Garden Court North Chambers are pleased to welcome Andrew Byles with effect from 10th January 2007.

The Times has last week reported the case of R v Caines and R v Roberts [2006] EWCA Crim 2915 (The Times, 7 December 2006).

The jury at the inquest into the death of Louise Davies at HMP New Hall in 2004 has returned a critical verdict questioning the appropriateness of prison for vulnerable women. Mark George represented the family at the inquest.

Garden Court North Chambers barrister Mark George was interviewed this morning on BBC Radio Manchester to discuss recent research commissioned by the Home Office in relation to juror's views on rape cases.

Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of Cathy Come Home's first screening, the BBC "No Home" season will explore the ways in which homeless people's circumstances have changed in 2006 - with fewer people sleeping on the streets and a growing number living in substandard temporary accommodation and hostels.

This case considered the extent to which judicial review can correct the lack of independence and impartiality of an initial administrative decision maker in the area of social welfare law. This judgment is likely to have wide implications for administrative decision making. Paul Draycott of Garden Court North Chambers, represented Tiga Tsfayo from the outset of this case in 1999.

The Home Office has announced that Intermittent Custody Orders will be withdrawn on 20th November 2006.

Garden Court North Chambers is yet again the only set outside London to be recommended for Human Rights in the Chambers & Partners UK Guide to the Legal Profession 2007, published this week.

Amicus Training Course: An introduction to Death Penalty law in the United States

Saturday 4th November 2006

BPP Law School, Oxford Road, Manchester

A former care worker twice convicted of the same sex abuse offences allegedly committed in 1980 has been cleared by the Court of Appeal for a second time.

In the case of R v Wayne Derek Picken, the Court of Appeal quashed a restraining order made against the appellant without consultation with the complainant.

Garden Court North Chambers barrister Pete Weatherby was interviewed this morning on BBC Radio Manchester about a European Court of Human Rights decision on motorists' right to silence, due to be made in Court today.

Human Rights and Human Lives: Adopting a human rights approach to service delivery and public safety.

A free DCA conference on Monday 16 October 2006, Radisson Edwardian Hotel, Manchester

Garden Court North Chambers has received recommendations for crime and public law in the 2006 edition of the UK Legal 500. Recommended as a Northern Circuit Leading Set "underpinned by a human rights ethic", four individual members were also referred to in the guide under the categories of crime and public law.

HERMIONE McEWEN, senior solicitor at Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit, has been interviewed for Lawyer of the Week in this week's Law supplement in The Times.

John Hobson reviews 'ASBO' performed by North Manchester's leading participatory theatre company, Moston Active Drama (MaD), at the Manchester's Library Theatre for two days.

An inquest at Swindon Coroner's Court, which was heard on 27th June 2006, found that Capt Ken Masters, a senior military police investigator in Iraq, took his own life. At the time he was suffering from depression brought on by increasing workload and stress.

UNISON's intouch newsletter (summer 2006) has reported on a recent landmark disability discrimination settlement in which James Stark appeared, instructed by Thompsons solicitors.

The Times has today reported the case of R (Lunn) v Governor of HMP Moorland [2006] EWCA Civ 700 which clarifies that a Governor must rely on an 'Order for Imprisonment' rather than the sentence of the court. This appeal also overturned a ruling that Mr Lunn had been "unlawfully at large" within the meaning of section 49 of the Prison Act during the period between his release and the date of the Order which authorised his further detention; he will now be released 62 days earlier. (The Times 27/06/2006)

Mark George and Andy Fitzpatrick represented two of the four animal rights activists in the Staffordshire guinea pig farm case.

Starts Thursday 4th May 2006, 8pm on BBC1 for 8 weeks.

Is oral sex in a public place illegal? Where an act of oral sex in a bank foyer was caught on CCTV and subsequently viewed by the bank manager, the High Court found that such an offence had to be witnessed and there had to be others actually present who could see the act. (The Times Law Reports 12/04/2006)

In the case of R v Baird (and another) [2006] EWCA Crim 993, on 7th April 2006 the Court of Appeal Criminal Division quashed the sentence of imprisonment for public protection and imposed a determinate sentence. This decision re-affirms and emphasises the points made in Lang in relation to "dangerous offenders".

