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Sentencing – Road traffic offences – Sentence discounting. Sheriff Appeal Court: Refusing an appeal by an appellant who was offered a fixed penalty notice with a £100 fine and 3 penalty points in respect of a speeding offence but was unable to pay, and in proceedings raised in the Justice of the Peace Court pled guilty at the first opportunity and was fined £315, reduced by discount from £460, and received 4 penalty points, with no discount being applied to the penalty points, the court held that penalty points were susceptible to discount in the same way as any other penalty and the consideration of public protection did not justify declining to discount for an early plea of guilty, the Justice therefore erred in considering that public protection provided a valid reason for declining to discount the 4 penalty points, however given the speed at which the appellant was travelling the imposition of 4 penalty points was not excessive or inappropriate so as to represent a miscarriage of justice.
Sentencing – Road traffic offences – Sentence discounting. Sheriff Appeal Court: Refusing an appeal by an appellant who was offered a fixed penalty notice with a £100 fine and 3 penalty points in respect of a speeding offence but was unable to pay, and in proceedings raised in the Justice of the Peace Court pled guilty at the first opportunity and was fined £315, reduced by discount from £460, and received 4 penalty points, with no discount being applied to the penalty points, the court held that penalty points were susceptible to discount in the same way as any other penalty and the consideration of public protection did not justify declining to discount for an early plea of guilty, the Justice therefore erred in considering that public protection provided a valid reason for declining to discount the 4 penalty points, however given the speed at which the appellant was travelling the imposition of 4 penalty points was not excessive or inappropriate so as to represent a miscarriage of justice.
Sam Townend KC explains the Bar Council’s efforts towards ensuring a bright future for the profession
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Westgate Wealth Management Ltd is a Partner Practice of FTSE 100 company St. James’s Place – one of the top UK Wealth Management firms. We offer a holistic service of distinct quality, integrity, and excellence with the aim to build a professional and valuable relationship with our clients, helping to provide them with security now, prosperity in the future and the highest standard of service in all of our dealings.
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On the 50th anniversary of the pub bombings, even now it is still unresolved. Chris Mullin, the journalist and former MP who led the campaign leading to the release of the Birmingham Six, looks back at events
Most of us like to think we would risk our career in order to meet our ethical obligations, so why have so many lawyers failed to hold the line? asks Flora Page
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One year on and the Court of Appeal fails to quash convictions after receiving evidence of racism in the jury room, and there are still no revisions to the Equal Treatment Bench Book , says Keir Monteith KC
A cultural life and times
