Category: Latest News

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill has been laid before parliament and is intended to:  “strengthen the UK’s reputation as a place where legitimate businesses can thrive while driving dirty money out of the UK.”  Through the legislative reforms, anyone who registers a company in the UK will need to verify their identity, tackling… Continue reading New Crackdown on Fraud and Money Laundering

Given we are criminal defence lawyers we interact with police on a regular basis, but perhaps without thinking too much about the office of police constable and what it entails. Every police officer, irrespective of rank, holds the office of police constable. The office dates back to ancient times and the practice of each local… Continue reading Police Constables

When sentencing for offences of assault, the use of a weapon will always be an aggravating feature. The sentencing guideline also refers explicitly to “highly dangerous weapons” and will be treated as a particularly serious feature of the offending. In a recent case before the Court of Appeal, the court was considering whether a four… Continue reading Highly Dangerous Weapons & Sentencing

Custody time limits seek to regulate the maximum period that a person can be held in custody before their trial commencing. Broadly speaking, that period is one of six months. To extend the period beyond six months, the prosecution must have acted with all due diligence and expedition, and there must be good and sufficient… Continue reading Barrister Strikes and Custody Time Limits

Several offences, such as those involving offensive weapons and blades, have minimum sentencing provisions, resulting in imprisonment for at least six months for many offenders.   A question arose as to whether such prison sentences could lawfully be suspended.   In the case of Whyte Whyte [2018] EWCA Crim 2437 the court held:   “Although… Continue reading Clarity on Suspended Sentences

Former footballer Ryan Giggs is on trial for a number of offences including “using controlling and coercive behaviour”. We of course would never comment on an ongoing trial, but in this article, we explore further the elements of this offence. So, what is the offence? Controlling or coercive behaviour does not relate to a single… Continue reading The Ryan Giggs Trial

Sections 63 and 64 of The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 came in to force on 1st August 2022. It created two new offences of trespass with intent to pursue hares (s.63 PCSCA 2022) and being equipped to search for or pursue hares (s.64 PCSCA 2022). The s 63 offence (Trespass with intent… Continue reading New Hunting Offences

Victims, members of the public and the media will be able to ask for a parole hearing to be heard in public for the first time, following law changes.  From 21 July 2022, anyone including prisoners, victims, members of the public or the media will be able to ask the Board to hold a hearing… Continue reading Parole Hearings To Be Heard In Public For The First Time

From the 1st of July 2022, new rules on the use of self-driving vehicles in Great Britain have come into force. The changes are included in a new section in The Highway Code. Currently only vehicles with advanced driver assistance systems are available in the UK. No vehicles in Great Britain have been classed as… Continue reading A new section for self-driving vehicles has been added to the Highway Code