Police Informers – A case of risk and reward
A former Lord Chief Justice explained the reason for reducing the sentence which would otherwise have been imposed on an offender to reflect the fact that he has provided information and assistance to the police.
Lack of support for prisoners upon release
The Public Accounts Committee has published a report that raises concerns in relation to the level of support given to prisoners on their release
Sentence Adjournments, Sentencing Reforms & Prisoner Release – What we know so far
As it stands, the prison population rose to a record number of 88,225, a significant increase on the previous week and only around 500 places short of “operational capacity”, which is the maximum number of prisoners that can be held. Andrea Albutt, president of the Prison Governor’s Association, said:”If the government further overcrowd our prisons, […]
New research indicates some people may be physically unable to use police breathalysers
Some people may be physically unable to use the current evidential breath analysis machines, relied upon by police to gather proof of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, new research from the University of Sheffield indicates. The new study challenges the norm that anyone failing to provide a sample of breath at a […]
Chief Inspector calls for an independent review of the Probation Service
The outgoing Chief Inspector of Probation has issued a damning report. He is calling for an independent review of whether the Probation Service should return to local control two years on from unification into a national service. The Chief Inspector reports, in an overall assessment that: ‘The Probation Service is struggling. It’s more than two […]
Cyclists In the Spotlight
On the 12th September 2023, Andrea Leadsom MP posed this question to Edward Argar MP who is a Minister of State in the Ministry of Justice: ‘What conversations has my right hon. Friend had across government to make sure that the sentencing for those convicted of dangerous cycling is equalised with the sentencing guidelines for […]
Rule of Law is under “grave threat”
Cross-party legal reform charity, JUSTICE has this month published a landmark report describing how the rule of law in the UK has “regressed significantly on multiple fronts” and threatens the very democratic fabric of our nation. The rule of law is a set of principles, fundamental to our constitution, that seeks to ensure that everyone, […]
Proposals to make it easier to sack rogue police officers
A feature of many miscarriages of justice cases is the malign influence of dishonest police officers who have managed to stay in post despite many years of red flags having been raised in some cases. Recent tragic cases, such as the murder of Sarah Everard, have brought this issue to the forefront of policing. Now, […]
It’s Mine, and I Will Damage It If I Want To!
Police are currently investigating the causes of a fire that destroyed the Crooked House Pub near Dudley, causing a lot of people to wonder about the laws of criminal damage. Generally speaking, a person can damage, which includes setting fire to, their property. So, if you no longer want an item, you can, in most […]
IPP Prisoners – Intervention by the United Nations
IPP sentences were indeterminate sentences handed down by courts in England and Wales between 2005 and 2012. They were used for offenders considered to pose a significant risk of causing serious harm to the public until they no longer represented such a risk. When first introduced, these sentences were mandatory in all cases of conviction […]