Posts Categorized: News
Wrongly Convicted – Appeals Against Conviction
How many times have I heard a friend or family member of a convicted person say “X was let down by his previous solicitor, they did not listen to instructions, they did not give appropriate advice…” I am often instructed to Appeal against conviction in sexual offence cases, often where the now convicted person has… Read more »
Mental Health and Criminal Law
Mental Health is a complicated business. Conditions are not easy to diagnose, doctors can disagree on which disorder a person is suffering from, or even if they have a mental health condition at all. Those with mental disorders might require specific assistance in court unlike those of a typical defendant. That’s if they’re mentally well… Read more »
Secondary tickets sellers succeed in appeal
Seamus Austin of Tuckers Solicitors has successfully acted for businesses and individuals in appealing against the decisions of North Yorkshire County Council (which hosts the National Trading Standards eCrime Team) to impose maximum £5,000 penalties for breaching the secondary ticket re-sale provisions of the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Having been successful in the first cases… Read more »
Government Tightens Terrorism Laws
The Manchester Arena bombing, the London Bridge attack, Shamima Begum have all made headlines in the past few years, linked to terror attacks or concerns. The Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019 is the Government’s latest answer to curbing and punishing terrorist activity. The Act creates new terrorism offences, changes some old ones, and increases… Read more »
Legionnaires Disease – You Can Pay a Very High Price
Faltec Ltd has been fined £1.18 million for two legionella outbreaks and a machine explosion after failing to comply with their Health and Safety obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act. Initially the company was given a fine of £1.6 million, but it was reduced slightly on their appeal against the sentence). Faltec… Read more »
‘Hung Jury’ – Not as Bad as it Sounds
Last week the Hillsborough trial involving ex-police officer David Duckenfield ended without reaching a conclusion; several papers reported that there was a ‘hung jury’ – so, what does that really mean? In an ideal world, a jury will reach a clear conclusion by either convicting or acquitting the defendant. In a case with 12 jurors… Read more »
Are child-like sex dolls illegal?
The Crown Prosecution Service has issued new guidance to prosecutors as to which offences may be committed regarding “child-like” sex dolls after more than 200 seizures by Customs Officers in the last two years. The potential offences include importing obscene articles, publishing an obscene article or having the obscene article to publish for gain or… Read more »
The ‘Gangs Matrix’
The Wire has published a piece looking into the controversial database created by Met police after the London riots – this article explores how the ‘Gangs Matrix’ has been used by the police and the implications of what it means to be on the list. https://www.wired.co.uk/article/gangs-matrix-violence-london-predictive-policing Suzanne O’Connell of Tuckers Solicitors explains how 80 per… Read more »
The Modern Slavery Act 2015 Maverick or Myth?
The Modern Slavery Act (MSA) 2015, hailed as “the first of its kind in Europe, and one of the first in the world, to specifically address slavery and trafficking in the 21st century” was a much welcomed piece of legislation adding to and strengthening a number of International and National provisions. Besides targeting the most common… Read more »
Bankruptcy – Time to Stop Digging
Bankruptcy usually represents either personal and/or business failure, bringing with it feelings of embarrassment, shame and anxiety. Piled on top of that the law requires bankrupts to cooperate fully to maximise recoverable assets for creditors. For some, it may be tempting to try and conceal with truth, with a view to salvaging something for themselves…. Read more »