Information Commissioner gets new powers to fine for spam emails – OUT-LAW.com

“Organisations that make unwanted marketing phone calls or send spam emails to consumers could face fines of up to £500,000, the Government has warned.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 4th May 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Three Norfolk men jailed for £1m telecoms fraud – BBC News

“Three men have been jailed for their part in a £1m telecoms fraud, said to be one of the biggest in Britain.”

Full story

BBC News, 27th April 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Phone-hacking laws are ‘very uneven and unclear’ – The Guardian

“The information commissioner has told a powerful group of MPs that legislation outlawing phone hacking is ‘very uneven’ and ‘very unclear’ and the law should be clarified.”

Full story

The Guardian, 26th April 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

CPS decides no prosecution of BT and Phorm for alleged interception of browsing data – Crown Prosecution Service

“The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has decided not to consent to a request from an individual to begin a prosecution of BT Group Plc and Phorm Inc in relation to alleged unlawful interception of internet browsing data.”

Full press release

Crown Prosecution Service, 8th April 2011

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Law and police chiefs unite on scandal strategy – The Independent

“The director of Public Prosecutions and the second-in-command of Britain’s largest police force last night attempted to draw a line under a damaging split between them over whether legal advice limited the original investigation into the phone hacking scandal.”

Full story

The Independent, 12th April 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

News International could face prosecution – The Guardian

“News International as a corporation could face a criminal prosecution following its admission that the phones of celebrities were hacked into by its staff.”

Full story

The Guardian, 8th April 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Gordon Brown phone-hacking inquiry halted by civil service – The Guardian

“Sir Gus O’Donnell, the cabinet secretary, blocked an attempt by Gordon Brown before the general election to hold a judicial inquiry into allegations that the News of the World had hacked into the phones of cabinet ministers and other high-profile figures.”

Full story

The Guardian, 10th April 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Telefónica Móviles España SA v Administración del Estado, Secretaría de Estado de Telecomunicaciones – WLR Daily

Telefónica Móviles España SA v Administración del Estado, Secretaría de Estado de Telecomunicaciones (Case C-85/10);  [2011] WLR (D)  102

“National legislation that provided for a fee to be levied on operators of telecommunications services holding individual licences for the use of radio frequencies, but which did not allocate a specific use to the income derived from that fee, and which significantly increased the fee for a particular technology, was not precluded by article 11(2) of Directive 97/13/EC.”

WLR Daily, 10th March 2011

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

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

Phone hacking: Met and DPP clash over legal advice on stolen voicemails – The Guardian

“The phone-hacking scandal has spilled over into an extraordinary public clash between the Metropolitan police and the director of public prosecutions, with each side implying the other has misled parliament.”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th March 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Tessa Jowell goes to court to find out who hacked into her phone – The Independent

“Former cabinet minister Tessa Jowell has begun legal proceedings which could see her name added to the list of public figures suing the News of the World for alleged phone hacking.”

Full story

The Independent, 18th March 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

New investigations regime will accompany new premium rate code, says regulator – OUT-LAW.com

“The way premium phone rate companies are investigated for breaches of the industry code will be changed this spring, regulator PhonepayPlus (PPP) has said.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 10th March 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Rollover contracts with leaving penalties to be banned, says Ofcom – OUT-Law.com

“Telecoms firms will be banned from automatically signing customers up to renewed contracts with minimum contract periods, telecoms regulator has said. It said that 15% of home phone users are tied into such contracts.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 10th March 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Ofcom will assess UK’s networks from March until May to comply with DEA – OUT-LAW.com

“Telecoms regulator Ofcom will assess the quality of the UK’s telecoms networks for a two month period before delivering its first infrastructure report to the Government in August, it has said.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 9th March 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

High Court extends ability to strip people of right not to self-incriminate – OUT-LAW.com

“People accused of misusing confidential commercial or technical information have lost the right to avoid self-incrimination in court cases, following a High Court ruling.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 3rd March 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Gray v News Group Newspapers Ltd and another; Coogan v Same – WLR Daily

Gray v News Group Newspapers Ltd and another; Coogan v Same [2011] EWHC 349 (Ch); [2011] WLR (D) 65

“The words ‘technical or commercial information’ in the definition of ‘intellectual property’ in section 72(5) of the Senior Courts Act 1981, section 72 (1) of which provided for the withdrawal of privilege against self or spousal incrimination in proceedings for, inter alia, infringement of rights pertaining to any intellectual property, meant technical or commercial information which could be protected by action.”

