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A free weekly collection of criminal law links - for practitioners, law students, and anyone with an interest in the criminal justice system of England and Wales.
Curated by Sam Willis, a barrister at 5 King's Bench Walk.
News
'Independent review into Criminal Legal Aid to launch in January'
Launching in January, the review will be led by former judge Sir Christopher Bellamy. It aims to ensure the legal aid sector can adapt to the changing criminal justice system, while continuing to provide high-quality advice and representation...
The review will begin in January and report back later in the year. It will include input from a wide range of criminal defence practitioners who have been providing valuable data and insight for the Criminal Legal Aid Review.
'Cybercriminals’ favourite VPN taken down in global action'
The virtual private network (VPN) Safe-Inet used by the world’s foremost cybercriminals has been taken down yesterday in a coordinated law enforcement action led by the German Reutlingen Police Headquarters together with Europol and law enforcement agencies from around the world.
Active for over a decade, Safe-Inet was being used by some of the world’s biggest cybercriminals, such as the ransomware operators responsible for ransomware, E-skimming breaches and other forms of serious cybercrime. This VPN service was sold at a high price to the criminal underworld as one of the best tools available to avoid law enforcement interception, offering up to 5 layers of anonymous VPN connections. Law enforcement were able to identify some 250 companies worldwide which were being spied on by the criminals using this VPN. These companies were subsequently warned of an imminent ransomware attack against their systems, allowing them to take measures to protect themselves against such an attack. The service has now been rendered inaccessible.
'Home Secretary hails security agreement with EU'
Home Secretary Priti Patel has hailed the UK’s new comprehensive security agreement with the EU that will see the UK continuing to be one of the safest countries in the world. A range of fast and effective security capabilities were agreed with the EU, which will help bear down on criminals and bring them to justice.
Measures agreed include:
- streamlined extradition arrangements
- an arrangement enabling the fast and effective exchange of national DNA, fingerprint and vehicle registration data via the Prüm system to aid law enforcement agencies in investigating crime and terrorism
- continued operational co-operation with Europol and Eurojust that reflect the scale of our contribution to these agencies
- arrangements enabling the fast and effective exchange of criminal records data via shared technical infrastructure
- arrangements providing for continued transfers of Passenger Name Record data to protect the public from serious crime and terrorism
New Presiding Judge for South Eastern Circuit
The Lord Chief Justice, with the concurrence with the Lord Chancellor, has announced the appointment of a Presiding Judge. Mr Justice Cavanagh has been appointed to the South Eastern Circuit where he will succeed Mr Justice Edis, who is to be elevated to the Court of Appeal. The appointment is made from 1 January 2021, when the current Presiding Judge steps down, to 31 December 2024.
Other
CCRC Written Evidence to House of Lords Constitution Committee Inquiry into the Constitutional Implications of COVID-19
Beyond these core functions, the CCRC also seeks, where appropriate, to feedback into the Criminal Justice System, offering observations and analysis from its unique viewpoint. The CCRC’s principal concern is the safety of the convictions obtained in our justice system...
The CCRC also considers that a requirement for juries to give reasons may also help prevent verdicts that appear perverse, contradictory or otherwise inconsistent. It may also deter behaviours such as those uncovered in investigations carried out by the CCRC and offer an opportunity for any such issues to be identified and rectified earlier (i.e. at trial rather than on appeal and/or by the CCRC)... The CCRC’s role involves the correction of errors by the Criminal Justice System, many of which take years (in some cases, decades) to come to light and be resolved. Long delays for justice can lead to anger, frustration and a general lack faith in the Criminal Justice System; not just for those wrongly convicted but for their families, victims and the wider public. The CCRC firmly believes that “justice delayed is justice denied”. If the risks caused by delays flowing from the COVID-19 pandemic can therefore be avoided or, at the very least, lessened, without compromising the integrity of the Criminal Justice System or impacting on the safety of convictions, then action should be taken sooner rather than later.
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Crime QRH (Quick Reference Handbook) - Recently Updated
Recent updates: app refreshed to reflect the new Sentencing Code
Crime QRH is an easy to use guide to criminal offences in England and Wales for use by criminal lawyers and court advocates. It's a searchable database of offences, providing quick access to key details:
- maximum sentence
- class of offence (including grave crimes)
- sentencing guidelines
- statutory provision
- statutory alternative offences
- page references to Archbold and Blackstones
- mandatory minimum sentences
- dangerousness provisions
- obligatory/discretionary driving disqualifications and endorsements
- availability of SHPOs, SCPOs, Unduly Lenient Sentence referrals, SOA Notification Requirements, and POCA