Youth bailed for synagogue Arson – explained for non-lawyers On 21sth April 17-year-old appeared before Westminster Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to arson without intent to endanger life — an offence under Section 1(1) of the Criminal Damage Act 1971. But why, after admitting guilt, was the teenager bailed ? For young people under aged … Continued
We’ve heard from those supporting the argument for limiting the right to jury claiming that “criminals game the system.” Week in, week out we receive calls from desperate people informing us they are under investigation or facing prosecution and trial. They are not and may never be criminals. These people are merely members of the … Continued
A recent examination by the Office of Rail and Road into the practices of train operating companies (TOCs) reveals a significant inconsistency in the level of qualification for staff involved in prosecuting fare evasion cases. While most departments set high professional standards, the industry as a whole appears to rely more heavily on on-the-job training … Continued
In recent months there have been media reports of Railway companies seeking to prosecute commuters for travelling with invalid tickets when genuine errors made when purchasing tickets. Sam , a commuter was travelling using his 16-25 railcard on a journey that only allowed the discounted fare to be applied after 10am. He was unaware … Continued
The Government is set to present a new law to make drink spiking a specific criminal offence, with hopes of new legislation coming into effect as early as December 2024 The change was first proposed in the King’s Speech in July 2024. Although spiking is already recognised as a crime, covered by other pieces of … Continued
Not asking for a lawyer for the police interview was Jack’s second and most costly mistake that weekend in November 2022. If he had, he may not have waited almost two years and suffered the costs of funding his defence. He won’t get the time back and he will only be eligible to receive a … Continued
The government has decided to increase the sentencing powers of magistrates, allowing them to impose prison sentences of up to 12 months for a single either way offence. This decision marks a doubling of their previous sentencing limit, which was capped at six months. Purpose of the Change: The primary … Continued
Legislation has been laid in Parliament to ban xylazine and 21 other dangerous drugs as part of the government’s action to prevent drug deaths and crack down on drug dealing gangs. Xylazine, often known as ‘tranq’, is a high-strength veterinary sedative, which has increasingly been used in combination with opioids such as heroin as a … Continued
The Knock Following widespread public disturbances over the last few days, the police will likely seek to arrest many hundreds of suspects in the coming weeks. Some people may be expecting that early morning knock, but others may well be surprised to learn that they are thought to have done anything wrong. Is mere … Continued
On 18th July 2024, Judge Christopher Hehir sentenced five defendants convicted of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance for coordinating direct action protests on the M25 over four days in November 2022. One defendant received a sentence of 5 years; the other four defendants received sentences of 4 years imprisonment. The case sparked immediate commentary … Continued
Between 24 and 28 June 2024, Europol hosted an investigation targeting buyers of live distant child abuse material. The initiative brought together representatives from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States. 32 investigators processed and developed leads generated from investigations of United States Homeland Security … Continued
A man walks into a betting shop or uses a gambling website and places a £100 bet on the date of the general election. Three days later, the Prime Minister names the day, and the man wins his bet. On the face of it, this is unremarkable. People bet on all kinds of things: … Continued
