The Government is reviewing prison sentences to address the overcrowding crisis in jails. David Gauke, the former Justice Secretary leading the review, has expressed concern over “significant inflation” in sentence lengths over the past two decades. He noted that the introduction of minimum terms has led to a “ratcheting” effect, causing sentences for various crimes…

A county lines drug dealer has successfully avoided deportation after claiming that it would breach his human rights to a family life. The 29-year-old, who was jailed for eight years for drug supply, argued that returning to Nigeria would severely impact his mental health due to inadequate psychiatric care. Initially, an immigration tribunal dismissed his…

Daniel Khalife, a 23-year-old former soldier from Kingston, has pleaded guilty to escaping from lawful custody while awaiting trial for espionage. During his testimony at Woolwich Crown Court, Khalife admitted to deliberately escaping under a food catering truck on 6 September last year, leading to a nationwide manhunt. The judge, Mrs Justice Cheema Grubb, stated:…

Lord Howard has called for reforms to the Human Rights Act, stating it has led to a “vivid transfer of power” from Parliament to the courts, undermining UK laws. His comments accompany a report from Policy Exchange, which highlights 25 cases that have compromised victims’ rights and hindered government actions. Notable examples include a ruling…

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has reduced interest rates from 5% to 4.75%, marking the second cut this year. Governor Andrew Bailey noted that the drop is due to UK inflation falling below the 2% target, allowing for a gradual reduction in borrowing costs. He stated: “We need to make sure inflation…

The Times’ Lawyer of the Week is Amanda Clift-Matthews, who was counsel for Julian Washington, whose conviction for murder in Bermuda in 2014 was quashed last week by the judicial committee of the Privy Council. Key to winning the appeal, brought by the Death Penalty Project, was explaining evidence of systematic failures in the DNA…