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barristerblog.bsky.social
@barristerblog.bsky.social
1.2K followers 110 following 140 posts
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helga54.bsky.social
Blog by my favourite go-to barrister @barristerblog.bsky.social , on the use of biased "experts" at trial. This relates to a murder case 38 years ago. Resonates with me re my current appeal, also Lucy Letby.

barristerblogger.com/2025/10/08/p...
Peter Sullivan: wrongly gaoled for 38 years by junk science and a complacent justice system
Just before midnight on Friday August 1st 1986 Diane Sindall, a 21 year old florist, ran out of petrol on a Birkenhead roundabout. She got out of her car and went to look for a 24 hour petrol stati…
barristerblogger.com
October 12, 2025 at 1:41 PM
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lizziedearden.bsky.social
The Manchester synagogue attacker called 999 and pledged allegiance to Isis before being shot dead, the police have said

His tactics mirrored advice issued by Isis through official propaganda on the use of vehicles and knives, and announcing allegiance before death
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/w...
British Synagogue Attacker Pledged Allegiance to ISIS, Police Say
www.nytimes.com
October 8, 2025 at 6:54 PM
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rbreich.bsky.social
October 8, 2025 at 1:06 PM
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profmarkelliott.bsky.social
New post | On China, the Official Secrets Act and 'enemies': Is the Prime Minister wrong?
publiclawforeveryone.com/2025/10/08/o...
On China, the Official Secrets Act and ‘enemies’: Is the Prime Minister wrong?
The Prime Minister has claimed that his government’s hands are tied in relation to whether China constituted an ‘enemy’ for the purpose of a now-dropped criminal prosecution under…
publiclawforeveryone.com
October 8, 2025 at 10:55 AM
barristerblog.bsky.social
The dreadful case of Peter Sullivan has had the attention it deserves. It was one of the worst miscarriages of justice in British history and I've written about it. barristerblogger.com/2025/10/08/p...
Peter Sullivan: wrongly gaoled for 38 years by junk science and a complacent justice system
Just before midnight on Friday August 1st 1986 Diane Sindall, a 21 year old florist, ran out of petrol on a Birkenhead roundabout. She got out of her car and went to look for a 24 hour petrol stati…
barristerblogger.com
October 8, 2025 at 8:48 PM
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seanjones.org
This is, objectively, insane.
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Oct 3
Leavitt: "President Trump will end the radical left's reign of terror in Portland once and for all. The president has directed Secretary Hegseth to provide all necessary troops to protect war-ravaged Portland."
October 3, 2025 at 8:12 PM
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lizziedearden.bsky.social
The Manchester synagogue attacker was under investigation for rape and had been released on police bail

Jihad al-Shamie also had a criminal record, but the offences were unrelated to terrorism and he was not a "subject of interest" for the security services
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/03/w...
Manchester Synagogue Terrorist Was Under Investigation for Rape
www.nytimes.com
October 3, 2025 at 6:35 PM
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tom--scott.bsky.social
The former leader of Reform in Wales, Nathan Gill, has been convicted of taking bribes from Oleg Voloshyn to promote the interests of Putin - the leader Farage said he most admires.

Here’s Farage with Voloshyn’s wife.

If Gill had been a close associate of Jeremy Corbyn this might be bigger news.
September 27, 2025 at 10:48 AM
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davidallengreen.bsky.social
Today is 21 September, traditionally the date equidistant between the dates when Aston Villa score their two league goals each year.
September 21, 2025 at 12:23 PM
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davidallengreen.bsky.social
NEW

Has the government overreached in using terrorism law against Palestine Action?

A disclosed MI5 document indicates that the basis for proscription may be weak

By me, at @prospectmagazine.co.uk

www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/law/th...
The New York Times has now published a document which sets out the government’s basis for the proscription. This is the “open” version of the MI5 assessment that has been placed before the courts in litigation challenging the proscription. The judges would also see a “closed” version with material not to be placed in the public domain. One hopes the “closed” version is a far more impressive document than the one published, which is a flimsy and unconvincing piece of work. The assessment even admits—twice—that most of the activity of Palestine Action cannot be called terrorism. The document overall reads as if it has been compiled backwards, intending to justify a conclusion that needed to be reached. If so, it will not be the first intelligence document to have been created in such a way. The assessment relies on the group having caused “serious” property damage, which is the relevant statutory test. The problem here is that the spraying of paint and graffiti by the group does not meet the threshold of seriousness. The document also relies on “open source” estimates of the cost of damage which, if one looks at the cited sources, trace back to a claim which the police themselves put to arrested protesters in interview. As such there is a certain circularity: the state is relying on the state claiming the damage is serious.
September 19, 2025 at 11:00 AM
barristerblog.bsky.social
NI Court of Appeal quashes convictions of men accused of plan to bomb RUC fooball club. Votes in NICA were 2-1. In E&W Court of Appeal (Crim) there are almost never dissenters. Is the practice different in NI? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
September 18, 2025 at 10:59 AM
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davidallengreen.bsky.social
NEW