WLR Daily, 28th February 2011

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

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

Phone-hacking libel claim contested by Metropolitan police – The Guardian

“Scotland Yard is to contest a lawsuit that could establish the true number of victims in the News of the World phone-hacking scandal.”

Full story

The Guardian, 26th February 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Phone hacking: now judge tells police to stop protecting names – The Independent

“The likelihood of further News of the World (NotW) journalists being dragged into the phone-hacking scandal increased yesterday when a judge ruled that names believed to belong to the paper’s employees should no longer be blanked out on key documents.”

Full story

The Independent, 25th February 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Law in Action – BBC Radio 4

“The attempt to extradite Julian Assange to Sweden has raised several legal issues. In the first of the new series Joshua Rozenberg asks whether Julian Assange’s lawyer Mark Stephens overstepped the mark by declaring the innocence of his client. He asks the United States legal representative in the UK, Amy Jeffress, if the extradition arrangements between the US and UK need changing and he looks at whether the media should be tweeting from court.”

iPlayer link

BBC Radio 4, 22nd February 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Phone hacking: police hand over evidence they claimed did not exist – The Guardian

“The Metropolitan police have been accused of misleading behaviour in the phone-hacking scandal after handing over evidence they had twice claimed did not exist.”

Full story

The Guardian, 17th February 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

High court judge criticises police failure to fully investigate phone hacking – The Guardian

“A high court judge has criticised the Metropolitan police for failing to adequately investigate allegations of phone hacking by the News of the World.”

Full story

The Guardian, 15th February 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The Twitter era of court reporting is here, despite the risk of prejudice – The Guardian

“Is there a legitimate demand for the use of live, text-based communications from the courtroom? That’s one of the questions that the Judicial Office for England and Wales is asking in a new consultation paper.”

Full story

The Guardian, 9th February 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Twitter messages not private, rules PCC – The Guardian

“The Press Complaints Commission ruled on Tuesday that information posted on Twitter should be considered public and publishable by newspapers after it cleared the Daily Mail and Independent on Sunday of breaching privacy guidelines.”

Full story

The Guardian, 8th February 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Consultation on Live, Text-Based Communications from Court – Judiciary of England and Wales

“On behalf of the Lord Chief Justice, the Judicial Office for England and Wales has issued a consultation paper on the use of live, text-based communications from court for the purposes of fair and accurate reporting.”

Full story

Judiciary of England and Wales, 7th February 2010

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Supreme Court to allow tweeting – The Independent

“Tweeting is to be allowed from hearings at the highest court in the land, it was announced today (3 February).”

Full story

The Independent, 3rd February 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Supreme Court issues guidance on courtroom twitter use – Law Society’s Gazette

“The Supreme Court has today given the ‘green light’ to allow people to ‘tweet’ from inside the courtroom. It has issued guidance on the use of live text-based communication by legal teams, journalists and members of the public of what is going on in court.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette. 3rd February 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Phone hacking: PCC sets up working group – The Guardian

“The Press Complaints Commission is setting up a working group to ‘draw together lessons learned’ from the new police investigation and various legal cases relating to the News of the World phone-hacking affair.”

Full story

The Guardian, 31st January 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Silent calls face threat of £2m fine, says Ofcom – BBC News

“Companies that use automated telephone calls that leave householders hearing nothing can now be fined up to £2m.”

Full story

BBC News, 1st February 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Phone-hacking scandal: DPP orders ‘robust approach’ – The Guardian

“The Crown Prosecution Service is to adopt a ‘robust approach’ in examining ‘recent or new substantive allegations’ of phone hacking.”

