Legal News Articles
Vulnerable Children Wait Two Years to Be Adopted, Statistics Reveal (30 September 2011)
The number of children in care across England has increased from 64,400 in 2010 to 65,520 in 2011. The figures released by the Department for Education show that the number of children taken into care in the 12 months prior to March 31st 2011 – has dropped to 27,310 from 28,090 on the previous year. The number of adopted children also dropped from 2,720 in 2007 to 2,450 in 2011 and the number of unaccompanied asylum seeker children dropped from 3,440 in 2010 to 2,680 in 2011. Of these, 2,490 children were taken into care due to absent parenting.
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Jailed Traffic Officer to Appeal Genital Herpes Transmission Case (30 September 2011)
A traffic officer jailed for passing genital herpes on to his ex-girlfriend has walked free from jail on bail after launching an appeal against his criminal conviction. David Christopher Edward Golding, 28, from Northamptonshire, received a 14-month jail sentence after admitting to causing grievous bodily harm to his ex-girlfriend. Yet new evidence could cast doubt on whether Mr. Golding had actually passed the sexually transmitted infection on to the woman. Read more...
Inmates May Sue Government for Failure to Provide Extra Sky TV Channels (30 September 2011)
Prisoners at Parc prison in South Wales may sue the Government for failing to provide extra Sky Sports channels on their TV. The prisoners claim that the Government has breached their human rights as they only receive one Sky Sports TV channel and are therefore unable to watch all of the televised Premier League football matches. Read more...
Girl Reunited With Father After Three Year Disappearance (30 September 2011)
A Manchester girl who disappeared in 2008 has finally been reunited with her father. Pearl Rose Gavaghan da Massa was taken to Mexico by her mother, Helen Gavaghan. Her mother went on the live in the U.S. and Canada without legal consent. Read more...
Civilians Allowed To Hand out Fines and Request Personal Details (30 September 2011)
Thousands of civilians have been granted permission to fine people and request personal details. Following the expansion of a discredited Labour project, in excess of 2,200 civilians, including housing officers, street wardens, traffic marshals, and stewards, are able to issue financial penalties for “offences” that include dropping litter, truancy, and dog fouling. In over a year, the Coalition has allowed the so-called Community Safety Accreditation Scheme to grow by a third. Read more...
Yorkshire Teen Finds Abandoned Baby Girl (29 September 2011)
A Yorkshire teenager found an abandoned baby girl in a deserted street while returning home from a night out. 18-year-old Joel Redhead found the baby girl in Hull. Mr. Redhead described finding the baby as “a bit of a shock” and claimed that the discovery was “a weird end to the night”, stating that it was the last thing he expected to find on the way home. Read more...
Rhondda Cynon Taf May Introduce Public Drinking Ban (29 September 2011)
Rhondda Cynon Taf may impose restrictions on drinking alcohol in public places in order to tackle antisocial behaviour. Under the proposed restrictions, drinking alcohol in public places would not be made illegal. However, anyone who refused to abide by a police request to cease drinking alcohol in a public place could be faced with a criminal charge. Read more...
Lancashire School Teacher Acquitted Of Sexual Assault (29 September 2011)
A Lancashire schoolteacher was been acquitted of sexual assaults on pupils. The Preston Crown Court jury took just 20 minutes to clear Peter Wilson of touching and kissing young girls indecently. Mr. Wilson was acquitted of 11 counts of indecent assaults relating to five different female pupils. Earlier in the hearing, he was acquitted on three further counts of sexual assault relating to another female pupil. Read more...
Judge Refuses to Withdraw Life Support from “Minimally Conscious” Woman (29 September 2011)
A High Court judge has ruled that life-support treatment should not be withdrawn from a brain-damaged, minimally conscious woman, despite pleas from her family. Relatives wanted nutritional treatment to be withdrawn from the 52-year-old woman who they claim would not wish to live “a life dependent on others”. Read more...
West Midlands Police Charge Six with Terrorism Offences (28 September 2011)
It has been reported that West Midlands Police have charged six men with terrorism offences, including a suspected suicide bombing campaign. Four of the six men were charged in relation to preparing for an act of terrorism in the UK. The other two were charged with failing to disclose information. All six men, aged between 25 and 32, are from the Birmingham area. Irfan Nasser, 30, Irfan Khalid, 26, and Ashik Ali, 26, have been accused of preparing for an act of terrorism. Rahin Ahmed, 25, has been accused of funding terrorist acts. Read more...
Prisoners' Wages to Be Cut To Support Crime Victims (28 September 2011)
500 prisoners will see their wages cut to support victims of crime. The money raised from the introduction of the new legislation will be received by the charity Victim Support. The 40 per cent pay reduction is expected to raise the charity around £1 million a year. The policing minister claimed that the move would ensure that offenders took personal responsibility for their crimes. Read more...
