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22 September 2023 / Richard Marshall , Kate Bridgland , Oliver Cooke
Issue: 8041 / Categories: Features , Criminal , Fraud
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The UK financial crime regime: fit for purpose? (Pt 3)

138502
Rounding up their series on economic crime in the UK, Kate Bridgland, Oliver Cooke & Richard Marshall assess the potential of the proposed ‘failure to prevent fraud’ offence
  • The government is proposing a new ‘failure to prevent fraud’ offence for large organisations.
  • While the new provisions are narrower in scope than many have called for, it would nonetheless be a welcome development by increasing the protections available for consumers and businesses.

In answer, at least partially, to calls which have existed for some time, particularly since the implementation of the Bribery Act 2010 (BA 2010) and the Criminal Finances Act 2017 (CFA 2017), the government is drafting a new ‘failure to prevent fraud’ offence. Billed as a measure to close loopholes in the existing statutory legislation, some will question whether the move goes far enough to close said loopholes, while others are likely to argue it is a practical, realistic and welcome step. So which is it?

What is proposed?

While

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NEWS
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.

How forcefully can a litigant criticise a public authority before robust advocacy crosses the line into unreasonable conduct? 
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