“I certainly wouldn’t want to embark on a treatment where somebody couldn’t tell me with any accuracy what percentage chance there was of it being successful, and what the possibilities were of harms or side effects”

Policing large London demonstrations is always a challenge

Stopping non-participants from crossing, particularly if there is a risk of disorder, is entirely normal

news.sky.com/story/sky-news…

In ⁦BBC Radio 4 Today⁩ ⁦Nick Robinson⁩ asks the co-leader of the Scottish Green Party Patrick Harvie, MSP if he accepts the findings of the Cass review final report.
He asks him 5 times.
He doesn’t answer, 5 times.

And at least two Scottish government ministers, and a backbench Green MSP.

I’m on a bit of an ancient history grind at the moment

Here’s Alexander the Great’s epic mantrum in 326 BC, as told by Michael Wood, when his army refused to follow him any further into India

Race against Time : Another Update on the Prison Building Programme
Rob Allen shows us where (most of) the 20,000 new prison places will be
buff.ly/4aSMEgP

“Without a transcript of court proceedings, victims are unable to find out exactly what happened during the trial, which can make it very difficult for them to come to terms with how the verdict was reached”

theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/a…

“We shouldn’t wait until there’s an ITV drama before the injustice is dealt with”

independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/…

Re that revolting Spectator article, people are rightly outraged by the one-handed writer's comments about the academic. But it's how he writes about the 'brisk workout' with the sex worker (who could well be trafficked) that enraged me. Paying for sex is abusive and unforgivable

Jesus Christ

Two conferences, two attempts at shutting them down (one successful), two different responses. The attempt to close down the NatCon conference in Brussels is indefensible and should be opposed by anyone supportive of basic liberties. 1/

Another foreseeable problem with emergency early release ignored by HMPPS. Result: Catch 24. No room in prisons = release - No room for released = back to prison. Mad.
telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/04/1…

My @SL5Legal colleague Emma has written this powerful and moving piece about Matthew Price and the enduring disgrace of the IPP sentence.

WARNING– this article contains distressing content.

sl5legal.co.uk/single-post/ir…

Labour MP quoted in today’s London Playbook on the troubled Criminal Justice Bill:

“We’ve been told privately the bill is never going to come back”

A Tory official says this is not true, and that it will be returning

politico.eu/newsletter/lon…

On the 5th of March there was a third IPP stakeholder meeting with HMPPS. During this meeting we raised a number of concerns regarding psychology within prisons, communication with those serving IPP sentences, transfers, parole delays and lack of data around key areas.

#newsround : Prisoners evacuated due to crumble-prone concrete buff.ly/3W6riZ4

'This announcement is a stunning admission that after missing DNA testing opportunities in Andrew Malkinson’s case, the CCRC may also have denied justice to hundreds of other innocent people.'

theguardian.com/law/2024/apr/1…