Open-door Immigration Did Impact Living Standards, Labour Admits (28 September 2011)
The Labour Party’s open-door immigration policy did have an impact on wages and living standards, party leader Ed Miliband has claimed. Mr. Miliband admitted that Labour had failed to impose adequate border controls and stated that British workers had indeed been “undercut” by the policies that were in place. Read more...
Northern Ireland May Introduce Tougher Drink-driving Laws (28 September 2011)
Northern Ireland may face tougher drink-driving laws, as outlined by proposals from environment minister, Alex Attwood. Mr. Attwood wants to reduce current drink-drive limit of 80mg/100ml to 50mg/100ml – a limit that will correspond to that of many European countries. According to Mr. Attwood’s plans, young drivers and those who drive for a living would have to adhere to another lower limit of 20mg/100ml. Read more...
Neighbours Row over Felled Trees (28 September 2011)
Andrew Partridge chopped down 11 of his neighbour^s trees and caused damaged to another 21 trees surrounding his home because he was convinced that they were blocking his TV channel reception. Mr. Partridge cut down the 30-foot high Scots pine trees that were growing on agricultural land behind his home and he has been ordered to pay £2,500 in compensation to the landowner. Read more...
Two Young Children Crossed Busy Road as Parents Slept (27 September 2011)
A four-year-old boy and his two-year-old sister were found walking along a busy dual carriageway barefoot as their parents slept. While vehicles swerved to avoid the pair, driver Linda Young, shepherded the youngsters to the safety of the side of the road. The boy, who had no shoes on, and his sister, who wore a dirty all-in-one suit, were caught on CCTV on the Tyburn Road in Erdington, just a few miles from Birmingham city centre. The children had made their way onto the busy road while their parents slept. Read more...
Tory Property Tycoon Buys Olympic Village Athlete Accommodation (27 September 2011)
A Tory property tycoon^s company has snapped up half the Olympic Village at a bargain price. Jamie Ritblat^s firm, Delancey, bought the site in which the athletes will stay during the 2012 Olympic Games for just £557 million – an estimated loss of around £300 million on the money spent building the site. The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) conducted the sale on the Government’s behalf. Read more...
Northern Ireland May Raise Age of Criminal Responsibility (27 September 2011)
A review of the youth justice system in Northern Ireland is to recommend that the age of criminal responsibility be raised to 12. In the Irish Republic, no child under 12 years of age can be charged with a criminal offence. However, there are exceptions for 10 and 11-year-olds suspected of committing very serious criminal offences. While the age of responsibility is the same as that of England and Wales, it is not the same as the majority of Europe. Read more...
Airport Immigration Delays Damaging To Economy, Claim MPs (27 September 2011)
Experts have warned that the long border delays at Heathrow Airport are damaging London’s economy. BAA, which has invested billions of pounds in improving the airport, launched an attack on the UK Border Agency’s lengthy immigration queues. MPs and peers have criticised the delays, which have angered both business and leisure travellers at the airport. Read more...
Sheffield Man's “Disappointing” Personal Injury Pay-out (26 September 2011)
A Sheffield man injured in a fire in a Thai nightclub in 2009 has described the level of compensation he received as “disappointing”. Oliver Smart, 33, was subjected to severe burns during the Santika Club inferno. Two people received jail sentences and were ordered to pay £162,000 in compensation over a Bangkok blaze that killed 67 people. Read more...
Parents of Cagefighting Boy Could Receive Jail Sentence (26 September 2011)
A nine-year-old cagefighter has pleaded for a chance to continue to take part in contests, claiming that the sport is “good fun”. Kian Makinson was filmed cagefighting with an eight-year-old boy in front of a crowd of adults at a Preston social club. The footage has caused outrage among child and medical experts, who have called for a full investigation. Read more...
NHS Worker Banned From Living in Rent-free Garden Shed (26 September 2011)
An NHS care worker has been ordered by the council to move out of her rent-free garden shed home. Victoria Campbell and her boyfriend, Bill Warden, moved into the shed in her parents’ back garden in Hampshire in September last year. Yet Miss Campbell^s local council has ruled that the structure in which they are living fails to provide “adequate living conditions” and creates an “undesirable precedent”. Officials have ordered the pair to move out within nine months or face a fine. Read more...
Cohabitation of Unmarried Couples Provides Divorce Firewall (26 September 2011)
The increase in the number of cohabiting unmarried couples may be providing a “firewall” to prevent unstable relationships from ending in divorce later in life, research claims. In the early 1960s, less than one in 100 adults under 50 years of age were cohabiting as unmarried couples, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found. Today, the figure has risen to one in six, with cohabitation more widely accepted than ever before. Yet since a peak in the early 1970s, the number of couples choosing to wed has fallen. Read more...
Britain Faces Retirement Crisis (26 September 2011)
Official figures have revealed that Britain faces a retirement crisis as a result of the recession. Research has found that one in six individuals failed to pay into their pension schemes in the wake of the recession. More than a million stopped making personal pension contributions due to limited household budgets, according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS). Read more...
Prison Fails To Rehabilitate Prisoners, Claims Justice Secretary (23 September 2011)
Justice Secretary Ken Clarke has claimed that prison fails to stop criminals being criminals. Mr. Clarke told the BBC that the increase in the prison population is “pointless” and that he would “like to stabilise the situation.” Mr. Clarke told of his concern over “the sheer casual criminality” displayed during the recent civil unrest. Read more...
Olympic Youth Ambassador Admits To Violent Disorder (23 September 2011)
A former Olympic youth ambassador has admitted her involvement in violent disorder and damaging a police vehicle during the civil unrest in London. 18-year-old Chelsea Ives admitted to one count of burglary, one count of damaging property, and two counts of violent disorder in London in August of this year. In 2008, Miss Ives was appointed the role of Olympic youth ambassador by Waltham Forest Council. The council^s leader described Miss Ives as a “very talented athlete”. Miss Ives is yet to receive a date for her sentencing and has been remanded in police custody. Read more...
Mushroom Farm Employee Awarded Personal Injury Compensation (23 September 2011)
The Mushroom Farm in Langford, operated by Drimbawn UK Ltd, has pleaded guilty to offences of failing to safeguard machinery and failing to provide staff with adequate training to use this machinery. Their inadequacies resulted in serious injury to 32-year-old Kryzstif Moskalik who was working at the farm. Read more...
Government Cut Victim Compensation Fund Budget (23 September 2011)
The government has reduced the amount of funding available to award compensation to victims of crime. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme has suffered a five per cent cut – a loss of £10 million. An unpublished report from Victim Support states that the compensation scheme is a “financial time-bomb”. The Ministry of Justice claimed that the budget “would provide sufficient funding.” The government is set to hold a consultation to discuss the future of the scheme. Read more...
Two Care Home Staff Members Allegedly Locked Mentally Ill in Cupboards (23 September 2011)
Detectives are investigating allegations that two staff members employed by an NHS care centre locked severely handicapped patients in cupboards. It is the second time the police have investigated allegation of abuse at the centre. An earlier inquiry conducted by South Yorkshire Police was halted following a Crown Prosecution Service ruling that insufficient evidence was available to bring criminal charges. Read more...
Nigerian Rapist’s Deportation Would Violate His Rights, EU Judges Claim (22 September 2011)
Europeans judges have allowed a Nigerian rapist to remain in Britain after claiming that deporting the man would violate his rights to a “private life”. Akindoyin Akinshipe was due to be deported following losing countless appeals in the British courts over his jailing for the rape of a 13-year-old girl. Yet the European Court of Human Rights has now claimed that the deportation of Mr. Akinshipe would breach his rights to a “private and family life”. Read more...
Lesbian Honeymooners Claim Thomson Holidays “Refused To Acknowledge” Civil Partnership (22 September 2011)
Civil partners Tamsin Harper and Gemma Sharman claim that their luxury Caribbean honeymoon was subjected to “homophobic” discrimination. The West Yorkshire pair paid £1,800 for their all-inclusive holiday in the Dominican Republic. The pair claimed that other honeymooning couples received “three or four complimentary, romantic candlelit meals with wine” but they failed to receive such a service. The couple stated that, as honeymooners, they were supposed to receive complimentary fruit and rum in their room. Read more...
Italian Parents Seek Legal Help to Evict Adult Son (22 September 2011)
A court in Venice may be asked to provide an Italian couple with a protection order against their 41-year-old son. The Venetian parents claim that although their son is in employment, he has refused to leave home and demands that his parents wash his clothes and prepare his meals. The pair have sought the advice of lawyers.
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Abuse Victim Mistakenly Murdered Ex (22 September 2011)
A woman who had suffered years of physical and sexual abuse murdered a man with a knife, an Edinburgh court has heard. Robert Brereton, 47, was stabbed 26 times at the home of his former girlfriend Melanie Stevenson in March 2011. Miss Stevenson pleaded guilty to culpable homicide. Read more...
Pensioner May Have Been Sexually Assaulted Following Her Murder, Court Told (21 September 2011)
Belfast Crown Court has heard how Newry pensioner Maire Rankin may have been sexually assaulted following her murder at her home on Christmas Day in 2008. Mrs. Rankin’s next-door neighbour, Karen Walsh, is on trial charged with her murder. Miss Walsh denies the claims. Read more...
Necklace Stolen From Denmark Titanic Exhibition (21 September 2011)
A gold-plated necklace owned by a passenger on the ill-fated ocean liner, the Titanic, has been stolen from a Denmark exhibition. The necklace formed part of a temporary display of Titanic artefacts at Copenhagen^s Tivoli Park. The travelling exhibition unveils china, ships^ fittings, and a range of other items recovered from the shipwreck. Police are currently investigating the incident and a 1,000 euro (£870) reward has been offered for the safe recovery of the necklace. Read more...
