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30 March 2007 / Jennifer James
Issue: 7266 / Categories: Blogs , Public
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Free at last

The untimely death of Sally Clark highlights the devastation caused by incorrect accusations, says the Insider

The Insider generally concentrates on the capricious things in life; sometimes, however, there is a serious news story that cannot be ignored. The death of Sally Clark a couple of weeks ago has struck a chord that will resonate for years to come. Sally was found dead at her home; the cause of death believed to have been natural causes, possibly accelerated by excessive alcohol consumption.

Alcohol dogged Sally. After her original trial for murder in November 1999 she was described as a lonely drunk who resented her babies and deliberately smothered them so that she could return to her former high-flying legal career. How the prosecutors could advance that theory with a straight face is beyond me, along with their promulgation of the now infamous ‘Meadow’s law’. This, basically, said that one cot death is a tragedy, two is suspicious and three is murder unless proven otherwise.

Against the odds

Cot death is a diagnosis made only

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Flint Bishop—Charlotte Harris

Flint Bishop—Charlotte Harris

Sheffield expansion continues with appointment of commercial property partner

Browne Jacobson—Paul Duggan

Browne Jacobson—Paul Duggan

Browne Jacobson strengthens banking and finance practice with latest partner appointment Paul Duggan

Ward Hadaway—Chris Piggott

Ward Hadaway—Chris Piggott

Employment partner joins Ward Hadaway

NEWS
The Law Society RFC Festival of Sport returns next month, bringing together legal and financial services professionals for one of the sector’s largest annual sporting events
Legal aid deserts leave almost one in four without adequate access to justice
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has warned solicitors and law firms that using artificial intelligence does not alter their professional obligations, amid concerns over inaccurate legal material and client confidentiality
From forgotten interest claims to case-management appeals, a string of procedural developments offers useful—and occasionally cautionary—lessons for practitioners

Jonathan Fisher KC highlights that it now accounts for around 40% of criminal offences, with roughly 70% involving technology, and argues that the UK cannot simply prosecute its way out of the problem. Detection, investigation and prosecution all require improvement, while different fraud types demand tailored responses.

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