Current Awareness

“An octogenarian woman and her son were sentenced on Friday for one of the largest, longest lasting and most diverse art scams ever in Britain, forging paintings, sculptures, carvings and statues.”

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Reuters, 16th November 2007

Source: www.reuters.com

“Victims of non-violent crimes in the UK want offenders to be punished, but do not believe that prison is always the answer, research released today shows.”

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Ministry of Justice press release, 16th November 2007

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

“A judge has launched an extraordinary attack on the laws governing the inquest into the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, describing them as ‘antiquated rubbish’.”

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Daily Telegraph, 17th November 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

“Gordon Brown’s hopes of forging a political consensus over extending detention without charge beyond 28 days are expected to be dealt a heavy blow by the former attorney general Lord Goldsmith. In a meeting with the home affairs select committee next week, he is expected to say he has seen no evidence to justify the extension, and reveal that he was close to resignation when Tony Blair pushed for 90-day detention in 2005 before being thwarted by a backbench rebellion.”

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The Guardian, 17th Novemeber 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

“Victims of miscarriages of justice will have to spend longer in prison before their cases are reviewed because of government spending cuts, the head of the body that reviews such cases said yesterday.”

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The Guardian, 17th November 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

“Gordon Brown risks angering Whitehall mandarins by trying to prevent them publishing their memoirs after they leave the Civil Service.”

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Daily Telegraph, 17th November 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk