Government’s AI tool eases probation work amid prison overcrowding measures Legal The government introduced an AI transcription tool designed to help probation officers focus on reducing reoffending, as a second wave of prisoners were released early from overcrowded prisons. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) developed an AI transcription tool, ‘Justice Transcribe’, to help probation officers record meeting notes. After [...]
‘Moral hazard’ – Lawyers warn SFO whistleblowing rewards could backfire Legal The UK government has launched a consultation on reforming whistleblowing laws, seeking to give the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) powers to reward individuals who report economic crime, a move experts view with scepticism. On Monday, business secretary Jonathan Reynolds and minister for the future of work, Kate Dearden, revealed the government’s plans for a “whistleblowing [...]
Family of suspected ‘Putney pusher’ hit out at Met Police ‘pressure’ Law The family of the multi-millionaire banker accused of being the ‘Putney pusher’ have hit out at the Metropolitan Police over his death, insisting on his innocence. Nicholas Brandram, who worked as a director at a private bank and was a former British Army officer, serving in several major conflicts, was discovered dead in his West [...]
City lawyer pleads not guilty to insider dealing charges September 11, 2026 A City lawyer has pleaded not guilty to five counts of alleged insider dealing for trading in the assets of maternity fashion brand Seraphine Group. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) revealed in July that it charged Richard Bloomfield, 38, with allegedly using inside information he obtained while advising on the buyout of London-listed maternity brand [...]
FTSE boss calls on City businesses to hire former offenders September 9, 2026 Beazley chief executive Adrian Cox has encouraged City business leaders to hire ex-offenders as he believes in “looking beyond convictions and recognising potential”. The boss of the FTSE specialist insurer, which agreed to be acquired by Zurich Insurance for approximately £8.14bn earlier this year, said: “City employers can transform lives while strengthening their organisations’ access [...]
Lawyer struck off for using fake AI evidence in his own disciplinary case September 4, 2026 An immigration lawyer who was referred to a Tribunal after a criminal conviction has been struck off after using AI-generated evidence as part of his own defence. Abhishek Kumar, 41, a registered foreign lawyer, was referred to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) after his 2024 criminal conviction at the Central Criminal Court, after he knowingly [...]
Former Southern Water boss charged with conspiracy to defraud July 22, 2026 The former boss of Southern Water is among four of the water firm’s ex-employees set to face criminal proceedings for conspiracy to defraud. The Environment Agency (EA) alleges that between January 2012 and December 2017 Matthew Wright helped manipulate the operator self-monitoring testing regime by implementing “artificial no-flow events” at wastewater treatment works. The government [...]
Andy Burnham pressured to safeguard jury trials after legal backlash July 14, 2026 The country’s criminal barristers have demanded an urgent guarantee from incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham to save jury trials. The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) has ramped up pressure on Burnham to officially drop “misguided” clauses in the Courts and Tribunals Bill that would curb the historic right to a trial by your peers. The controversial [...]
Starmer confirms teen rape case sent to Court of Appeal after public outcry May 26, 2026 The Attorney General has sent a rape case, which saw two teenage boys spared jail, to the Court of Appeal following a political backlash over the weekend against the judge’s ruling. Two teenage boys raped two girls in separate attacks in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, in 2024 and 2025. The third boy, who aided and abetted the [...]
Tax judge criticises ‘fabricated AI cases’ cited in appeal against HMRC May 18, 2026 A former West Sussex restaurateur has avoided contempt of court after using AI hallucinations as evidence in his £51,000 tax battle against HMRC. HMRC had sent letters to Omar Rafique, former director of Karma Lounge in Worthing, in 2024 demanding payment of over £51,200 and warning that he could face bankruptcy if the debt was [...]