Full story

The Guardian, 25th January 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Scotland Yard fights to keep phone-hacking targets a secret – The Independent

“The Metropolitan Police blocked legal action aimed at identifying all the alleged victims uncovered by its criminal investigation into phone hacking by the News of the World. Documents filed at the High Court in London show that Scotland Yard is resisting a claim for a judicial review of its handling of the case, on the basis that it does not have a public duty to contact everyone brought to the attention of detectives.”

Full story

The Independent, 13th January 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Lord chief justice approves use of Twitter for court reporting – The Guardian

“Guidance follows district judge’s decision to allow tweeting of bail hearing for Julian Assange earlier this month.”

Full story

The Guardian, 20th December 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘New evidence’ found in phone-hacking lawsuit – The Independent

“Lawyers for Sienna Miller claim to have discovered evidence which shows that a senior News of the World executive was aware a private investigator was being paid to hack into the actress’ voicemails.”

Full story

The Independent, 16th December 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Tweeting in court: why reporters must be given guidelines – The Guardian

“A district judge’s decision to allow journalists to use Twitter in the Julian Assange hearing raises interesting legal questions.”

Full story

The Guardian, 15th December 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Phone hacking allegations – Statement from Director of Public Prosecutions – Crown Prosecution Service

“Phone hacking allegations – Statement from Director of Public Prosecutions.”

Full press release

Crown Prosecution Service, 10th December 2010

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Twitter allowed during bail hearing – The Guardian

“The judge hearing Julian Assange’s application broke new ground today by letting reporters use Twitter and other electronic means to update the outside world on developments in court.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th December 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Andy Coulson phone-hacking investigation to be dropped – Daily Telegraph

“The Daily Telegraph can disclose that detectives are to be formally advised by the Crown Prosecution Service that Mr Coulson and other former and current employees of the tabloid newspaper have no criminal case to answer.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 10th December 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

The Bridgewater Canal Co Ltd v GEO Networks Ltd – WLR Daily

The Bridgewater Canal Co Ltd v GEO Networks Ltd [2010] EWCA Civ 1348; [2010] WLR (D) 306

“On the proper construction of the Electronic Communications Code, set out in Sch 2 to the Telecommunications Act 1984 as amended by the Communications Act 2003, the special regime which applied to linear obstacles differed not only from the general regime but also from the other special regimes for which the code provided. When determining, under para 13(2)(e of Sch 2), an award of compensation or consideration in respect of the right to carry out works and the loss sustained by reason of doing so in implementation of the right to install and keep, there was no reason to interpolate into the words ‘the right to carry out the works’ in para (13)(2)(e) the additional words ‘and to keep the same’. Accordingly, an operator of a communications network installing a cable through an existing duct under a canal was liable to pay to the person with control of the land compensation only for the right to execute the works and not also for the right to keep them on the relevant land as and when executed.”

WLR Daily, 1st December 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.

Ofcom launches second TalkTalk investigation – The Guardian

“Inquiry follows claims company mis-sold phone service and switched some internet users to its service without their consent”

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd November 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Court says News of the World staff who ordered phone hack must be named – The Guardian

“The private investigator at the centre of the phone-hacking scandal has been ordered by a high court judge to reveal who instructed him to engage in the illegal interception of voicemail messages of public figures.”

Full story

The Guardian, 17th November 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Government outlines plans to comply with new EU telecoms rules – OUT-LAW.com

“The Government has outlined the changes that will need to be made to laws and regulations so that the UK complies with the new EU telecoms rules passed last year.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 16th September 2010

Source: www.out-law.com

Phone hacking: Lord Prescott seeks judicial review of Met police – Daily Telegraph

“Lord Prescott is to launch a claim for a judicial review of the Metropolitan Police’s handling of the News of the World phone-hacking case, he said today.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 17th September 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Brian Paddick launches legal action on phone hacking – BBC News

“A former senior Metropolitan Police officer has issued judicial review proceedings against the force over newspaper phone-hacking claims.”

