Legal News Round-Up – February 2024

Some of the other law news making the headlines in February…

As we head towards lighter mornings and nights and the first shoots of spring flowers begin to appear, here are some of the other law news articles we didn’t get chance to feature in our blog this past busy month.

Focusing on criminal law, motoring law, sexual offences and regulatory law, we’ll keep you abreast of the big cases, law changes and latest legal features.

Solicitor struck off following inappropriate tweets.

Farrukh Najeeb Husain has been struck off following a Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal hearing after he had posted a series of antisemitic tweets.

Husain was in breach of Principles 2, 5, and 6 of the SRA Principles 2019 following the tweets, which were posted on Husain’s public profile.

Whilst he didn’t attend the hearing, Husain did send a letter of mitigation for the tweets.

In response, Louise Culleton, for the Solicitors Regulation Authority, said:

‘In terms of considering culpability…in my submission you may think any attempt by the respondent to say tweets were caused by his health, as he appears to be doing now, or his health contributed to his tweets, does not bear scrutiny on his own evidence, on his own account.’

She added that Husain said he was ‘entitled to freedom of expression’. She said: ‘He justifies his position rather than saying he was wrong. In his closing submissions he made similar statements.’ 

Chair William Ellerton said:

‘As is normal process our full reasoning on sanction and cost will appear in due course in our substantive judgment. All I am going to do today is read out the tribunal order.

‘The tribunal orders the respondent Farrukh Najeeb Husain, solicitor, be struck off the roll of solicitors and further orders no order to costs.’

To read more about the article in the Law Gazette, click here.

Germany Legalises Cannabis – but there’s a catch…

The first of our BBC articles this month is news from the EU – where in Germany, Cannabis has been legalised, but there is a catch… they have made it difficult to buy.

In a rather complicated set of new laws, Cannabis will allowed to be smoked to be smoked in public legally. The are limits to being able to purchase the drug though.

Firstly, there won’t be a plethora of Amsterdam-style cafes opening – purchasing will be limited to special “clubs” – limited to 500 members – and only available to German residents, so the laws won’t apply to tourists.

People will be allowed to grow their own Cannabis though – upto a maximum of 3 plants per household.

The new law isn’t without its critics though. You can find out more in the full article on the BBC website by clicking here.

Man dies after accidentally taking someone else’s dying assisting drugs

The Guardian reported this month on a man who was found dead in his home in Brisbane by his daughter – having accidentally taken someone else’s dying assisting drugs.

The man, in his 80’s referred to as “ABC” due to legal reasons, had legally obtained the voluntary assisted dying (VAD) drugs for someone else, but it was determined they were “no longer needed” – but had been kept in the home having not been collected.

VADs have been legal since 2023 in Australia, although this instance has raised concerns regarding the recording and tracking of unused VADs.

To read the full article, click here.

GMP Officers Caught Watching Netflix in home of missing woman during search.

Back to the BBC – and earlier this month a 21-year-old from Wigan was alarmed to discover two officers from GMP were caught on CCTV watching Netflix at her home whilst meant to be on a search for her.

Abbygail Lawton had been reported missing during a mental health crisis, following calls to her home after concerns had been raised.

The officers were filmed watching TV and using dumbbells in the home of Ms. Lawton – who was alerted to the behaviour by a CCTV app on her phone put in a complaint.

GMP have said that the pair didn’t breach standards – although the Professional Standards Branch said that the pair should “reflect on their actions.”

You can read more about this in the article here.

And Finally – TV Star Clarkson denies illegally filling in Badger Sets on his Farm

Jeremy Clarkson’s hit Amazon Prime show Clarkson’s Farm has been getting rave reviews, but the controversial star could be in a spot of bother regarding a common farmland issue.

Anyone found guilty of filling in badger sets can face hefty fines and even prison sentences. However, Clarkson – who was facing accusations following the release of video footage of alleged badger sets – denied the accusations, saying he had found an alternative solution.

He said; “That is a serious criminal offence which can result in big fines and lengthy prison sentences. And if word leaked out that I’d been involved in such a thing, I’d be a social outcast.”

Clarkson went on: “Mercifully, however, I had the perfect excuse: ‘I’ve shot all the badgers on the farm so why would I want to fill in their setts?”

He also went on to point out that shooting them was permitted.

You can read the full article here.

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