Serious crime

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Custody time limits & Covid19

Whenever a person is remanded in custody in criminal proceedings, a time limit is set within which the trial must be concluded. The Covid lockdown meant that trials were temporarily suspended leading to issues with custody time limits, if a trial cannot take place within the specified timeframe an application can be made for the […]

Counterfeit Goods – New Sentencing Guideline Proposed

The Sentencing Council has launched a consultation on new guidelines for sentencing offenders for using a trademark without the owner’s consent. The new guideline will apply to both individuals and organisations in England and Wales. The new guideline will replace the current guideline published in 2008, which is used in magistrates’ courts and applies to […]

Modern Policing – Necessary Restraint or Unlawful Violence?

We frequently need to consider the use of force by police officers when arresting or otherwise dealing with suspects. In the year ending March 2018, there were 469,000 recorded incidents of the use of force by police officers, ranging from the use of handcuffs to firearms. That figure is considered by some to be much […]

Publishing Hate Material – Tough Sentences Can Follow

The recent case of Jay Davison acts as a stark reminder of the consequences that can flow if hate material is published. Davison was convicted of three offences of publishing material with intent to stir up racial hatred, for which he was subsequently sentenced to a period of four years’ imprisonment to run concurrently on […]

Reporting Restrictions

Reporting restrictions. Although there is a general principle of open justice, that those who appear in court can be reported on, there are some exceptions. It is a contempt of court to publish anything to the public which creates a substantial risk that the course of justice in the proceedings will be seriously impeded or prejudiced, […]

Firearms – Doing Nothing is Not an Option

On 20 October 2018 police on uniformed patrol identified a vehicle of interest to them. They followed it for a short distance before causing it to stop. A Mr. Jenkins was the driver and a female, Ms. Price, was in the front passenger seat. On searching the vehicle, a stun gun was found in the […]