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Colin Rawson
 

Criminal justice takes centre stage in The King's Speech

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The King’s Speech, or the State Opening of Parliament, provides the government with an opportunity to set out its legislative agenda for the months ahead. In total, 21 bills, or pieces of legislation, were put forward this year, with criminal justice...

Police arrest a number of individuals for county line drug offences

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There appears to be no let up in efforts made by the police in tackling drug related offending, in particular county lines drug dealing. In a recent police push, between 11 October and 17 October: 1,468 people were arrested...

The importance of obtaining expert advice in DNA cases

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DNA evidence has developed over the years in the field of criminal law. The first case in which it was used by the police was back in 1986 whereby two teenagers had been raped and murdered. The initial suspect in relation to the crimes was proven to...

Over 1,000 people arrested and almost 300 weapons seized as part of county lines crackdown by the National Crime Agency

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County lines is a drugs distribution model using mobile phones and sometimes young and vulnerable individuals where drugs are exported from major cities to various locations across the United Kingdom. The National Crime Agency have recently...

What is the law on revenge porn?

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Due to advances in technology and the increased use of social media by nearly everyone in the country most people have the means to share images widely. It is very easy for a person, in haste, to post something online which they later regret. ...

The importance of checking identification evidence in criminal proceedings

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In order to secure a criminal conviction it is for the prosecution to prove their case. To do so they rely on evidence gathered by the police. This evidence can come in various forms. It can include, for example, eye witness testimony, the confession of an...

What is the Modern Slavery Act defence in criminal proceedings?

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Organised crime groups (commonly based in large cities but not exclusively so) are known to exploit vulnerable individuals to transport and sell drugs across the country on their behalf. The individuals exploited are often in their teenage years but...

Coronavirus Act 2020

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The Coronavirus Act 2020 was rushed through parliament earlier this year to grant emergency powers to handle the COVID 19 pandemic. The act was implemented to try and control the spread of the disease. Two provisions of the act allow the government...

Can a criminal conviction whilst under the age of 18 affect future job prospects or higher education?

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The answer is yes. Even if you are convicted as a juvenile, the impact of any conviction can have a detrimental effect on your choice of career, whether in education or paid/voluntary employment. Some types of employment demand a higher disclosure...

What is restorative justice?

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For an individual in full time employment or an individual training towards their chosen career, any criminal conviction or caution could have serious implications on their ability to work or study. It will always be a daunting experience for someone...

Sentences to be increased for assaults on emergency services workers

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On 13 September 2018, the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018 received Royal Assent, increasing the maximum sentence for low level assaults committed against an emergency worker from six months to 12 months custody in the...

Should a person seek legal advice when they being interviewed under caution by someone other than the police?

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There are many situations when an individual will be interviewed under caution. The most common example of this will be at the police station when a suspect will be questioned over a criminal offence. It is vitally important that legal...

New Year, New Drone

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They were this year’s ‘must have’ gifts for young and old alike. They come in all shapes, sizes and complexities, from ‘nano’ versions that measure no-more than a couple of inches across to enormous, GPS enabled, camera wielding...

Police to interview suspects using body cameras away from the police station

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Police officers are now able to interview suspects on the street using their body cameras for low level offences such as shoplifting and minor criminal damage offences. It has been widely reported that the police is having to deal with budget cuts. Andy...

Government discusses transgender prisoners

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According to the recent data by the Ministry of Justice there are 85,977 male and 3,935 female prisoners in the UK. Currently, transgender prisoners are not recognised but it is estimated that there are around 80 transgender people incarcerated across...

Government scrap 'controversial' criminal court charge

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In April this year, the Government introduced an additional financial penalty on convicted criminals appearing in court in England and Wales. This ‘criminal court charge’ ranged from £150 in the magistrates court to £1200 in the...