Issue 318  4th November 2023

Over 120,000 former offenders will find it easier to get work and turn their lives away from crime following a change in the law. These changes significantly reduce the time people with criminal convictions are legally required to declare them to most potential employers after serving their sentence and when applying for courses, insurance and housing.

Under the previous rules, some offenders needed to disclose their sentences for the rest of their lives, even for crimes committed decades earlier, a significant barrier to them getting a job and rebuilding their lives. Now, custodial sentences of four years or more years for less serious crimes become ‘spent’ after a seven-year period of rehabilitation, as long as no further offence is committed. Offenders who have committed serious sexual, violent, or terrorist offences are excluded from these changes to ensure this does not result in an increased risk to the public. Stricter disclosure rules will continue to apply to jobs that involve working with vulnerable people, through standard and enhanced DBS checks.

The Ministry of Justice has also brought in changes that will mean offenders serving shorter sentences for less serious crimes will need to declare their criminal record for shorter periods, helping turn their lives away from crime.

Around 3,500 community police officers have been redeployed to central London protests in the past three weeks, the Met commissioner has said. Sir Mark Rowley told the London Assembly he was "deeply concerned" about the impact on community policing. He added that if the protests were to continue, the Met would have to rethink its resources going forward. The commissioner also believed the force had been balanced in its approach to investigating hate crime...

On the weekend of 14 October, Sir Mark said 1,000 community officers were redeployed as the first two Israel-Gaza protests took place in central London. The following weekend (21 October) saw an increase, with 1,500 redeployed and last weekend (28 October) 2,000 were redeployed. He said: "I am deeply concerned about the effect this has on local policing and the balance of that effort across London. "Clearly we can't let these protests get out of hand but it is creating a significant stretch." He explained that he anticipated that if these protests continued as a "sustained pattern" it would mean the force would have to change their approach to resources to make it sustainable. It comes as further pro-Palestinian protests are planned for Remembrance weekend, including a "significant demonstration" on 11 November in central London...

American bully XLs are being added to the list of banned dogs in England and Wales, making it illegal to own one without an exemption from 1 February next year. From January the dogs will also have to be muzzled and on a lead in public. There will be a longer deadline for owners to ensure the dogs are neutered. It follows a number of attacks involving the breed, although owners insist the dogs, despite their appearance, make lovable pets. From 31 December 2023 it will be against the law to sell, abandon, breed from or give away an American bully XL, or have one in public without a lead or muzzle. If your dog is less than one year old on 31 January 2024, it must be neutered by 31 December next year. If your dog is older than one year old on 31 January 2024, it must be neutered by 30 June.

The guidance is similar to that issued for the four breeds which were banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991: the American pit bull terrier, the Japanese tosa, the Dogo Argentinos and the Fila Brazileiro...

On 24 September 2023 the Home Secretary announced a review of investigatory arrangements which follow the police use of force and police driving related incidents. It is vital the public and officers have clarity and confidence in the accountability system relating to police use of force and police driving, including the efficacy of investigations.

This Home Office-led review will assess:

• the existing legal frameworks and guidance on practice that underpin police use of force and police driving
• the subsequent framework for investigation of any incidents that may occur, including timeframes for conclusion
• how post-incident learnings and communications can improve both officers and the public’s confidence in these frameworks

Magistrates who have completed the relevant training will soon be able to choose to enter and submit the results of Single Justice cases directly onto our Common Platform case management system. They will have direct access to the relevant areas of the system, and will be able to record their own decisions without needing to wait for them to be entered by a court official. However, they will still be advised and supported by a qualified legal professional throughout each session...

Single Justice cases are already managed on Common Platform throughout England and Wales for non-police prosecutors including the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Transport for London, Merseyrail and TV Licensing. Magistrates will be able to record their own decisions on all these types of cases under the new model when it goes live. It will also include SJP cases for additional train, bus and tram operators as they are onboarded onto Common Platform...