News

Criminal barrister Berenice Mulvanny represented the defendant in Hampshire’s first case involving possession of a synthetic cannabinoid spice (legal high) with intend to supply after the new legislation came into force. For more information please click here.

3PB congratulates its former member Tribunal Judge Mark Sutherland Williams on his appointment as the Resident Judge for the Immigration and Asylum Chamber at Hatton Cross Hearing Centre in West London.  Judge Sutherland Williams’ new appointment takes effect from 18 September 2017. Please click here for more details.

Many congratulations to Graham Gilbert whose sports expertise has been acknowledged through his recent appointment to Sport Resolutions Pro Bono Panel. Sport Resolutions is the independent, not-for-profit, dispute resolution service for sport in the United Kingdom. Established by the main stakeholder groups in sport, their aim is to provide an expert, speedy and cost effective alternative to internal appeals processes and court-based litigation. They provide sport specific arbitration and mediation services and operate the National Anti-Doping Panel...

Jane Rowley has been instructed as Leading Counsel for a Defendant facing Serious Sexual Assault charges in Newcastle Crown Court. The trial commenced on 21st August and is expected to conclude early October. The case arises from a series of complex investigations conducted by Northumbria Police, into alleged sex rings operating in the North East by a network of males sexually abusing young women and girls. Operation Sanctuary/Operation Wren.

Sports Barrister Graham Gilbert has represented the BHA in a disciplinary panel involving Rebecca Bastiman, following her horse Big Red being administered a Prohibited Substance. For more information on the hearing, please click here.

Sports Barrister Graham Gilbert has represented the BHA twice in disciplinary panels involving trainer Dean Ivory. The disciplinary panel in Dean Ivory - Links Drive Lady concerned the cross-contamination of the horse with hayfever medicine, as a result of contacts between the horse and her keepers, who were using hayfever medicine to alleviate their symptoms at the time. The disciplinary panel in Dean Ivory - Wotadoll involved the cross-contamination of Wotadoll with O-desmethyltramadol, a metabolite of tramadol which...

In his latest article for LawInSport, sports barrister Graham Gilbert reflects back on the British & Irish Lions' recent Tour of New Zealand and  the sending of All Black Centre Sonny Bill Williams in the second test: should cross code conduct be considered in mitigation in rugby disciplinary cases? Please click here to read Graham's analysis.  

3PB head of sports Louis Weston and sports barrister Gemma White have written an article for LawInSport calling for a unified approach to sanctions for corruption offences across sports disciplines. While the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) has well known codified sanctions for doping violations, there is no consistency of punishment between sports for players or participants who breach anti-corruption or betting rules. Louis and Gemma's article examines the extent of the disparities, the reasons...

Hamish Dunlop, Head of 3PB’s Family Law Group, led by Nigel Dyer QC, and instructed by Hughes Paddison of Cheltenham, has represented the respondent Hugh Owens in the groundbreaking Owens v Owens divorce case. The Court of Appeal earlier ruled that the appellant Tini Owens would not be granted a divorce despite an unhappy relationship. The Court refused to overturn the trial Judge’s finding that the respondent’s behaviour had been tantamount to ‘minor altercations of...

Nicola Frost, writing for Family Law Week, explains the implications of a Hague Convention decision. The CA unanimously held, "anticipatory retention" is a concept that must be recognised by the Convention. By a 2:1 majority (Black LJ dissenting on this particular point) it was further held that "communication" of an intention to retain children (prior to the end of an agreed, extended stay) is not necessary. As such, the mother's conduct surrounding an application for British...

In a review authored by Dr Ashley Bowes, the Journal of Planning and Environment Law has positively commented on “Restrictions on the Use of Land”, William Webster and Robert Weatherley’s planning law reference book. Click here to read the review. Published by Wildy, Simmonds & Hill the book covers the law and practice in a number of fields which impact the use of land and there is considerable focus on remedies for the infringement of rights...

3PB Employment barrister Sarah Bowen reviews the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in R (on the application of UNISON) v Lord Chancellor [2017] UKSC 51 that Tribunal fees are unlawful and discriminatory and considers what might happen next!