Met in Priti Patel’s sights after Everard murder October 11, 2021 THE Home Office is reportedly ready to take on a major reform of the Metropolitan Police. Tensions between the Home Secretary Priti Patel and Met commissioner Cressida Dick have continued in the aftermath of the sentencing of PC Wayne Couzens – who raped and murdered 33 year old Sarah Everard whilst a serving officer – [...]
Mike Lynch extradition decision over $5bn fraud trial delayed October 10, 2021 The decision to extradite British entrepreneur Mike Lynch has been pushed to the end of the year after a judge delayed his decision in the separate $5bn (£3.7bn) case against Lynch by Hewlett-Packard. A draft decision, spanning over 1,000 pages, had been expected to be distributed to both Hewlett-Packard and Lynch by 24 September, according [...]
Four London murders: Stephen Port was already on police’s radar hours after first victim’s death October 8, 2021 Only hours after his first victim was found dead, serial killer Stephen Port was identified as a ‘significant witness’ with a sexual assault allegation against him. The body of 23-year old Anthony Walgate, 2 was discovered slumped against a wall outside Port’s flat in Cooke Street, Barking, east London, following an anonymous 999 call at [...]
Former Eversheds trainee solicitor stands trial for raping law student at house party October 8, 2021 A trial into alleged sexual assault by a former Eversheds Sutherland trainee solicitor has started. Tom Hagyard is being accused of raping a law student before sexually assaulting another female, while attending a house party – within weeks of joining law firm Eversheds Sutherland on a training contract in 2017, according to The Mail Online, [...]
Priti Patel: Police must take harassment of women more seriously October 2, 2021 Police must take harassment and flashing more seriously, Priti Patel said, as the Met comes under more scrutiny over how violence against women is treated in the wake of Sarah Everard’s murder. Forces should “raise the bar” and treat everybody “with respect, dignity and seriously”, the home secretary told the Telegraph, as she dismissed suggestions [...]
Small law firms are let off from economic crime tax September 23, 2021 Small law firms have escaped the UK government’s Economic Crime Levy, aimed at raising £100m annually from anti-money laundering (AML) regulated organisations, to help pay for the fight against economic crime. Instead, AML-regulated organisations, including legal practices, banks and accountancy firms, with revenues above £10.2m will be subject to the new tax. The Economic Crime [...]
Civil investigations by HMRC fell during lockdown August 28, 2021 HMRC civil investigations into suspected tax evasion have fallen during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic levels, according to FOI data obtained by national accountancy group UHY Hacker Young. The organisation said HMRC opened 278 civil investigations into suspected tax evasion during the first ten months of the pandemic, between 1 April 2020 to 31 January [...]
Global anti-money laundering fines surge as regulators dole out tougher penalties August 23, 2021 Global anti-money laundering (AML) fines at banks and financial services firms soared to $2.2bn (£1.6bn) last year, fives times higher than in 2019, as regulators have stuck to tougher lines on the industry, according to reports. In its latest review Kroll, a governance and risk consultancy, found that watchdogs levied almost $1bn of AML fines in [...]
Plymouth shooting: Killer had shotgun license returned by police weeks before attack August 14, 2021 The UK’s police watchdog has launched a probe into why the man who shot dead five people in Plymouth on Thursday had his confiscated gun and permit returned by police just weeks before the attack. Jake Davison, 22, shot his mother Maxine Davison and four members of the public – including a three-year-old girl Sophie [...]