News
'Fugitive speedboat killer's legal aid for appeal examined by Ministry of Justice'
David Gauke has asked officials to examine if action could be taken to prevent a repeat of a convicted killer getting legal aid for an appeal against his conviction despite having fled the UK.
The Justice Secretary ordered the move after an outcry over the way speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has been able to secure a taxpayer-funded appeal against his six-year jail sentence despite having been on the run since March last year.
An article exploring the current law can be found here
Pupillage Gateway Opens for 2019
The submissions window for Pupillage Gateway applications opens at 11am this Monday.
The Pupillage Podcast Launched
A London chambers is hoping to give bar hopefuls insights into the pupillage process through a new podcast.
The podcast, rather aptly named, The Pupillage Podcast, is a series of ten episodes hosted by 5 Essex Court junior barristers Georgina Wolfe and Beatrice Collier, with the aim of explaining key aspects of the 12-month training period to pupillage hunters with the help of guest speakers, including barristers, judges and pupillage committee members.
The podcast can be found here
CBA AGFS Announcement
We are not satisfied with the current scheme (Scheme 11). The CBA’s position has been consistently stated. Whilst improvements in fees for mainstream cases, election cracks and the elimination of non-payment for Day 2 of trials and all pre-trial and sentence hearings are positive, the new scheme has serious, unacceptable structural flaws. Brief fees in the most complex and demanding cases must reflect the work, skill and responsibility these cases require. Currently they do not.
The CBA will now hold meetings across the country and survey the membership’s views. These are intended to build on the earlier juniors’ and HOCs’ meetings held in November. At present we have no mandate for further action but the clear signs are that we need to consult the membership again.
Other
'Sexual relations between coaches and under-18s should be illegal'
While it is illegal for teachers and care workers to have sexual relations with 16 and 17-year-olds in their care, this does not apply to sports coaches. Campaigners want this to be changed.
They have accused the UK government of "backtracking" on proposals announced in 2017 to add coaches to the list of professions covered by the law designed to prevent the abuse of positions of trust. The Ministry of Justice said it continued to keep the law under review.
'Path of little resistance: is pre-trial detention of children really a last resort?'
This report shines a light on the scandal of the overuse of custodial remands for children. Every child remanded to prison has been placed there following a series of decisions, actions or omissions by adults in the criminal justice system.
This report provides a vital snapshot of the overuse of custodial remands for children, illustrating shocking data and revealing systemic failures.
Sponsored
Crime Fees - Free AGFS Calculator for iOS and Android
Crime Fees enables criminal barristers in England and Wales to easily calculate defence advocate fees under the new April 2018 AGFS (Scheme 10), and also under the proposed new Scheme 11 (currently under consultation).
No need to compare complex fee tables. Simply select the type of hearing and offence, set the number of trial days, and the app will tell you the fee.
Add each fee in the case to the basket and save for convenient reference until you have been paid.
Every permutation of case under the AGFS is catered for - the 3 advocate types, the 19 types of hearing, the 17 offence bands, and the 915 offences.