They call it the "Vampire Theory". The idea that when it comes to the workforce, employers constantly crave the fresh blood of younger workers. This week's BBC Panorama programme (9/4/06) will focus on "ageism" in anticipation of the new anti-age discrimination laws to be introduced later this year.

Garden Court North Chambers are pleased to anounce that on Friday 31st March 2006, Mark Barlow was called to the Bar or Northern Ireland by the Honourable Society of the Inn of Court of Northern Ireland.

Six students who were taken to court for taking part in a demonstration at Lancaster University are due to start an appeal against their convictions today.

Update 8/9/06 : now reported in CrimLR [2006] 849 (Mode of Trial - Magistrates' Courts Act 1980, s.25)

Judicial Review proceedings brought against Manchester City Youth Court yesterday were successful in challenging the Youth Court's decision to decline jurisdiction to deal with trial and sentence. Clarification of this procedure under Section 25 was then given.

Police powers to tackle street disturbances under the Antisocial Behaviour Act were curbed yesterday when the High Court ruled that specific reasons must be given for their use.

A school worker who killed himself believing he was being accused of child abuse, should have been given more information when he was suspended from his job, a coroner has said.

"I spent 17 years, eight months and one day on death row. I was not saved by the system. I was saved in spite of the system." Juan Roberto Melendez, exoneree.

Kola and Mirzajani v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2004] EWCA Civ 638.

The House of Lords has given leave to appeal in this case, which is likely to be heard by the House of Lords next year.

Amicus, the charity which provides assistance to individuals on death row in the US has arranged an introductory training day in death penalty law and procedure. It will be held at BPP Law School on Oxford Street in Manchester on Saturday 14th January 2006 from 1 pm until 5.15 pm.

Review by John Hobson

Garden Court North Chambers are pleased to welcome Kate Stone with effect from 7th December 2005.

> > > BBC1 - Sunday 20th November 05 at 22.15

James Stark , on behalf of the housing team, contributed to this forthcoming programme and spoke to researchers last month.

Erimnaz Mushtaq provides a summary of this recently reported case regarding sentencing youths to detention under S.91 of the Powers of the Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 where Detention and Training Orders are not available.

R v AW ( & DW) [2005] EWCA Crim 2824 (13/10/2005)

Mark George will be teaching at an introductory training session which Amicus have organised in conjunction with the Oxford Institute of Legal Practice and Oxford Brookes University. Amicus aims to help provide legal representation for those awaiting capital trial and punishment in the US and to raise awareness of potential abuses of their rights.

Garden Court North Chambers has been recommended as the "only set in the North which has set its stall out to do human rights work." in the Chambes and Partners UK Guide to the Legal Profession 2006, published this week.

Mark George from GCN spoke at the meeting last Wednesday (19.10.05) at BPP Law School in Oxford Street to launch an Amicus group in Manchester. There was also a screening of "Deadline: the Movie" and a proposal made for Amicus to arrange some future training in Manchester on US death penalth laws.

Garden Court North Chambers are pleased to announce that following successful completion of their pupillages, Laura Cawsey and Kerry Smith have both accepted the invitation to become tenants.

Garden Court North Chambers are pleased to announce that Sarah Wright (formerley First Junior Clerk at GCN Chambers) has been appointed as Senior Clerk with effect from 12th September 2005.

Follow link to read John Hobson's report on a recent case where proceedings involving a demotion order were struck out.

Gina Goldwater v (1) Miaguard National Security Ltd (2) Elite Security (UK) Ltd (3) Dean Hudson [2005] EOR No. 144 - August.

The claimant, Mr Chohan, accepted settlement part-way through the tribunal against Manchester Indian Senior Citizens Centre following their admission that he was unfairly dismissed.

R v Edwards (2005) 149 S.J. 835, C.A. (29/06/2005). Farrhat Arshad provides a summary of this recently reported case where Lord Jusitice Rose gave further guidance on what a summing-up should contain further to the gudiance at paragraph 18 of Hanson.

15 year old boy wins landmark High Court challenge to the legality of child curfew zones uzed to tackle anti-social behaviour.

On 8th June, Alvaro Gil-Roblest - the European Commissioner for Human Rights - published a report following his recent visit to the UK, which includes comments and recommendations in relation to Anti-Social Behaviour orders.

Garden Court North, Chambers of Ian Macdonald QC are pleased to announce the launch of our new chambers website.

Positive result in Leeds Employment Tribunal this week.