The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s report ‘Controlling dangerous dogs’ calls for a full-scale review of current dog control legislation and policy to better protect the public. The report was published on 17 October 2018. Is There A Problem with Dangerous Dogs? According to the Committee, yes. In 1991 the Dangerous Dogs Act outlawed…

The Sentencing Council, responsible for setting sentencing guidelines in England and Wales, has today issued a new guideline in relation to manslaughter offences. Which Offences Are Covered? The guideline covers: Unlawful act manslaughter – a common law offence Gross negligence manslaughter – a common law offence Manslaughter by reason of loss of control – a…

The New Breach Guidelines Yesterday (7 June 2018), the Sentencing Council has published new guidelines for judges and magistrates for when they are sentencing offenders who have breached court orders. The guidelines provide a clear approach which will mean a tightening up of the way courts deal with offenders who have not complied with a…

The Defence of Duress and Necessity – But I Had No Choice! There is a law known as the Defence of Duress and Necessity. It can be very difficult to demonstrate and will only apply in unusual and extreme circumstances. It is used to describe a situation where someone is forced by the demands of…

Your Update on the Parole Board …  Following the Parole Board decision to release John Worboys, the taxi driver rapist, there has been a review of its functions, in particular a review of Rule 25 of the Parole Board Rules 2016 that prevented the Parole Board disclosing any information relating to its hearings. That rule…