Blog
Kingsley Napley’s Medical Negligence Team ‘walks together’ with the Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity
Sharon Burkill
2 June 2016
A welcomed renewed focus on restorative justice
Restorative Justice has hit the headlines recently with the House of Commons Justice Committee finalising its inquiry into Restorative Justice last month. This was followed by media reports (The Times, June 2 2016) of a forthcoming Green Paper setting out plans for a ‘Victims’ Law’ with the striking headline “Victims offered a say in choice of punishment for criminals”.
23 May 2016
Coping with online disclosure
The lord chief justice has warned that the issue of disclosure of online material is ‘probably the biggest problem that the common law justice system faces’. Lord Thomas was speaking at an event to launch a book on sexual offences. He talked about the amount of court time now taken up by such cases and the impact of ‘sexting’ and social media. Of particular concern was the trend for explicit material of people’s sexual encounters to be stored on phones and posted online. Not only does this raise new and significant issues in relation to disclosure, he argues, but it also adds an onerous dimension to weighing the evidence in trials.
19 May 2016
From the Archers to Archbold week ending 15/05/16
Last week Helen pleaded not guilty to the two charges she faces, Attempted murder and in the alternative Grievous Bodily Harm with intent. Her trial has been fixed for September 2016. Helen was refused bail on the basis that she might commit further offences or interfere with prosecution witnesses. In the meantime Rob has started the process of subtly poisoning Henry’s mind and thereby contaminating his evidence. Helen has applied for a place in a mother and baby unit (see our previous post of this series part three ending 24/04/16 for more details of mother and baby units within the prison estate.
5 May 2016
From the Archers to Achbold - week ending 01/05/16
Finally, a brief respite in this storyline means there is not very much happening in Ambridge. Rob has been discharged from hospital and continues his recuperation at home with the Machiavellian Ursula attending him. Rob has refused to return Henry to his grandparents. The Archers were unsuccessful at challenging his actions at a subsequent family court hearing and Henry is to remain with Rob until a full court hearing in June.
25 April 2016
From the Archers to Achbold - week ending 24/04/16
So finally we begin to hear the accounts from the main protagonists. Helen has her first meeting with Anna Tregorran. Her account so far describes her actions as intended to protect her 5 year old son Henry. Only those possessing a saint like disposition could have restrained themselves from shouting at the radio as Rob gave his initial account to DS Madeley. His account lays the foundations for undermining Helen in respect of her mental health and on-going risk to Henry (which will also act to ensure Helen’s contact with Henry is curtailed).