Fears of rise in summary justice in spending cuts – Daily Telegraph

“Offenders will increasingly escape prosecution and be handed cautions, fines and other out-of-court penalties when the spending cuts bite, a former probation watchdog has warned.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 31st January 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Out of court disposals warning – Law Society’s Gazette

“Too many cases are being dealt with by out of court disposals where the police are acting as prosecutor and judge, a Court of Appeal judge said last week.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 9th December 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Canon law has allowed abuse priests to escape punishment, says lawyer – The Guardian

“The system of law operated by the Vatican has allowed serious sex offenders to escape punishment and must be abandoned, says a prominent lawyer.”

Full story

The Guardian, 7th September 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Compass sues NHS trust for £2.3m in row over out-of-date ketchup – Daily Telegraph

“Compass has filed a £2.3m lawsuit against an NHS trust amid claims the catering group faced ‘grossly exaggerated’ penalties for minor contract failures including holding a fire door open with a spoon and supplying out-of-date tomato ketchup.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 2nd September 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Law Commission calls for greater use of civil penalties – Law Society’s Gazette

“The Law Commission has proposed a cut in the number of criminal offences for regulatory breaches.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 2nd September 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Call to cut number of minor offences – BBC News

“Criminal laws dealing with many petty offences should be scrapped, according to the body responsible for reviewing the law in England and Wales.”

Full story

BBC News, 25th August 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Regina v Hamer – WLR Daily

Regina v Hamer [2010] WLR (D) 235

“A fixed penalty notice which had been issued to a defendant pursuant to s 2 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 was not a conviction, admission of guilt, proof that a crime had been committed, or a stain on the defendant’s character, and therefore could not be regarded as evidence which impugned the character of the defendant or admitted as such.”

WLR Daily, 20th August 2010

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.