HMP Report Reveals Negative Impact of Cutbacks (21 September 2011)
A report by the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) has revealed that financial cutbacks at HMP Manchester have had a negative impact on prisoners. HMP Manchester, formerly referred to as Strangeways, accepts individuals remanded into custody from courts in Greater Manchester and its surrounds. Read more...
Equality Campaigners Push For Legalisation of Gay Marriage (21 September 2011)
Equality campaigners claim that the current marriage laws discriminate against same-sex couples. The government has vowed to change the law in England and Wales to legalise gay marriage by the year 2015. At present, only heterosexual couples are allowed to marry; same-sex couples, meanwhile, are confined to civil partnerships. Civil partnerships provide same-sex couples with the right to the same legal treatment as married couples. However, the law prevents civil partnerships from being referred to as marriages.
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Concern over Treatment for Children with Harmful Behavioural Problems (21 September 2011)
Keith Towler, the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, has voiced his concern over the lack of services designed to treat children who display signs of sexually harmful behavioural problems. Mr. Towler claims that children in certain areas of the country were at a higher risk of sexual abuse from fellow children due to the lack of consistent treatment methods. In 2009, 308 children were found to have sexually abused other children in England and Wales. Recent data reveals that in Wales alone, there were 243 reports of child abuse by those aged 18 years or under. The Welsh Government is calling for a nationwide approach to tackle this serious issue. Read more...
Manx Foundation Campaign to Protect the Rights of the Disabled (20 September 2011)
An Isle of Man group is campaigning for greater protection for the welfare of disabled individuals. The Manx foundation for the physically disabled is pushing the government to implement the Disability Discrimination Act 2006. Michelle Brady, the group’s disability access officer, claimed that disabled people needed protection. Read more...
Homeowners Welcome Weekly Rise In House Prices (20 September 2011)
House prices in Britain have been increasing at a rate of around £100 each week, recent research has uncovered. Property experts analysed the prices of more than a million homes and concluded that across the UK, house prices have, on average, increased by 1.7 per cent since the start of 2011. This is the equivalent of £3,667. Experts claim that a shortage of homes has resulted in a rise in property prices. The survey also showed that homes are being sold nine days faster than at the beginning of the year.
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Father Arrested After Stabbing Suspected Intruder to Death (20 September 2011)
A Stockport father has been arrested by police on suspicion of murder after allegedly stabbing a burglar to death. Police were called to the property following reports that two men had broken in. Officers arriving at the scene found a man, believed to be in his 30s, who had sustained serious knife injuries. Paramedics and attending police officers provided the suspected intruder with first aid but he died at the scene shortly after. The second suspected intruder is thought to have fled the scene in a white Citroen van. Read more...
False Holiday Insurance Claims on the Rise (20 September 2011)
Foreign doctors have been making a profit by selling fake medical certificates to dishonest holidaymakers wishing to cash in on their insurance policies. An investigation has revealed that £6 million worth of false holiday insurance claims were paid last year, increasing the cost of insurance premiums for honest holidaymakers. Even when claims are revealed, the significant time and money required to pursue an investigation can lead to companies refraining from prosecuting dishonest travellers. Read more...
Benefits Claimant Found Waitressing in Paris (20 September 2011)
A British woman who fraudulently claimed thousands of pounds worth of welfare benefits was found working as a waitress in Paris. Sixty-two-year-old Florenze Brooks claimed that she was unable to walk long distances, could not sit for long periods, and was unable to turn over in bed. Yet Miss Brooks was found to be regularly travelling on coaches to Paris to work ten-hour shifts as a waitress at international air shows. Miss Brooks, from Yarm, North Yorkshire, received almost £7,000 in Income Support and Disability Allowance while in employment. Read more...
Restaurant Could be Charged £20,000 for Employing Illegal Workers (19 September 2011)
A Co Down restaurant could be charged a £20,000 fine for employing two illegal workers. UK Border Agency officers raided the Fontana restaurant to question employees about their visas. Two men, including a 29-year-old from New Zealand and a 27-year-old from Argentina, were arrested as a result of the raid. Both men were detained, in order to be removed from the UK. Colleen Bennett, the owner of the restaurant, claimed to have tried to obtain sponsorship and extend work visas for the two men.
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Paramedic Who Stole From the Elderly Avoids Prison Sentence (19 September 2011)
A paramedic who stole £100 from an elderly lady has narrowly avoided a jail sentence. Carl Brzakalik, from Hampshire, attended a call to 89-year-old Muriel Quintin who suffered a fall in her own home. Mrs. Quintin died shortly after being admitted to hospital. While attending the call at Mrs. Quintin’s home, Mr. Brzakalik stole a wallet belonging to her deceased husband. The wallet contained £100 in cash. Police later recovered the wallet from Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth.
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Mental Health Patient Killed By Pylon Climb (19 September 2011)
A Mental Health patient, who escaped from hospital, died after climbing an electricity pylon and exposing himself to live cables carrying a 33,000-volt charge. 19-year-old, David Hoskins, suffered from severe burns when he touched live cables following running away from a Mental Health ward at Weston General Hospital. The teenager died in intensive care at Frenchay Hospital just six weeks after the incident.
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Father-of-two Handed Suspended Sentence for Repeated Child Abuse (19 September 2011)
A father-of-two has received a suspended prison sentence after repeatedly hitting a child that hard it left her with injuries. Twenty-five-year-old Gary Hunneybell claims to have been scared by the severity of his own behaviour, broke down, and sobbed after abusing the girl. Burnley Crown Court heard that Mr. Hunneybell had himself been victim to violence at the hands of his father. Mr. Hunneybell also claims to have been suffering from anger management issues. Mr. Hunneybell, who has a previous record of battery, left his victim with “massive bruising”, as witnessed by the medics who examined her.
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Average Homebuyer’s Deposit Witnesses Tenfold Increase in Two Decades (19 September 2011)
The average deposit for a UK homebuyer has increased tenfold over the last two decades, revealing the difficulty first-time buyers face to step on to the property ladder. Recent research has found that the average deposit for a homebuyer has increased from £6,600 to a staggering £66,000 since 1990. The increase is blamed on increasing house prices and mortgage level reductions. The average household income, meanwhile, has only increased 2.3 times over the same period, meaning that prospective homebuyers are required to save for longer.
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Two-thirds Of Marriage Visa Immigrants Have Never Visited UK (16 September 2011)
Two-thirds of immigrants on marriage visas have never visited the UK, statistics have revealed. Forty-thousand migrants enter the country each year, either to marry or join an existing spouse. Together they bringing with them 9,000 children and other dependants. Home Office files dating back to 2009 have revealed that 67 per cent of migrants were coming to the UK for the first time. The research raises concerns that the majority of migrants lack knowledge and understanding of British culture. Read more...
Oswestry Tenants Receive Compensation over Estate Demolition Plan (16 September 2011)
Tenants residing on a drug-hit Oswestry Housing estate will receive almost £5,000 in compensation after demolition plans have been given the green light by Shropshire Council’s councillors. Yet tenants are worried that they will not receive enough money to set themselves up in a new residence. Residents also voiced concerns about the location to which they will be moved.
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Northern Ireland Teenager Award £1,000 in Age Discrimination Case (16 September 2011)
A Northern Ireland teenager has been awarded over £1,000 in compensation after winning an age discrimination and unfair dismissal case against her former employer. Jenna Greer, who worked at Heather Coulter^s Alphreso Cafe in Newtownabbey, was dismissed following asking for the minimum wage on turning 18. Miss Greer had been working as a dishwasher at the cafe from October the 4th 2008. Read more...
Increase in Prison Gangs Following Civil Unrest (16 September 2011)
Rioters and looters jailed during the civil unrest are forming new criminal gangs. Nick Hardwick, the chief inspector of prisons, said that the increase in gang activity was a result of young people fearing for their own safety. Read more...
Father and Baby Son Found Dead In Preston (16 September 2011)
A 39-year-old father is thought to have murdered his six-month-old son at his mother’s house before hanging himself. Taxi driver Paul McBride was found dead at his mother’s house. His son, who was found to be in a “very poorly condition,” was admitted to hospital where he later died. The pair were found after a search was conducted in relation to concerns raised about Mr McBride’s welfare. Read more...
Welsh Council Fund to Help First Time Buyers (15 September 2011)
Conwy County Borough Council may be looking to set up a £1 million fund to help first time buyers. If the plans are approved by the council, the fund would provide an indemnity to bridge the gap between the mortgage offer and the deposit required to successfully secure a loan. Read more...
Text Message Warning System Could Help To Protect Children (15 September 2011)
A test message warning system could save the life of a child or prevent Family unrest, a software company claims. Leeds-based company, Liquidlogic, has developed software that aims to prevent child abuse by enhancing communication between care workers. Read more...
Sussex Glamour Girl Charged With Benefit Fraud (15 September 2011)
Glamour model and mother-of-two Dionne Stenner, 29, from East Sussex, has been ordered to pay £1,315 for fraudulently claiming in excess of £7,000 in benefits. At the time of claiming benefits, Miss Stenner was earning a salary from presenting raunchy television channels under the stage name Morgan James. Read more...
Mum Discovers Child Sex Offender’s Shock Release via Facebook (15 September 2011)
A mum has told of her horror at discovering that the man who was jailed for sexually assaulting her daughter has been released easily and is back living in her local area. Thirty-six-year-old Gavin Poole was freed from prison after serving just half of his two year sentence. Read more...
Migrants Must Learn English or Face Loss of Benefits (15 September 2011)
Migrants who fail to find work due to their poor English language skills will be forced to learn English or face a loss of benefits, ministers have declared. Ministers claim that the move will better prepare migrants for jobs. Under new rules, Jobcentre Plus advisers can order job seekers to enrol on training courses if they believe that they lack the skills required to acquire jobs in the local labour market. Read more...
