Blog
Permission to Visit - Goldilocks and the Three Bank Statements
Robert Houchill
22 February 2018
Bringing cryptocurrencies in from the cold
Regulators around the world are calling for cryptocurrencies to be brought within the remit of financial regulation. To date, the focus has largely been on Bitcoin, which was the predominant cryptocurrency traded on some of the largest dark web markets. However, in light of the call for better oversight, the value of Bitcoin plummeted and evidence suggests that users are moving towards alternatives that afford greater anonymity.
22 February 2018
Gambling Commission imposes record fine on William Hill for anti-money laundering failures
The Gambling Commission has announced that William Hill Group (International) Limited (“William Hill”) will pay a minimum of £6.2 million as part of an overall penalty package imposed for breaches of the anti-money laundering (AML) and responsible gambling regulations. This is the largest penalty imposed by the Gambling Commission to date for AML failures.
22 February 2018
Prison sentence following “victimless prosecution” for controlling and coercive behaviour
On 18 January 2018, Steven Saunders was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment following his trial for coercive and controlling behaviour in an intimate or family relationship.
Whilst such a sentence is no longer uncommon, this is the first reported case of a conviction in a “victimless prosecution” for controlling and coercive behaviour.
19 February 2018
Litigation privilege: the Court of Appeal endorses ENRC
In another recent case relating to the circumstances required to successfully establish a claim to litigation privilege (see Philip Salvesen’s blog on the case of Bilta & Ors v RBS & Anor [2017] EWHC 3535 (Ch), the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) has followed the approach adopted in SFO v ENRC [2017] 1 WLR 4205 in ruling that a statement made by an employee to his company’s solicitors as part of their investigation into a death at work was not covered by privilege.
19 February 2018
Criminal evidence disclosure in crisis – what does this mean for private prosecutors?
‘Hundreds of cases dropped over evidence disclosure failings’[1]; ‘All current rape cases to be ‘urgently’ reviewed over disclosure fears’[2]; ‘Police chief admits ‘culture problem’ with evidence disclosure’[3]; these are all headlines which have featured in the media recently following the collapse of several high profile rape trials in quick succession. It goes without saying that the disclosure process is one of the fundamental cornerstones in the criminal justice system. Ensuring the availability of all relevant information is key to safe and fair prosecutions and to proper convictions. The current crisis in disclosure is therefore a worrying one striking at the heart of public confidence in our justice system
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