News
Hacking Suspect Wins Extradition Appeal
Alleged computer hacker Lauri Love has won his High Court appeal against his extradition to the US. Mr Love, 33, from Stradishall, Suffolk, was first arrested in October 2013 on suspicion of hacking into FBI, US Central Bank and Nasa systems.
Appeal judges said extradition would be "oppressive by reason of his physical and mental condition". They urged the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to prosecute Mr Love, who has Aspergers syndrome, in England.
The judgment is available here.
Law Commission to Assess Online Abuse
The Government has asked the Law Commission to review the laws on online abuse.
With research showing that nearly a third of UK internet users were on the receiving end of trolling, harassment or cyberbullying last year, the independent body will provide a robust review of the current laws and set out how they apply to online communications.
Julian Assange Ruling
The Chief Magistrate has refused to withdraw the arrest warrant issued when Mr Assange did not surrender for extradition to Sweden.
'Nick' Threatened With Private Prosecution
Lord Janner’s son said today that he would bring a private prosecution against the man who sparked the Westminster sex abuse inquiry after it emerged that he has been charged with paedophile offences.
The man known as Nick, whose allegations sparked Scotland Yard’s disastrous inquiry into high-profile figures and were a major catalyst for the public inquiry into child abuse, is accused of making indecent images of children.
The Henriques Report, a review into the handling of the 'Nick' complaint by the Met, can be found here.
R v Jon Venables - Sentencing Remarks of Mr Justice Edis
Jon Venables, you have pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity to 3 counts of making indecent photographs of children contrary to s.1 of the Protection of Children Act 1978, counts 1-3 on the Indictment, and one offence of possession of a paedophile manual contrary to s. 69(1) of the Serious Crime Act 2015, count 4 on the Indictment.
This case is unique because when you were 10 years old you took part in the brutal murder and torture of James Bulger. That was a crime which revolted a nation and which continues to do so, even after the 25 years which have passed since it happened. He was 2 years old. The facts of what you did are notorious and there is no need for me to repeat them here. From all that I know about James’ parents it is clear that you not only took his young life, but have also devastated theirs.
Cases
R v Bahbahani [2018] EWCA Crim 95
An order of venire de novo may follow the finding that a trial was a nullity to require the matter to be heard again. It is abbreviation of a longer Latin phrase which directed the sheriff to cause new lawful jurors to try a case afresh. The central issue in this application is whether it is available to attack a summary trial in the Magistrates' Court, rather than a trial on indictment in Crown Court.
... the Criminal Division of Court of Appeal has power to order a venire de novo only in the circumstances in which its predecessor, the Court of Criminal Appeal, could do so pursuant to powers conferred on it by the Criminal Appeal Act 1907. Such power did not include a power to declare a summary trial a nullity, or quash a conviction recorded in such proceedings, and remit the matter for retrial. Venire de novo was, and is, concerned only with trials on indictment, and with fundamental irregularities which render such a trial a nullity.
Obscurity
Search a Poacher
Police officers have the power to stop and search, without a warrant, any person whom they have good cause to suspect: (a) has come from land where they have been unlawfully in pursuit of game, or (b) possesses any game unlawfully obtained - section 2 of the Poaching Prevention Act 1862.