Welsh Government Campaign Tackles Domestic Abuse in Relationships (14 September 2011)
A campaign to tackle domestic abuse and sexual violence in relationships is to be launched at Cardiff Queen’s Arcade shopping centre. The Live Fear Free campaign is focused on challenging attitudes towards domestic abuse and is supported by a video about sexual violence. Read more...
Stalker Broke into Madonna's London Mansion (14 September 2011)
A 30-year-old man has admitted twice breaking into Madonna^s £10 million London mansion. One year before the most recent break in, Grzegorz Matlok had gained access to the singer^s Wiltshire estate where he tried on her clothes and those belonging to her ex-husband Guy Ritchie.
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Parents of Truant Children Could Face Benefit Loss (14 September 2011)
Parents of truant children could lose their child benefits under new plans under Government consideration. David Cameron has vowed to crackdown on what he has described as “the hard core minority of families” who deliberately cause trouble in their own neighbourhoods. The Prime Minister has sworn to take swift and harsh action to tackle social problems, including discipline in schools. Read more...
Immigration Cap Fails To Impact Recruitment of Specialist Workers (14 September 2011)
The government’s chief Immigration advisor has announced that there is no evidence that the Immigration cap on specialist workers is causing harm to the economy. Professor David Metcalf claims that the number of immigrants entering into UK from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) was calculated at less than half the allowed total.
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High-Security Prison Guard Caught Snoozing On the Job (14 September 2011)
A prison officer at a Category A prison was caught sleeping on the job, according to inspection reports. The guard at Belmarsh prison in Thamesmead, south-east London, appeared to inspectors to be fast asleep at a time when he was supposed to be supervising a visit in the jail^s high-security unit. The prison houses high-risk and high profile prisoners, including terrorists and killers.
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Social Housing Tenancy Fraud on the Rise (13 September 2011)
Almost 160,000 council homes in Britain are being subject to illegal subletting, according to Experian. In 2009, The Audit Commission estimated that around 50,000 council homes were subject to illegal occupation at a cost of £500 million per year in tenancy fraud but fresh analysis has concluded that the number of homes illegally sublet could be as great as 157,077 at a cost of over £2 billion a year. Read more...
Older Generation Homeowners Drive Surging Rents (13 September 2011)
The average monthly cost of private sector rent has increased for the sixth consecutive month to £705 yet LSL Property Services, the owner of the UK’s largest lettings agent network, claims that many landlords are witnessing a reduction in the capital value of their homes while rental income increases. Older generation homeowners are also aiding the surge in rent. Read more...
Harsher Community Sentencing Encouraged To Prevent Persistent Offending (13 September 2011)
Stricter community sentences are required to prevent persistent low-level offending, experts claim. Intensive periods of community service can often be harder when compared to a short-term prison spell but the sentences must adhere to "the necessary standards of rigour" in order for them to be effective, according to a report by Make Justice Work. The report comes as the prison population reached an all-time high in England and Wales. Read more...
Government Plans Encourage Employers to Hire Apprentices (13 September 2011)
The Government has pledged to remove the red tape that discourages employers from hiring apprentices. Skills minister John Hayes has announced a package of measures that will ensure that it is easier for businesses with government contracts to take on apprentices. This will lead to payments becoming simplified, contracts streamlined, and several data returns and audit requirements eliminated. Read more...
Former Teacher Guilty Of Possessing Indecent Images of Children (13 September 2011)
A former teacher found guilty of possessing almost 9,000 indecent images of children has received a six-month jail sentence, it has bee reported last week. Terrence Ladlow from Hunmanby, North Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to making and possessing child sex abuse images. Read more...
Seventh Man Arrested In Connection With Murder of Wales Football Fan (12 September 2011)
Police have arrested a seventh man in connection with the murder of a football fan outside Wembley Stadium. A 41-year-old has been detained in Worcestershire on suspicion of the murder of the Welsh football fanatic. Read more...
Reports Reveals Cruel Treatment of Asylum by Security Officers (12 September 2011)
A report has revealed that private security officers whose job it was to remove failed asylum seekers have been found to have spoken about detainees in a manner deemed to be “unprofessional and derogatory”. Government inspectors witnessed G4S employees using "offensive and sometimes racist language" on an aircraft bound for Nigeria. Read more...
New Agency Workers Regulations May Lead To Age Discrimination (12 September 2011)
According to John Dunn, the director of Randstad Education, the new Agency Workers Regulations (AWR) that will be made law on October 1st could potentially lead to age discrimination, if educational institutions rely on recruitment agencies to provide them with only newly qualified, and therefore cheap, supply teachers. Read more...
Man Who Faked His Own Death Begins Divorce Proceedings (12 September 2011)
John Darwin, the man who faked his own death, has begun divorce proceedings with his wife. The 61-year-old had been married for 37 years. Mr. Darwin has finally accepted that his wife never wanted to see him again but has claimed that his life is “meaningless” in the absence of his partner.
