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Month: August 2016


31.08.16

Brett Wilson Media Law Blog launched

Brett Wilson LLP has launched a dedicated media law blog.  The blog, which can be found here will contain articles on the latest developments on defamation, privacy, harassment and data protection law. The blog includes an archive of several hundred articles on media law and is one of the largest media law resources on the Web. Commenting on…

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Malpractice Case: Dentist struck off following 22,000 patient recall  

The General Dental Council’s (‘GDC’) Professional Conduct Committee has struck off dentist Desmond D’Mello after finding against him on 55 allegations of malpractice.  Mr D’Mello ran the Daybrook Dental Practice in Gelding, Nottinghamshire, and was reported in June 2014 by a whistleblower for poor levels of cleanliness and lack of hygiene. Secret footage was taken…

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Melania Trump hires Hulkster's lawyer to take on Daily Mail and others

Melania Trump, the glamorous wife of Republican Party US Presidential nominee Donald Trump, has reportedly threatened libel proceedings in England and Wales against the Daily Mail and against a host of media organisations worldwide. Mrs Trump is said to have hired Hollywood lawyer Charles Harder, who became famous beyond his profession for representing Hulk Hogan in his…

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28.08.16

When does a professional blunder become a homicide?

An optometrist who missed ‘obvious signs’ of a lethal build-up of fluid on a boy’s brain has been convicted of manslaughter at Ipswich Crown Court and sentenced to a two year term of imprisonment, suspended for two years pending 200 hours of unpaid work under a Supervision Order. Vincent Barker, 8, died five months after…

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26.08.16

IPSO launches new arbitration scheme for claims against the press

Earlier this month the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) announced that it was starting a year-long arbitration pilot scheme for resolving disputes against the press. The scheme officially started on 26 July 2016 and will be run by the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR). Organisations that have signed up voluntarily to the scheme include…

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25.08.16

Metropolitan police launch "Online Hate Crime Hub"

The Metropolitan Police are to set up a two-year pilot scheme involving five officers and a team of volunteers to identify online abuse and support victims.  Based in London, the team will filter and identify online hate crimes (hostile offences aggravated by reason of the victim’s race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or transgender identity) and allocate…

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Job opportunities at Brett Wilson LLP: Defamation/Privacy Solicitor and Junior Paralegal

Brett Wilson LLP is expanding and the firm is presently looking to recruit a solicitor who specialises in defamation, privacy, harassment and data protection law.  The firm is also recruiting a junior paralegal. If you, or anyone you know, might be interested in applying for either position full details can be found here.

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14.08.16

Asylum seekers awarded privacy damages following data leak

In the case of TLT and others v Secretary of State for the Home Department, the Home Secretary was ordered to pay a total of £39,500 to six asylum seekers whose confidential information was accidentally published on the Home Office website.  The information remained on the website for two weeks before being taken down.  Mr…

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12.08.16

Criminal Conduct and Business Activity: where do you draw the line?

Two decisions in the Court of Appeal recently, handed down within a day of one another, analyse the issue of the derivation of criminal benefit through commercial activity and are of particular interest in a regulatory sense. This has been a hot topic recently with the Crown and local authorities seemingly determined to use the…

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11.08.16

Police pay out £75,000 in privacy damages after using 999 call for training

Greater Manchester Police have agreed to pay a victim of domestic violence £75,000 in compensation after using a recording of her distressed 999 call together with other information that identified her and her medical history in training exercises.  The claimant had consented to the 999 tape being used for training purposes, but only on an anonymous basis. The claimant brought a…

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Legal Disclaimer

Articles are intended as an introduction to the topic and do not constitute legal advice.