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Sentence – Murder. The defendant was convicted of murder of her 11 month old son and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 14 years. The Attorney General brought a reference, pursuant to s 36 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, on the basis that the proper balancing of the relevant factors should have led to an increase above the 15 year starting point indicated by Sch 21 to the Criminal Justice Act 2003. The Court of Appeal, Criminal Division held that the aggravating features of the case considerably outweighed the available mitigation so that the sentence passed by the judge had been unduly lenient and substituted a minimum term of 17 years.
Sentence – Murder. The defendant was convicted of murder of her 11 month old son and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 14 years. The Attorney General brought a reference, pursuant to s 36 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, on the basis that the proper balancing of the relevant factors should have led to an increase above the 15 year starting point indicated by Sch 21 to the Criminal Justice Act 2003. The Court of Appeal, Criminal Division held that the aggravating features of the case considerably outweighed the available mitigation so that the sentence passed by the judge had been unduly lenient and substituted a minimum term of 17 years.
Update from the Chair of the Bar
By David Green
Mário Barroso, Head of R&D and Method Development at AlphaBiolabs, examines the forensic science underpinning hair drug testing, its evidential scope and limitations, and why it remains the gold standard for evidencing patterns of drug use in family proceedings
Unlocking your aged debt to fund your tax in one easy step. By Philip N Bristow
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, discusses the upcoming changes to pensions and Inheritance Tax and the potential impact on your financial future
Save the Children UK is the latest charity to benefit from a £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
James McNeill Whistler at Tate Britain until 27 September Rothko in Florence at Palazzo Strozzi until 23 August Reviewed by Stephen Cragg KC
The Chief Legal Officer to the Metropolitan Police, barrister Brett Welch, tells Anthony Inglese CB about his mission and the work to turn the Met around
Barrister apprenticeships – shortly to provide the fourth pathway to the Bar – are an ideal opportunity to support local talent and ‘grow your own’, say Tim Coulson and Dr Jane Dennehy
Grok around and find out – or not? Mariya Peykova investigates the nudification scandal, what the law has to say about sexually explicit deepfakes, and whether stronger regulation is needed
Oliver Lewis spotlights an overlooked yet rapidly evolving area of law – coercive and controlling behaviour within care contexts