The couple last met during a prison visit in June 2008 and last spoke via telephone in November 2010. Read more...
9/11 Rescue Workers Make Personal Injury Plea (12 September 2011)
Politicians, members of the emergency services, and police chiefs have called for an end to what they describe as "inhumane" rules under which 9/11 rescue workers are unable to receive financial aid to help meet the cost of their medical bills. Over the past decade, the majority of the millions of dollars dedicated to helping treat the sick Ground Zero rescue workers has focused on those with respiratory problems and mental health issues. Read more...
UK Housing Conditions Leave Thousands Vulnerable (9 September 2011)
Housing conditions in the UK are now amongst worst in Western Europe, according to a major study. The study claims that “thousands” are being forced to sleep rough while landlords cash in. The housing crisis is said to contribute to the pressure faced by the NHS and other public services. Housing experts warn that the lack of affordable homes, reductions in local authority housing budgets, and the Coalition Government^s welfare system reforms are negatively affecting the UK^s most vulnerable. Read more...
Police Reassure Community Following Child Abduction Fears (9 September 2011)
Police are reassuring Glasgow’s east end community following a spate of child abduction rumours. The rumours are a result of reports that two men in a silver car have allegedly been approaching young children in the area. The police are currently investigating reports of three separate yet similar incidents. One of the men is thought to have shown a child a puppet, according to police. Read more...
Labour Slams Government’s “Disastrous” Student Visa Policy (9 September 2011)
Labour has branded the Government^s student immigration policy as “disastrous”, claiming that it will put the reputation of the UK^s top universities at risk. Ministers are depending on the policy to reduce the amount of student visas issued per year. The House of Lords shadow Home Office minister Lord Hunt of Kings Heath claims that the changes would cost £2.4 billion per year. Read more...
Burnley Council Award Landlord £65,000 Following Lengthy Court Battle (9 September 2011)
A landlord in Burnley, Lancashire, has been awarded around £65,000 from Burnley Council in an eight-year land and property court battle. John Rowe, landlord of two terraced houses earmarked for demolition in 2004 under the Elevate scheme and former British National Party election candidate, has fought hard against the council for the right to restore the houses he owned the leasehold on. Read more...
Burglar Entered Darlington Phone Shop through Ceiling (9 September 2011)
A burglar broke into a phone shop by entering a first floor flat and smashing a hole through the floor to gain access to the phone shop below. The 36-year-old man and his alleged accomplice broke into the flat in Darlington, County Durham, in early on the morning of May the 12th. Read more...
MPs Consider Concerns over Mental Health Services (8 September 2011)
MPs have been listening to the concerns of mental health service users and their carers. Toby Perkins and Natascha Engel, Labour MPs for Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire respectively, visited a Rethink Mental Illness community service designed to support individuals with severe mental health problems. Concerns raised covered the treatment of individuals with mental health issues by local hospitals, the police force, and job centres. The MPs also heard that service users and their carers were worried that the benefits system was set up for physical, not mental health problems, and that GPs did not fully understand mental health issues. Read more...
Obese Children May Face Adoption (8 September 2011)
Two parents who have let their children become obese have spoken of their concern that their children may be put up for adoption. Social services have accused the parents of failing to control the weights of their four obese youngsters and have warned the pair that their children may be fostered without contact or put up for adoption. Read more...
Urban Explorers Warned Over Trespassing On Vauxhall Site (8 September 2011)
Vauxhall have urged urban explorers to refrain from endangering their lives by trespassing on their treatment plant in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. The famous car manufacturer has taken steps to register with an online forum targeted at urban explorers to post a message about the dangers of trespassing after photographs of the site were posted online. Read more...
Wealthy Foreign Buyers Avoid Stamp Duty (8 September 2011)
Foreign millionaires are buying up lavish houses in Britain and successfully avoiding stamp duty. Just last month, a mystery foreign buyer purchased Park Place, near Henley, for a staggering £140 million. Read more...
Footballer Fails to Pay Child Maintenance to Fix His Ferrari (8 September 2011)
A professional footballer on an income of £4,000 per week failed to pay child maintenance as he claimed he needed the money to fix his Ferrari. The anonymous sportsman’s claims were among the many released by the Child Support Agency (CSA) to draw attention to the attempts some parents made to avoid paying child maintenance. Read more...
Domestic Violence Victims Could Face Loss of Benefits (7 September 2011)
Victims of domestic abuse could lose their unemployment benefits, warns the Trades Union Congress (TUC). Reductions in financial backing from the government has meant that many of the charities and shelters that help women experiencing violence have had to scale back their services or close completely, the TUC claims. Read more...
Woman Claims £10,000 in Benefits While Working (7 September 2011)
A woman has fraudulently claimed in excess of £10,000 in benefits after failing to disclose that she was in active employment. The 49-year-old admitted that she had failed to report her change in circumstance. She received an eight-week jail sentence, suspended for one year, and is required to undertake 120 hours of unpaid community service. She will also have to pay £500 in court costs. Read more...
