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Firearms Licensing – Court Authorises Secret Evidence

Firearms Licensing – Court Authorises Secret Evidence. Appeals in relation to the removal of firearms licenses are heard in the Crown Court and the practice and procedure surrounding such hearings has been settled for many decades. In a recent case, the question arose as to whether a Crown Court has the power to receive evidence in […]

Out of Court Disposals – Government Consults on Changes

Out of Court Disposals – Government Consults on Changes. A public consultation invites views on the operational impact and workability of the newly drafted Code of Practice for the statutory two-tier framework of Out of Court Disposals, as set out in The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Act 2022. Out-of-Court Disposals (OOCDs) is the term […]

Bridge Protestors Get No Sympathy From Court of Appeal

Bridge Protestors Get No Sympathy From Court of Appeal In the early hours of 17 October 2022 Morgan Trowland, who is now 40 years old, and Marcus Decker, who is now 34 years old, scaled the Queen Elizabeth II bridge on the M25 carriageway. They hoisted a “Just Stop Oil” banner across the bridge, and […]

Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023

The Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023 received Royal Assent on 20th July 2023 and will come into force in 6 months’ time. The purpose of the Act is to prevent the theft of All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) such as quad bikes. The Act allows the Secretary of State to make regulations requiring immobilisers and forensic marking […]

Government Launches Pornography Review

The Government has announced a Review that will investigate gaps in UK regulation that allows exploitation or abuse to take place online, as well as identifying barriers to enforcing criminal law. As the way we consume media and access content rapidly changes, the Review will investigate any gaps in UK regulation which allows exploitation and […]

Youth Justice – Concerns Over the Quality of Representation

The Youth Justice Legal Centre (YJLC) and the Institute for Crime and Justice Policy Research (ICPR) at Birkbeck have published groundbreaking research on the quality of legal representation in the youth justice system. The findings cement the urgent need for clear guidance around training for solicitors to ensure children are adequately represented. The research found: […]

Court of Appeal Issues Further Guidance on Sentencing of Young People

Court of Appeal Issues Further Guidance on Sentencing of Young People. The Sentencing of young persons is one of the most complex judicial exercises, which must recognise the substantial differences between child and adult offending, particularly where an offender before the court has just reached majority age. Research has repeatedly emphasised the pace of developmental milestones […]

Police Powers & The Common Law

Police Powers & The Common Law. When considering police powers, particularly concerning search and seizure of property, we think first of powers derived from statute, which leads us to the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. On occasion, however, statute does not provide police with effective powers, and the question arises as to whether their […]

Trial of Sexual Offences

Trial of Sexual Offences. The Law Commission is tasked with keeping the law under review and this week presented a consultation paper discussing significant reforms to the trial of sexual offences, including rape. Why was the review carried out? In its End-to-End Rape Review, the Government looked at the decline in conviction rates since 2016 […]

Legal Aid – Some Good News?

Legal Aid – Some Good News? Generally speaking, news of legal aid reform is met with some trepidation as it usually means even more people will be excluded from this critical safety net or the fees are to be reduced even further. However, this week, a government announcement has been met with some enthusiasm; although […]