Government bans machetes and zombie knives
Much has been written this month on government plans to “ban” machetes and zombie knives, and claims that possession would be made “illegal”. The government said: “Machetes and zombie-style knives with no practical use will be banned and police will have more powers to seize them in a bid to crack down on their use […]
Nitrous Oxide – Government acts to make possession illegal
Possession of nitrous oxide, also known as ‘laughing gas’, will be illegal by the end of the year. The ban was promised as part of the Government’s Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan, with the Home Secretary urging police forces to get tougher on flagrant drug taking in the streets, which is said to blight communities. Secondary […]
Strangling/Suffocation – Sentencing
A new offence of strangling/suffocation came into force on 7 June 2022, and we have previously written about the case of Cook [2023] EWCA Crim 452, which sets out comprehensive sentencing principles for judges. In Cook, the Court of Appeal commented: “In view of the inherent conduct required to establish this offence a custodial sentence […]
Lucy Letby Handed a Whole Life Order
On Friday, 18 August 2023, the Jury returned its final verdicts in the trial of nurse Lucy Letby. Letby was convicted of murdering seven babies in her care and attempting to murder six more. The Jury were discharged from reaching verdicts concerning four other babies. On Monday, 21 August, Letby was sentenced to life imprisonment […]
Money Laundering – A Double Penalty?
It is prevalent for money laundering offences (under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002) to be charged alongside other alleged criminality, particularly drug offences. Whilst dealing with the monetary gains from offending will indeed amount to a separate money laundering offence, it raises the question of how those offences should be sentenced. The approach to […]
Environment Agency Seeks Enhanced Powers
The Environment Agency is responsible for the investigation and prosecution of a great many regulatory and criminal offences. As an alternative to criminal prosecution financial sanctions can be imposed in accordance with the Environmental Civil Sanctions (England) Order 2010. In an announcement this week, the Agency stated that it was seeking to lift the current […]