Survey Reveals August Fall In House Prices (7 September 2011)
A Nationwide survey has shown a 0.6 per cent fall in house prices in August and a 0.4 per cent year-on-year decrease. These latest figures have surprising economists who predicted house prices to remain steady. The building society^s monthly insight into the housing market revealed that the average price of a UK home fell by £2,817 over August to £165,914 - 0.4 per cent lower than in August of last year. Read more...
Historic Human Rights Ruling Favours Prisoners’ Compensation Claims (7 September 2011)
Prisoners could be set to receive almost £5 million more in compensation following a historic ruling. Judges have been found to be in favour of three ex-prisoners whose claims date back to 1999. The claims were originally thrown out as the prisoners had waited in excess of five years to sue.
The ruling could result in the receipt of up to 1,500 new claims, totalling £3000 each on average – amounting to £4.5 million. Read more...
Government Warns Of Economic Damage If Migration Continues (7 September 2011)
The government has warned that the economy could experience permanent damage if highly skilled non-EU migrants continue to enter Britain. Consultations on new measures to cut permanent immigration are due to end on September 9th. These measures could restrict migrants’ rights to settle in the UK and may forbid them from remaining in the country in excess of five years. Read more...
Swindon Residents Face Increased Repossession Risk (6 September 2011)
Swindon families are at an increased risk of losing their homes than families residing elsewhere in the south-west. Ministry of Justice records reveal that mortgage lenders put 90 repossession claims into action in Swindon between April and June of this year. This figure is a 33 per cent increase on the same three months of 2010. Read more...
Millionaire Boss Heading For Huge Divorce Settlement (6 September 2011)
It has been reported that millionaire hedge fund boss Pierre Lagrange is heading for one of the UK’s largest divorce payouts after he announced that he was gay. Read more...
Man Jailed For Grand Canyon Trek with Grandchildren (6 September 2011)
A US man has been jailed for forcing his three young grandsons to trek 18 miles in blistering heat in the absence of food and water. The grandchildren, aged eight, nine, and 12 claimed that they had been victim to hitting, pushing, choking, pinching, and squeezing during treks of the Grand Canyon. Read more...
Home Office Powers Strip More British Nationals of Their Dual-Nationalities (6 September 2011)
An increased number of British nationals are being deprived of their dual-nationalities under Home Office powers that were introduced following the July 2005 London bombings. The number of British nationals subject to the power has significantly increased following the election of the coalition government. Read more...
Government Pension Reforms Force Employers to Cut Pension Contributions (6 September 2011)
One in three large companies are likely to reduce their pension contributions in response to pension reforms that are forcing them to offer pensions to all staff members. A survey, conducted by the Association of Consulting Actuaries (ACA), coincides with data showing that annuity rates have dropped to their lowest ever rate, decreasing many pensions’ incomes. The ACA surveyed 468 employers whose pension funds are valued at over £110 billion. The results highlight growing concerns over pension reforms, which mean that, from 2012, employees who fail to opt out of an occupational pension scheme will be enrolled automatically. Read more...
West Bromwich Landlord Fails To Evict Polish Tenants (5 September 2011)
A West Bromwich landlord is set to face a lengthy court battle to evict a Polish family that have refused to leave her house at the end of their tenancy. The homeowner claims that a Polish woman, her boyfriend and young child have failed to leave the two-bedroom terrace in July, at the end of their tenancy. The landlord claims that the family has been “manipulating” the law and that local housing groups have been advising the family to remain in the property. Read more...
Rioters’ Treatment Too Harsh, Cautions CPS Chief (5 September 2011)
Rioters’ sentences are too harsh and their cases should be treated just like any other, according to the Crown Prosecution Service chief. Keir Starmer, the Director of Public Prosecutions is concerned that the rioters are being regarded as a ^separate category^ and are hence being dealt with differently. Recent surveys suggest that rioters’ sentences are around one-quarter longer than usual. Read more...
Man Blames Diet for Drink-Driving Conviction (5 September 2011)
A 33-year-old man in Cambridge has blamed his dieting success for being caught at almost twice the legal drink-driving limit, a court has heard. The man, who was stopped by police on the M11, claimed that his weight loss has led to him being over the limit. Tests showed the man to have 62 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit of alcohol in the breath for driving is 35 micrograms. Read more...
Financial Pressures Force Married Couples To Delay Divorce Proceedings (5 September 2011)
Almost two-thirds of divorces in the South West are being delayed due to financial worries, according to a recent report. Read more...
£50,000 – The High Cost of Sheffield Council’s Compensation Payouts (5 September 2011)
Sheffield Council has awarded £50,000 in compensation for personal injury claims over a 12-month period. The majority of the claims relate to the poor condition of the city’s footpaths, roads, and open public spaces. The details of these compensation payments were made available under the Freedom of Information Act. Read more...