Law Society Legal News Summary 06 August 2024


Far-right riots 

Independent, Guardian, The Times (£), Telegraph (£), inews (£), City.A.M, Standard, Daily Mail, Metro, Daily Express,  and over 380 other media outlets report on our response to the violent riots taking place across the UK.

Law Society president Nick Emmerson said: “We have serious concerns about the safety and wellbeing of our members following names and addresses of a number of solicitors’ firms and advice agencies being shared on a list of targets for further protest and violence this week.

"I have written to the prime minister, lord chancellor and home secretary today asking that the threats against the legal profession are treated with the utmost seriousness.

"A direct assault on our legal profession is a direct assault on our democratic values and we are supporting our members who are being targeted.

"It is paramount that justice is done for all those who have been involved in, or are victims of, the riots. We commend the UK government for its swift response and want to see that the necessary support and resources are provided for both prosecution and defence lawyers, courts staff and judiciary in dealing with this emergency.” 

Read our press statement
 

Criminal prosecution 

Financial Times (£) and DUK News report that a former chief crown prosecutor in the northwest has said judges may need to be brought out of retirement and defence solicitors paid upfront to deal with the expected influx of cases. 

According to The Law Society, crown courts now have a backlog of more than 68,000 cases, while the magistrate’s system have more than 380,000 cases.
 

Also worth a read: 

  • Over two dozen people appear in court after England and Northern Ireland riots – Guardian
  • Mass imprisonment of rioters will ‘cripple’ England's jail system, union warns – Financial Times (£)
  • 'Catastrophic' Wandsworth Prison to get £100m of funding – BBC
  • More than 500 new prison cells to be opened to ensure rioters can be jailed - Telegraph (£)
  • Tory London borough objects after Government increases its housing target by 209% - Standard
  • Three water firms face record total £168m fine after sewage investigation - Guardian
  • Wes Streeting backs cross-party approach to fix social care – Telegraph (£)

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