John Hobson will present the following LAG practical equality and diversity training course for barristers in Manchester this autumn.

The House of Lords has today handed down judgment in the case of Chief Constable of The Hertfordshire Police (Original Appellant and Cross-Respondent) v Van Colle. This is an important judgment for human rights and civil actions against the police practitioners with respect to police duties towards protecting witnesses.

Mark George from Garden Court North will be speaking on the US death penalty training programme organised jointly by Reprieve and Amicus in October 2008.

Judgment has today been handed down by the Administrative Court in an important case concerning the extent of the duty under the Children Act 1989 towards an unaccompanied asylum seeker child (UASC) where s/he is moved between two local authorities.

Garden Court North Chambers barrister Pete Weatherby was interviewed for Century Radio today in relation to the Criminal Evidence (Witness Anonymity) Bill which is to be rushed through the Commons by 8 July 2008.

The Court of Appeal yesterday referred a conviction to the full court in the case of Ken MacKreth, who sadly died in 2006.

The Court of Appeal today handed down judgment in Gilboy, R (on the application of) v Liverpool City Council & Anor [2008] EWCA Civ 751.

R v Katrina Hewitt (23/6/08) Court of Appeal before the Lord Chief Justice, Mr Justice Underhill and Mrs Justice Dobbs

Liverpool’s Labour Euro MP, Arlene McCarthy who has been campaigning for justice for Michael Shields since he was first arrested in May 2005, has today along with Michael’s Human Rights Lawyer, Pete Weatherby , presented a formal petition to the European Parliament in Brussels calling for further investigation into Michael’s case.

Leeds Federated Homes Ltd & Leeds City Council-v- McGibbon and others (22 May 2008) DJ Safmann, Leeds County Court

Recent reports of prison overcrowding and challenges to the lawfulness of sentences of imprisonment for public protection (IPPs) have thrust indeterminate sentences into the limelight. Farrhat Arshad and Kate Stone provide a view on why they are so widely imposed and how they can be avoided in this months' Independent Lawyer (May 2008).

A prosecution for conspiracy to commit a public nuisance brought against seven protesters was dismissed at Sheffield Crown Court today. (R v White & Others, Sheffield Crown Court, 30th April 2008).

BBC Inside Out, broadcast tomorrow, will take a look at the case of football fan Michael Shields, jailed three years ago for the attempted murder of a barman in Bulgaria, and the evidence that casts doubt on his conviction.

Garden Court North Chambers are pleased to welcome Sonia Birdee with effect from 21st April 2008.

The Court of Appeal has today handed down judgment in the two conjoined appeals of Manchester City Council v Moran and Richards v Ipwsich City Council [2008].

Garden Court North Chambers are pleased to welcome Nina Grahame with effect from 7th April 2008.

Read "My Weekend: Ben McCormack" on the Times Online today.

The inquest into the death of 26 year old Vicky Robinson in HMP New Hall, West Yorkshire, in 2005 is due to start on Monday 12th April 2008 and is listed for 2 weeks.

The Court of Appeal has today ruled in the case of Porter v Shepherds Bush HA that it should follow the established Housing Act case law as set out in Marshall-v- Bradford MBC and not Payne-v- Cooper in respect of secure tenancies. The Helena Housing Ltd-v- Mower (as covered in the January 2008 Housing Bulletin ) escape route hence, is for the time being closed off .

The GCN website has a new home page!

Melanie Plimmer has been invited to speak on the subject of "Challenging Work Permits" at the HJT Judicial Review conference on 14th March 2008 in London.

Pete Weatherby has spoken on Radio 5 Live to explain the legal context of the decision by Levi Bellfield not to appear at the Old Bailey to hear his sentence today (26/2/08).

A driver who fails to mention a medical condition which prevents her from being able to provide sufficient sample of breath for analysis is not prohibited from arguing the statutory defence of; ‘reasonable excuse’.

Administrative Court declares Secretary of State's policy dealing with HDC for prisoners serving consecutive sentences of more and less than 12 months to be unlawful.

