News & Advice

The Sentencing Council has published a new sentencing guideline for the unlawful importation of firearms. The Council is an independent body, accountable to Parliament, responsible for developing sentencing guidelines for the use of the judiciary and criminal justice professionals. They monitor the use of the guidelines and assess and review decisions relating to sentencing. Sentencing… Continue reading Importation of Firearms – New Sentencing Guideline

The government recently introduced a package of measures aimed at keeping the public safe from terrorists by imposing longer prison terms. The Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Act came into force in April and introduced a new “serious terrorism sentence” and provides a minimum term of 14 years and monitoring for up to 25 years after release.… Continue reading Terrorism sentences and the Fishmonger Hall attack

An announcement from the Department for Transport says that the government will be strengthening road traffic laws to make it illegal to use a mobile phone in most circumstances while driving. Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, made the announcement and said the government aimed to make it easier to prosecute those using their phone while… Continue reading Drivers and Mobile Phones

With COP26 taking place, the environment and how we care for it is all over the news. New legislation designed to protect and enhance the environment has now passed into UK law. The Environment Act provides legally binding targets to be enforced by a new Independent Office for Environmental Protection, which will hold government and… Continue reading Environment Agency & The Environment Act

There have been many headlines recently relating to women and their safety, particularly at night. From murders to assaults and cases of spiking, there are real issues that need to be addressed. The most recent government announcement on the issue is funding for new projects focusing on improving the safety of women and girls at… Continue reading Spiking and Safety of Women at Night

It is commonly thought that a magistrates’ court does not have the power to resolve all issues that might lead to abuse of process being argued. In the recent case of Mansfield v Director of Public Prosecutions [2021] EWHC 2938 (Admin), the facts were as follows: The appellant challenged a decision refusing an application to… Continue reading Abuse of Process

There are approximately 500,000 listed buildings in England alone, with some 92% being Grade II. A building is listed when it is of special architectural or historic interest in a national context. Listed buildings have extra legal protection within the planning system. Listing covers a whole building, including the interior, unless parts of it are… Continue reading Listed Building Consent – Avoiding Court

The Howard League for Penal Reform launched The Commission on Crime and Problem Gambling in 2019, and it is scheduled to end next year. The Commission seeks to answer three questions: What are the links between problem gambling and crime? What impact do these links have on communities and society? What should be done? A… Continue reading Problem Gambling and Crime

As fireworks are explosives, there are strict laws governing the sale, possession and use of them. The House of Commons Library has published a briefing paper, providing a detailed overview of the current provisions.   In brief Since January 2005, the sale of fireworks to the public has been prohibited, except from licensed traders. There… Continue reading Regulation of Fireworks

Even before the pandemic, there was a backlog in the criminal courts, which has worsened. The National Audit Office (NAO) has now produced a report on reducing that backlog. The NAO is the independent public spending watchdog; they produce reports examining government expenditure to judge whether value for money has been achieved. They also make… Continue reading Backlog in Criminal Courts