The Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Act 2024 received Royal Assent on 25 April 2024. (more…)
It is crucial that clients understand that information shared with their lawyer is privileged, meaning it will remain confidential in almost all circumstances. This rule, known as legal privilege, is a cornerstone of our justice system. It gives clients a sense of security and protection. (more…)
It is widespread for drugs to contain an adulterant or cutting agent, and the presence of cutting agents often leads to arguments when it comes to sentencing. There are typically two scenarios. (more…)
The EU retail drug market is estimated to be worth more than EUR 30 billion annually, making it a major source of income for organised crime. Europe occupies a central position in drug supply and trafficking, as evidenced by the large-scale production of cannabis and synthetic drugs within the EU...
The Spring Budget was delivered by the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt on 6 March 2024. It offered little by way of comfort so far as the criminal justice system is concerned. Although overall departmental spending is said to rise by 1%, this is not evenly spread, with protected spending (such as...
Measures have been signed into law this week to ban the keeping of primates as pets. The new regulations bring in a licensing scheme setting strict rules to ensure that only private keepers who meet new welfare and licensing standards will be able to keep primates, delivering on a government...
The latest government statistics provide the following interesting insights into the continuing prevalence of knife crime in England and Wales: The year-end figure for all knife offences shows a 2% decrease in offending, although this still represents an increase of 17% compared to a decade earlier. ‘Possession of an article...
People often ask this question because they know they are not eligible for legal aid or they may think they are not eligible, although they may not have checked this with a solicitor. A recent study by Dr Charlotte Walker of York St John University revealed the following: "In this...
Under current legislation, it is illegal for anyone under 18 to purchase or possess a crossbow. In addition, anyone who carries a crossbow in public without reasonable excuse faces up to four years behind bars. The government is considering going further and is to review evidence of whether the current...
Last week Nicholas Hawkes become the first person to be convicted for the new offence of "Cyber Flashing". Hawkes sent unsolicited photos of his erect penis to a 15-year-old girl and a woman. The woman took screenshots of the image on WhatsApp and reported Hawkes to Essex Police the same...