Meme cases and the failure of public legal information

The discussions around cases such as Lucy Connolly and the Epping asylum hotel show ready access to accurate and reliable material is not enough

By me at @prospectmagazine.co.uk

www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/law/th...
In the summary, the court says: “We should say at the outset what this appeal hearing is not about: it is not concerned with the merits of Government policy in relation to the provision of accommodation for asylum seekers, in hotels or otherwise.” The “not” was even underlined, which is rare in a judicial document. The court could have put the “not” in bold and italics, flashing on the page. It would not have made any difference. Few are interested in what the case was really about. They are interested in the stories they want to hear and want to tell about the case. The actual judicial reasoning is irrelevant. None of this is to say that there is no inherent value in providing access to reliable and accurate legal information. Such provision is a public good and it should be done regardless of any perceived lack of utility or even effect. Perhaps online commentary by bloggers and others is also a public good, despite the online headwinds going against them. But what these two (and many other) meme cases show is that free and ready access to accurate and reliable information is not by itself a panacea. This is true for medicine and science and other things as well as law. People are rarely interested in the facts, even when they protest that they are. People instead prefer stories that affirm their views of themselves, and of others, and of the world around them. The challenge for those who want to place the discussion of law and policy (and other things) on a sounder basis is to find ways to make people care about the actualité of the case rather than the meme case.
September 5, 2025 at 2:33 PM
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ctmccartney.bsky.social
nysfocus.com/2025/09/16/a...
Inside the AG’s Conviction Review Bureau: 5 Takeaways
A once-touted statewide conviction review unit lacks independence, authority, and transparency — and Albany hasn’t moved to fix it.
nysfocus.com
September 16, 2025 at 11:30 PM
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audrelawdamercy.bsky.social
this is like. calling your teacher mom x1000 😬😬😬
clapifyoulikeme.favrd.social Mrs. Detective Pikajew, Esq. @clapifyoulikeme.favrd.social · Jun 19
I need all of #lawsky to see this video from a Colorado appeals court livestream yesterday. I am in actual tears. Sound *incredibly* on, the subtitles will not help.
June 19, 2025 at 4:53 AM
barristerblog.bsky.social
Will Lucy Connolly win her appeal against sentence? My latest post. barristerblogger.com/2025/05/18/w...
Will Lucy Connolly win her appeal against sentence?
Lucy Connolly’s appeal against sentence was heard on 15th May. Somewhat unusually for an appeal against sentence she was not given an immediate decision. The three judges hearing the case have rese…
barristerblogger.com
May 18, 2025 at 10:19 PM
barristerblog.bsky.social
I'm sure we can safely rely on the Chinese to tell us if slaves were used in the making of the solar panels.
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Miliband to ban Chinese ‘slave-trade’ solar panels
Opposition from Labour MPs has forced a ban on panels linked to Uighur slave labour, putting about 40% of Britain’s solar industry at risk
www.thetimes.com
April 23, 2025 at 7:43 AM
barristerblog.bsky.social
Pope dies.
April 21, 2025 at 8:09 AM
barristerblog.bsky.social
Trump's insane tariffs have started a cascade of economic & political consequences & eventually to a 3rd attempt at impeachment, predicts Niall Ferguson. www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...
April 20, 2025 at 7:16 AM
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chrisdaleoxford.bsky.social
I half-remembered Dudley Moore singing a well-known song with a famous star and reducing her to helpless laughter as they sang. Took me a while to find it - "If I fell in love with you" with Cilla Black
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb3x...
Cilla Black - If I Feel
YouTube video by The Old Tube Chanel
www.youtube.com
April 19, 2025 at 11:10 PM
barristerblog.bsky.social
Matt is just a sublime cartoonist. Never cruel but always clever and sometimes, as here, wonderfully inventive. How does he do it, day in day out? The man's simply a genius.
April 15, 2025 at 9:07 PM
barristerblog.bsky.social
Oh dear Toby Carvery. This could be your Ratners moment. www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/04...
Toby Carvery admits chopping down 400-year-old oak tree
Enfield council reports criminal damage to police as residents say the loss of heritage tree is ‘devastating’
www.telegraph.co.uk
April 15, 2025 at 6:38 PM
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bbcstever.bsky.social
The Kremlin has confirmed that Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff has landed in Russia.
April 11, 2025 at 8:36 AM
barristerblog.bsky.social
This is a very interesting judgment, on the failings of the paediatric medical expert, the cross-examination skills of Jo Delahunty KC and the serious limitations and dangers of the use of Language Line for medical interpreters. LB Croydon v. D [2024] EWFC 438. www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWF...
LB Croydon v D (Critical Scrutiny of the Paedeatric Overview) [2024] EWFC 438 (20 September 2024)
www.bailii.org
April 9, 2025 at 2:53 PM
barristerblog.bsky.social
The stock market has crashed but the daffodils in Farndale remain very jocund.
April 7, 2025 at 7:49 PM