 2016)
Portsmouth Library Service has launched a new scheme to support young people’s mental health, by offering expert endorsed books available to borrow for free. Read more...
Court of Appeal extends sentence of prisoner who threw boiling water a nurse (3 May 2016)
A violent prisoner in HMP Preston who threw boiling water in the face of a nurse has had his sentence increased to 11 years in jail. Read more...
£1.1m fine for Yorkshire Water after River Ouse is polluted with sewage discharge (3 May 2016)
The Environment Agency has prosecuted Yorkshire Water, after an illegal discharge of sewage into the River Ouse. Read more...
Less invasive mastectomies in BRCA-positive women “just as effective as more invasive surgery” (3 May 2016)
New research by the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and other research institutions has found that protective mastectomies that preserve the nipple and surrounding skin are as effective at preventing breast cancer as more radical surgery.
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Suspended sentence for Kidderminster man guilty of running illegal hazardous waste site (3 May 2016)
A man from Kidderminster in Worcestershire has been prosecuted by the Environment Agency for running an illegal hazardous waste site. Read more...
Wigan Council reminds local businesses of food allergy regulations (3 May 2016)
Wigan Council has reminded local businesses of the changes to rules around allergen information and what they must be able to provide to customers with food allergies. Read more...
Director who sold Rare Earth Elements as investments disqualified for 12 years (3 May 2016)
The director of the Global Metal Exchange Ltd (GME) has been disqualified for 12 years for selling Rare Earth Elements (REEs) as an investment and for failing to maintain proper records.
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Global summit confirms UK as “leading Western hub for the Islamic financial sector” (3 May 2016)
The government says that a global Islamic finance summit in Manchester has confirmed the UK as a leading Western hub for the Islamic financial sector. Read more...
Number of homes left empty “at all time low” (3 May 2016)
Housing Minister Brandon Lewis has announced that the number of empty homes across the country is now at its lowest level since records began. Read more...
Veterinary Medicines Directorate takes action against illegal veterinary medicines (3 May 2016)
A Manchester man has been prosecuted by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, after he imported unlicensed medicines for use in the UK. Read more...