Blog
The Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Act 2024 received Royal Assent on 25 April 2024. The government has described the Act as: ‘New laws to protect our citizens from threats such as...
The recent case of HM Solicitor General v Trudi Warner has shone a light on a little-known but now increasingly prominent issue of “jury equity”. The issue is neatly summarised in...
It’s crucial for clients to understand that the information shared with their lawyer is privileged, meaning it will remain confidential in almost all circumstances. This rule, known as legal privilege,...
It is widespread for drugs to contain an adulterant or cutting agent, and the presence of cutting agents often leads to arguments when it comes to sentencing. There are typically...
A package of six new sentencing guidelines for offenders convicted of immigration offences in England and Wales have been published by the independent Sentencing Council following changes in legislation. Under...
In the case of Attorney General’s Reference on a Point of Law No 1 of 2023 [2024] EWCA Crim 243, the Court of Appeal considered the defence of “lawful excuse”...
The government has introduced the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Bill before Parliament; if passed, the resultant Act will automatically overturn convictions for certain offences linked to the Post Office...
The EU retail drug market is estimated to be worth more than EUR 30 billion annually, making it a major source of income for organised crime. Europe occupies a central...
The latest government statistics give an interesting insight into the continuing prevalence of knife crime in England & Wales. The year-end figure for all knife offences shows a 2% decrease...
Under current legislation, it is illegal for anyone under 18 to purchase or possess a crossbow, and anyone who carries a crossbow in public without reasonable excuse faces up to...
This week Nicholas Hawkes become the first person to be convicted for the new offence of “Cyber Flashing”. Hawkes sent unsolicited photos of his erect penis to a 15-year-old girl...
Since 29th November 2022 a court can impose a positive requirement on a defendant under an SHPO (section 175 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022). This, says...
The Online Safety Act 2023 creates a new offence of encouraging or assisting serious self-harm. The offence applies from 31 January 2024. What is the new offence? A person commits...
Newly published research suggests that pre-recorded evidence in chief and cross-examation, often referred to as “section 28 evidence”, may be more advantageous to the accused that live evidence given in...
The Post Office Horizon affair has been described as one of the UK’s most widespread miscarriages of justice. It has been a long, complicated and contested saga, involving a campaign...
A new strategy aimed at tackling the growing threat of serious and organised crime has been announced by the Home Secretary as the government steps up action to clamp down...
On occasion, Siri or a Google search may well be able to answer a legal query, but the end-user needs to know whether the information online was accurate when first...
It may come as a surprise to many people, but being in prison is not in itself a bar to marriage or civil partnership. Why is the right to marry/civil...
The introduction of X-ray body scanners (XRBS) as part of the Security Investment Programme includes installation of 75 scanners across 74 establishments by the end of March 2022. This initiative...
The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 has received Royal Assent and, when in force, will implement a large number of changes aimed at fighting economic crime and other...
On 28th October 2023 provisions in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 came into effect, enacting changes to the laws in relation to the rehabilitation of offenders. These...
The Firearms Act 2023 has received Royal Assent and when brought in to force, will introduce a number of regulatory and criminal law reforms. Miniature Rifle Ranges There is an...
In July 2023, the Court of Appeal quashed a sentence of 28 months imprisonment and substituted a sentence of 14 months imprisonment, suspended for two years. The case concerned an...
The outgoing Chief Inspector of Probation has issued a damning report. He is calling for an independent review of whether the Probation Service should return to local control two years...
On the 12th September 2023, Andrea Leadsom MP posed this question to Edward Argar MP who is a Minister of State in the Ministry of Justice: ‘What conversations has my...
Cross-party legal reform charity, JUSTICE has this week published a landmark report describing how the rule of law in the UK has “regressed significantly on multiple fronts” and threatens the...
Possession of nitrous oxide, also known as ‘laughing gas’, will be illegal by the end of the year. The ban was promised as part of the Government’s Anti-Social Behaviour Action...
A new offence of strangling/suffocation came into force on 7 June 2022, and we have previously written about the case of Cook [2023] EWCA Crim 452, which sets out comprehensive...
On Friday, 18 August 2023, the Jury returned its final verdicts in the trial of nurse Lucy Letby. Letby was convicted of murdering seven babies in her care and attempting...
It is prevalent for money laundering offences (under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002) to be charged alongside other alleged criminality, particularly drug offences. Whilst dealing with the monetary gains...
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