Month: September 2012

23.09.12

Brett Wilson LLP listed in Legal 500 in three categories

Brett Wilson LLP has been listed in the 2012 edition of the Legal 500 in three separate categories: Defamation and Privacy, Fraud/White Collar Crime and Crime. The directory lists firms who have been recognised as being leaders in a particular field. The lists for Defamation and Privacy, Fraud/White Collar Crime and Crime can be found…

The London Evening standard apologises to Payam Tamiz over Facebook slags article

The London Evening standard has apologised to Payam Tamiz, the former Conservative council candidate for salmestone, for publishing an article namedTory resigns over ˜Thanet girls are slags’ outburst. The article alleged that Mr Tamiz had been a member and administrator of a Facebook group entitled ˜Girls in THANET … you are all slags, hoes, brasses and bheads and that…

CPs to introduce guidance on when to prosecute in 'trolling' cases

The Director of Public Prosecutions Keir starmer has announced that the CPs will bring in guidelines as to when a prosecution should be brought against an individual accused of using social networking sites to send offensive messages.  The announcement follows the decision not to prosecute Daniel Thomas, the semi-professional footballer, for posting a homophobic message on Twitter,…

Report shows UK behind rest of Europe in achieving gender equality in the judiciary

The Council of Europe has published a report which shows that only 23% of the judiciary in England and Wales is female.  The average for Europe is 48%.  Only Azerbaijan and Armenia have a more male-dominated judiciary. The Report also notes that UK judges are the third highest paid in Europe, earning an average of £197,750 a year. …

17.09.12

Judgment in steve McClaren's failed application for privacy injunction published

The judgment in McClaren v News Group Newspapers Ltd. [2012] EWHC 2466 (QB) has sparked a considerable amount of interest amongst media commentators and lawyers and will undoubtedly be seen as a significant victory for the press. On the evening of saturday 18 August 2012 lawyers for the former England football manager steve McClaren sought an urgent injunction  to prevent the Defendant News…

13.09.12

Private Prosecutions: Media Protection services Ltd v Crawford – a case analysis

The Divisional Court, in dismissing MPss appeal by way of case stated (Media Protection services Ltd v Crawford [2012] EWHC 2373(Admin)), decided MPs had acted unlawfully in bringing a private prosecution for reward against the Crawfords in respect of alleged infringement of copyright in a television broadcast of a football match and the district judge…

6.09.12

Couple who shot burglar not to be charged

The Chief Crown Prosecutor for the East Midlands Judith Walker has issued a statement indicating that Andy and Tracey Ferrie will not be charged for using a licenced shotgun to defend themselves from masked intruders who sought to burgle their home in Melton Mowbray.  Mr and Mrs Ferrie were arrested and spent three days in custody after reporting…

4.09.12

Berezovsky v Abramovich – Judgment published online

An executive summary of the largest private claim in British legal history has been published online.  Boris Berezovsky sued Roman Abramovich in the Commercial Court of the High Court for $6.5 billion.  The widely-publicised action was based on a claim by Mr Berezovsky that Mr Abramovich had blackmailed him to sell his interest in an oil conglomerate they founded together for a vastly reduced price.  Judgment was…