Full story

BBC News, 13th September 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Phone-hacking row: government backs new inquiry – The Guardian

“Pressure mounts on Andy Coulson, as MPs call on the powerful standards and privileges committee to summon witnesses such as Rupert Murdoch to give evidence.”

Full story

The Guardian, 9th September 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Phone hacking claims to be debated by Parliament – BBC News

“MPs are to hold an emergency debate later to discuss the allegations of phone hacking by journalists at the News of the World.”

Full story

BBC News, 9th September 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Phone-hacking scandal: Theresa May defends police investigation – The Guardian

“Home secretary says it is not for government to decide whether there should be new inquiry into allegations against News of the World.”

Full story

The Guardian, 6th September 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

MPs seek fresh investigation into News of the World phone hacking – The Guardian

“News International and David Cameron’s PR chief, Andy Coulson, face the prospect of a fresh parliamentary inquiry into phone-hacking by the News of the World after Labour MPs said they plan to press for the issue to be referred to the powerful standards and privileges committee of the House of Commons.”

Full story

The Guardian, 5th September 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Met asked to reveal what it knew about NoW hacking of officers’ phones – The Guardian

“Scotland Yard was tonight under fresh pressure to reveal what it knew about attempts by the News of the World to hack the phones of senior police officers.”

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd September 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

News of the World faces fresh phone hacking charge – The Guardian

“The government tonight came under pressure to set up a judicial inquiry into the phone hacking scandal at the News of the Wordl after the paper confirmed that it has suspended a journalist while it investigates new allegations of the unlawful interception of voicemail.”

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd September 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Emails and phones snooped on by authorities every minute – Daily Telegraph

“Public authorities asked for confidential communications data on more than 525,000 occasions last year including a 13 per cent increase in requests by town halls.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 28th July 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

New code of practice to close multi-million pound stolen phones loop – Home Office

“A new deal to stop an estimated 100,000 stolen mobile phones, worth around £4m, being sold to recycling companies was announced today by crime prevention minister James Brokenshire.”

Full press release

Home Office, 23rd July 2010

Source: www.homeoffice.gov.uk

£4m stolen mobile loophole closed – The Independent

“Crime gangs rake in up to £4 million a year by flogging ‘recycled’ stolen mobile phones overseas.  Officials revealed crooks have been giving blocked mobile phones a second lease of life by exporting them. Police said the phones still work abroad and up to 100,000 handsets worth an average of £40 each are resold on the black market. The Government, police and mobile phone industry joined forces today to sign an agreement designed to close the loophole.”

Full story

The Independent, 23rd July 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Government begins RIPA review – OUT-LAW.com

“The Government will review the use of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA), the law that governs state tapping of phone, email and internet use. The law will be looked at as part of a wider review of counter-terrorism laws.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 14th July 2010

Source: www.out-law.com

Rapid review of counter-terrorism powers – Home Office

“The Home Secretary has announced today that a rapid review of key counter-terrorism and security powers is underway. The review will look at what counter-terrorism powers and measures could be rolled back in order to restore the balance of civil liberties and counter-terrorism powers.”

Full press release

Home Office, 13th July 2010

Source: www.homeoffice.gov.uk

Counter-terrorism powers to face government review – BBC News

“The government is to review key counter-terrorism and security powers including the 28-day limit on detaining terrorist suspects without charge.”

Full story

BBC News, 13th July 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BT pension fund seeks legal ruling on taxpayers’ obligation to underwrite deficit – The Guardian

“How much of BT’s huge pension liabilities are underwritten by the taxpayer? Nearly 26 years after one of Margaret Thatcher’s biggest privatisations, the telecoms firm’s pensioners are finally close to getting an answer.”

Full story

The Guardian, 13th July 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

BT and TalkTalk challenge Digital Economy Act – BBC News

“BT and TalkTalk are seeking a judicial review of the controversial Digital Economy Act, BBC News has learned.”

Full story

BBC News, 8th July 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk