Category: Latest News

The existing assault guidelines came into effect in January 2012; at the same time, the attempt murder guideline was revised.  Following an “extensive and complex project”, new sentencing guidelines have been announced for certain violent offences, including new guidance for assaults on emergency workers. Sentencing guidelines are referred to by any sentencing tribunal to assist… Continue reading Assault Sentencing Guidelines

At the moment, profoundly deaf people rarely sit as jurors. There are strict laws that prevent anyone other than the twelve jurors from entering the deliberation room. This means that a sign language interpreter cannot enter the room. The purpose of the legislation preventing a “13th person” is to prevent any outside influence in the… Continue reading Deaf Jurors

Alan Foster, Donald Denton and Peter Metcalf were charged with perverting the course of justice, accused of altering the statements of 68 police officers following the Hillsborough disaster in 1989. Denton and Foster were former senior police officers, Metcalf was the former police force solicitor for South Yorkshire. Their trial has been halted following a… Continue reading Hillsborough Prosecutions

What is good character? As far as the criminal courts are concerned, a person of good character is usually someone without convictions or cautions recorded against them. It is of particular relevance in a trial situation as the court will consider good character in assessing the likelihood of you committing the offence and also your… Continue reading Good Character as Mitigation

The government recently announced a range of proposals regarding immigration, but how does this affect criminal law? Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, said it was the introduction of the most significant overhaul of the system in decades. The aim appears to be to prevent illegal entry into the UK, especially when people smugglers or trafficking… Continue reading New Proposals

What is bite mark evidence? A bite mark is a pattern produced by the indentations of the teeth into any substance capable of being marked.  It is argued that a bite mark can be thought of as a tool mark and that they are unique to the individual, like a fingerprint. The way a bite… Continue reading Bite Mark Evidence – Part One

Buying and/ or selling a house is an exciting, expensive and, at times, stressful experience in our lives. But, for those looking to buy their first home, the conveyancing process, can be quite overwhelming. There is a lot to organise; from legal matters to financial arrangements and various regulations to comply with. To help you… Continue reading Your Guide to Conveyancing

New sentencing guidelines for some drugs offences will come in to force on 1 April 2021 and will apply to all cases sentenced on or after that date. The update is to reflect modern drug offending and new guidelines for offences created by the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 to bring clarity and transparency around the… Continue reading Sentencing for Drugs Offences

Ano-genital findings, namely signs of injury or other non-natural interference, often form part of child abuse prosecutions. In recent years new research has cast doubt on some old beliefs, and it may be the case that some convictions are unsafe. The most recent authoritative guidance is that provided by the Royal College of Paediatrics and… Continue reading Interpretation of Ano-Genital Findings

The British Broadcasting Corporation (‘BBC’) found itself in the embarrassing position of being fined £28,000 this week after admitting being in contempt of Court.   Why was the BBC in trouble? On the morning of 17 November 2020, the BBC made a video and audio recording of half a day’s hearing in the Planning Court… Continue reading BBC in the Dock