Law and Rights
Snow has arrived over most of the U.K. which is caught between a deep low pressure region over eastern Europe and a high pressure region out in the Atlantic Ocean. This brings easterly / north-easterly winds which are invariably cold and the snow which comes with them is dry and large amounts can fall.
The "big" political story of the week has been about "Wikileaks" revealing the contents of thousands of diplomatic communications - see The Guardian 29th November "US Embassy Cables: A banquet of secrets." .One matter revealed concerns what appears to be the US attitude to a request made by Gordon Brown when he was Prime Minister relating to Gary McKinnon who is wanted by the US for alleged "computer hacking" - Guardian 30th November. At the heart of the case is the almost unbelievably unbalanced Extradition Act 2003 . There have been repeated calls for amendment of this Act so that it works on the same basis whichever way the extradition is to take place - see The Spectator 30th July 2009. It beggars belief that any British government or any U.K. Parliament could have permitted such biased legislation to get on to the statute book.
The North London Coroner (Mr Andrew Walker) has rejected argument that he should now hold an inquest into the death of "Baby P" - The Independent 30th November. The Coroner stated that all questions have already been answered by previous investigations by State agencies. The Coroner is also reported as stating that even if he was wrong about the criteria for an inquest being met, a "coroner's inquest is not the best forum for such an inquiry." [One is then tempted to ask - well why do we have inquests?] The Baby P case is a tragic example of abysmal "parenting" coupled with failures by the Local Authority Social Services to detect and deal promptly with concerns - see BBC 26th October 2010. The two Serious Case Review reports are available on the Department of Education website.
Peter Sutcliffe (labelled "The Yorkshire Ripper") is to have his case heard by the Court of Appeal. He is arguing that he should not have to serve the "whole life tariff" as set by the High Court in July 2010. He was convicted in 1981 of the murders of 13 women in West Yorkshire in the period October 1975 to November 1980. He pleaded guilty to the attempted murders of 7 others. The trial judge - Boreham J - recommended that Sutlciffe serve 30 years. See the judgment of the High Court in July 2010 and also Law and Lawyers March 2010.
Addendum 1st December 2010: Former Home Secretary David Blunkett has spoken about the Extradition Act 2003 - see The Guardian 1st December. However, as far as one can see, he is not acknowledging the central criticism that the Act operates in an unbalanced way in relation to the USA.
- Inquest Or Inquiry? Litvinenko
Update 3rd October - Litvinenko's widow to seek judicial review of decision not to hold an inquiry - RTE Ireland Update 12th July - an Inquiry has been ruled out even though the Coroner (Owen J) requested it - BBC News UK 12th July Update...
- Hillsborough Disaster ~ New Inquest To Be Held
Update: The judgment of the court quashing all the inquest verdicts - Her Majesty' Attorney-General v HM Coroner for South Yorkshire (West) and HM Coroner for West Yorkshire (West) [2012] EWHC 3783 Admin - Lord Judge LCJ, Burnett...
- Ian Tomlinson Inquest - Unlawful Killing Verdict
The jury at the Ian Tomlinson Inquest has delivered a verdict of unlawful killing - see the Inquest Website and The Guardian 3rd May. It now appears that the Director of Public Prosecutions (Mr Keir Starmer QC) is to review the earlier decision relating...
- A Year On .... Yorkshire Ripper To Serve "whole Life" ... More On The Climate Change Case
Law and Lawyers blog is one year old - hence the little birthday card. It has been an interesting year and 2011 promises to be even more challenging as various policies and legal changes begin to take effect. The very first post on...
- Murder: Life Sentences And Tariffs: Identities Of Those Convicted
30 years ago, Peter Sutcliffe (media alias "The Yorkshire Ripper") was convicted of 13 murders of women in West Yorkshire. Interestingly, his defence (led by James Chadwin QC) sought to persuade the judge (Mr Justice Boreham) to accept pleas of...
Law and Rights
Late November News Items - 1
The "big" political story of the week has been about "Wikileaks" revealing the contents of thousands of diplomatic communications - see The Guardian 29th November "US Embassy Cables: A banquet of secrets." .One matter revealed concerns what appears to be the US attitude to a request made by Gordon Brown when he was Prime Minister relating to Gary McKinnon who is wanted by the US for alleged "computer hacking" - Guardian 30th November. At the heart of the case is the almost unbelievably unbalanced Extradition Act 2003 . There have been repeated calls for amendment of this Act so that it works on the same basis whichever way the extradition is to take place - see The Spectator 30th July 2009. It beggars belief that any British government or any U.K. Parliament could have permitted such biased legislation to get on to the statute book.
The North London Coroner (Mr Andrew Walker) has rejected argument that he should now hold an inquest into the death of "Baby P" - The Independent 30th November. The Coroner stated that all questions have already been answered by previous investigations by State agencies. The Coroner is also reported as stating that even if he was wrong about the criteria for an inquest being met, a "coroner's inquest is not the best forum for such an inquiry." [One is then tempted to ask - well why do we have inquests?] The Baby P case is a tragic example of abysmal "parenting" coupled with failures by the Local Authority Social Services to detect and deal promptly with concerns - see BBC 26th October 2010. The two Serious Case Review reports are available on the Department of Education website.
Peter Sutcliffe (labelled "The Yorkshire Ripper") is to have his case heard by the Court of Appeal. He is arguing that he should not have to serve the "whole life tariff" as set by the High Court in July 2010. He was convicted in 1981 of the murders of 13 women in West Yorkshire in the period October 1975 to November 1980. He pleaded guilty to the attempted murders of 7 others. The trial judge - Boreham J - recommended that Sutlciffe serve 30 years. See the judgment of the High Court in July 2010 and also Law and Lawyers March 2010.
Addendum 1st December 2010: Former Home Secretary David Blunkett has spoken about the Extradition Act 2003 - see The Guardian 1st December. However, as far as one can see, he is not acknowledging the central criticism that the Act operates in an unbalanced way in relation to the USA.
- Inquest Or Inquiry? Litvinenko
Update 3rd October - Litvinenko's widow to seek judicial review of decision not to hold an inquiry - RTE Ireland Update 12th July - an Inquiry has been ruled out even though the Coroner (Owen J) requested it - BBC News UK 12th July Update...
- Hillsborough Disaster ~ New Inquest To Be Held
Update: The judgment of the court quashing all the inquest verdicts - Her Majesty' Attorney-General v HM Coroner for South Yorkshire (West) and HM Coroner for West Yorkshire (West) [2012] EWHC 3783 Admin - Lord Judge LCJ, Burnett...
- Ian Tomlinson Inquest - Unlawful Killing Verdict
The jury at the Ian Tomlinson Inquest has delivered a verdict of unlawful killing - see the Inquest Website and The Guardian 3rd May. It now appears that the Director of Public Prosecutions (Mr Keir Starmer QC) is to review the earlier decision relating...
- A Year On .... Yorkshire Ripper To Serve "whole Life" ... More On The Climate Change Case
Law and Lawyers blog is one year old - hence the little birthday card. It has been an interesting year and 2011 promises to be even more challenging as various policies and legal changes begin to take effect. The very first post on...
- Murder: Life Sentences And Tariffs: Identities Of Those Convicted
30 years ago, Peter Sutcliffe (media alias "The Yorkshire Ripper") was convicted of 13 murders of women in West Yorkshire. Interestingly, his defence (led by James Chadwin QC) sought to persuade the judge (Mr Justice Boreham) to accept pleas of...