In an article for Independent Lawyer magazine (February 2008), Mark George considers the consequences of the Omagh bomb ruling which has cast doubt over thousands of convictions using a controversial form of DNA evidence

Photojournalist Marc Vallée has accepted an apology and out-of-court settlement from the Metropolitan Police today (25/2), further to issuing proceedings against Sir Ian Blair, Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis for "Battery" (assault) and breaches of the Human Rights Act, relating to freedom of expression and assembly.

Mark George is instructed in the inquest into the death of Merseyside teenager Andrew Jones who was fatally injured after a night out.

Mark George has spoken on Radio 4's PM programme following the announcement by Gordon Brown today that evidence gained from the bugging of suspects could be used in court cases for the first time.

Concerns have been raised over controversial proposals which could allow Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to block the summoning of a jury, parachute in her own "Special Coroner", and hold hearings in secret, for some controversial inquests, Pete Weatherby told BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend.

Court of Appeal finds Secretary of State for Justice acting unlawfully in respect of IPPs, and that systemic failures are likely to lead to violation of Article 5.

In the judgment handed down today, following an appeal heard on 26th November 2007, the EAT has provided clarification of the statutory extension of time for presenting ET claims under Regulation 15 (1) of the Employment Act (Dispute Resolution) Regulations 2004.

On Tuesday 29th January 2008 the Court of Appeal will begin to hear several conjoined appeals which involve the issue of whether police officers and others involved in the criminal justice process can serve on juries in criminal trials.

Garden Court North Chambers barrister Mark George was interviewed on BBC Radio Manchester this morning about the bail process.

The top 10 most read GCN news stories were...

US Death Penalty Law: An Introduction to the issues, law and procedure in capital cases

At the conclusion of the inquest into the death of 20 year old Louise Giles at HMP Durham, the jury has returned a highly critical narrative verdict and have condemned Prison Service management .

The House of Lords today handed down judgment in this case and allowed outright the appeals by both appellants that they had met the criteria of making their claim for asylum “on arrival” and were therefore entitled to urgent payments of income support at the reduced rate.

In the judgment handed down today, the Court of Appeal has rejected the proposition that in cases of exposure to asbestos fibres resulting in mesothelioma, a specific measurement of the duration of the material exposure is required for a claim to succeed. What is required is a finding that the duration of the exposure had constituted a material increase in the risk of contracting mesothelioma. Exposure which was de minimus would be insufficient.

The Government has today launched an appeal against two High Court rulings on indeterminate sentences (IPPs).

Garden Court North Chambers barrister Mark George was interviewed on BBC Radio Manchester this morning about the Criminal Appeals process.

The recent case of Lawer v Restormel Borough Council has provided new guidance on ex-parte injunctions. The following casenote will be of interest to housing and immigration lawyers and other practitioners who undertake ex-parte injunctions on behalf of claimants.

Garden Court North continues to be the only set outside London to be recommended for civil liberties and human rights in the Chambers & Partners UK Guide to the Legal Profession published this week. Almost half (11 out of 23) of our members are now recommended across all our key practice areas.

Melanie Plimmer will be one of the keynote speakers at the WASP (Women Asylum Seekers from Pakistan) Project National Conference to take place in Manchester next month.

The case of R (on the application of Ashman) v Parole Board and another, a post-tariff IPP prisoner, has been considered in the All England Law Reports this week.

In the case of Harris v NKL Automotive Ltd the EAT allowed the appellant's appeal in part and remitted the issue of victimisation to the ET. The EAT however dismissed the argument relating to indirect discrimination.

Today marks the opening of the new Manchester Civil Justice Centre - the largest civil court to be built in England and Wales for over 100 years.

In a long awaited judgement the House of Lords unanimously dismissed the appeal brought by former employees who had developed pleural plaques and in one case psychiatric injury and upheld the majority decision of the Court of Appeal. Peter Hodson provides the following commentary.

Garden Court North Chambers barrister Pete Weatherby was interviewed yesterday on BBC Radio Manchester about a Rochdale man with TB forcibly detained at North Manchester General Hospital.

The Administrative Court (Queens Bench Division) has today handed down judgment following the Judicial Review hearing on 27th September 2007.

The Times Online has profiled ten barristers of less than 10 years call who may have what it takes to be "Future stars of the Bar". Farrhat Arshad is one of them.