May 2017

The vice-chairman of the Labour Party NI has written to the Labour Party’s London headquarters threatening legal action over its refusal to stand local candidates in the forthcoming 8^th June general election.  Solicitors acting for Damian Harris claim the ban is discriminatory and contrary to human rights legislation. 

Families of suicide victims lose judicial review over their prison deaths

The relatives of two inmates who committed suicide in HMP Woodhill last July have lost their English High Court case calling for action to protect prisoners. 

The relatives claimed that the prison governor had not compiled fully with Prison Service Instructions (PSIs) which cover management of prisoners at risk of harm to themselves.  Since May 2013 18 prisoners have died by suicide at HMP Woodhill, a rate that the relatives argued was exceptionally high.

Systemic underfunding of Police Ombudsman impeding investigation of complaints

Bell’s (Patricia) Application [2017] NIQB 38

Mr Justice Maguire has ruled that persistent government underfunding of the Police Ombudsman’s office is impeding investigations of complaints against police within a reasonable time. 

Olafsson v Iceland [2017] ECHR 259

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) held that the Icelandic courts were wrong to hold a website editor liable for publishing allegations made by two sisters that a relative, who was standing for election, had sexually abused them when they were children.